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Christmas Cake
8oz raisins
8oz sultanas
8oz currants
4oz mixed peel
4oz glacé cherries, halved
2oz chopped blanched almonds (optional)
2oz ground almonds
8oz plain flour
2oz S.R. flour
Pinch salt
1 teaspoon mixed spice
1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg
8oz butter
8oz dark soft brown sugar
1 tablespoon treacle
4 medium eggs
Juice and rind of a lemon
3fl oz brandy
Cream the softened butter, sugar and treacle till paler and "fluffy".
Beat in the eggs, one at a time, adding a spoonful of flour to prevent curdling.
Toss the remaining flour with all the dried fruits and spices and mix well into the butter and egg mixture.
Also incorporate the lemon juice and zest, and the alcohol.
The mixture should be soft, but not sloppy.
If it seems too dry, add a little extra orange juice or another egg.
Spoon the mixture into a well-lined 9in round or 8in square tin
and bake in a low oven - about 275-300 F /140-150¼C - for about 4 hours.
If the cake is browning too quickly, cover with a round of foil or brown paper halfway through cooking.
Test with a skewer to see it is cooked then cool in the tin.
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