TRADITIONAL CHRISTMAS CAKE

TRADITIONAL CHRISTMAS CAKE

Ingredients

12 oz plain flour,
1 tsp cinnamon,
1 tsp mixed spice,
A pinch of salt,
4 oz candied peel,
4 oz cherries,
2 lb dried fruits,
4 oz blanched almonds,
4 eggs,
4 tbsp sherry,
Finely grated 1 lemon,
8 oz margarine,
8 oz sugar,
1 tbsp black treacle, and
A closet with a lock (to keep it safe from children until the C-Day).

Method

Sieve together all the dry ingredients.

Mix the peel, fruit, cherries, chopped almonds and lemon rind.

Whisk the eggs and sherry together.

Beat the margarine, sugar and black treacle until soft.

Add the flour and egg mixtures alternately to the margarine little by little till it has a thick paste consistency.

Stir in the fruit mixture.

Put into an 8-9 inch tin, lined with greaseproof paper round the sides and at the bottom.

Now, tie a double band of brown paper round the outside of the rim, standing well up above the top of it.

Put in the middle of a hot oven. Bake for 3 1/4-3 1/2 hours at gas mark 3 for the first 1 1/2 hours, and then decrease to gas mark 2 for the remainder.

Cool the cake in the tin, then store in an airtight container.

Can be served hot or cold with custard or double cream respectively