*  Exported from  MasterCook  *

                         Christmas Cake (British)

Recipe By     :
Serving Size  : 12   Preparation Time :0:00
Categories    : Desserts                         Cakes

  Amount  Measure       Ingredient -- Preparation Method
--------  ------------  --------------------------------
   2       lb           Mixed dried fruit
   4       oz           Glacé cherries
   4       oz           Candied fruit
   3       oz           Blanched almonds
  10       oz           Plain flour
   1       pn           Salt
     1/4   ts           Bicarbonate of soda
   1       ts           Mixed spice
   4                    Eggs
     1/2   ts           Flavoring (vanilla, lemon)
   1       tb           Blackstrap molasses
   8       oz           Butter
   8       oz           Soft brown sugar
                        Whisky -- to soak fruit
 250       ml           Milk -- to mix

  Notes:

  (1) The mixed dried fruit should be such things as seedless raisins
      and currants.

  (2) The 1/2 ts of "flavoring" can be almond, or lemon, or vanilla,
      or a mixture of the three.

  (3) "Mixed spice" is a combination of cinnamon, allspice, and mace:
      about 1/3 of each.

  Find a 9" cake pan at least 3" deep; grease it, and line the bottom
  and sides with a double thickness of greased baking parchment. Tie
  folded brown paper or newspaper around the outside of the pan. The
  paper is insulation, to keep the sides of the cake from scorching
  as it bakes. Set oven to 320 to 300°F. Have folded paper to stand
  the pan on when baking--place low in oven. Pick over the dried
  fruit, removing any stems, etc. Wash, drain well and spread over a
  cloth on a tray to dry. When dry, put in a bowl and pour a small
  wine-glass of spirit over it. Cover well and leave overnight.

  Next day, add chopped peel, blanched chopped almonds, and cherries
  minced and drained. Mix thoroughly. Sift together the flour, salt,
  soda, and spice. Beat the eggs well with the molasses and
  flavoring. Put the butter into a large warmed bowl and beat until
  soft; then add the sugar and beat until light and creamy. Beat in
  the egg mixture, about 1/6th of it at a time, then fold in half the
  flour mixture. Add remainder of the flour to the fruit and mix
  well. Add fruit to creamed mixture and fold in well. Put into pan
  and bake for about 3-1/2 to 4 hours or until done.

  If top of cake is browning too fast, cover with a few thicknesses
  of paper. Reduce the oven heat slightly every hour--about 10°F.
  Test with skewer for doneness. Keep the paper wrapped around the
  cake in place until completely cooled, so that the cooling takes
  place slowly. After completely cooled, invert the cake, lift the
  baking parchment off the bottom, and sprinkle the cake generously
  with the spirit of your choice. Wrap well in foil, put in a sealed
  tin, and keep in a cool place, not necessarily refrigerated. The
  cake benefits from occasional unwrapping and sprinkling with more
  spirit. It takes about 2 months to achieve maximum "mellowness".

 
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