Granny's Christmas Cake Recipe

We think this was a Delia Smith recipe but Granny gave it to us when we moved to NZ to make sure we could still do a decent British Christmas Cake. We've used it ever since!

1lb currents

6oz each sultanas and raisins

2oz glace cherries, rinsed, dried and chopped

2oz mixed candied peel

3 tbsp brandy (and some!)

8oz plain flour

1/2 tsp each salt, grated nutmeg and mixed spice

8oz butter

8oz soft brown sugar

4 large eggs

2oz chopped almonds

1 dessert spoon black treacle

grated zest of one orange and one lemon

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Grease and line a 20cm cake tin with baking paper and tie a band of brown paper around the outside with string for extra protection.

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Begin the night before by putting the dried fruit, cherries and mixed peel in a large bowl and stir in the brandy. Cover with a cloth and leave overnight. If you get the chance to give it a stir or two before cake making time even better. This is the smell of Christmas!

The next day. Heat the oven to 140C.

Sift the flour, salt and spices in a bowl and set to one side.

In a separate large bowl beat the softened butter and sugar together until pale and fluffy, beat the eggs in a jug and add them to the creamed mixture a little at a time. Keep the whisk running until the egg is incorporated. Now gently add the flour and spices.

Fold in the fruit, peel, chopped nuts and treacle and lastly the orange and lemon zest.

Transfer to the cake tin, smoothing the top with the back of a spoon. Hollow the centre slightly.

Loosely cover with a double square of grease proof paper with a 50p size hole in the centre for added protection.

Bake of the lower shelf of the oven for 4 1/2 to 4 3/4 hours. It can take up to 5 hours depending on the oven temperature or the softness of the mix. In any case it will be happy for 4 hours.

Cool the cake for 30 mins in the tin, then remove it to a wire rack to finish cooling.

When it's cold, store in an air tight tin. You can now feed it weekly until you need to ice it or eat it! I never make it too far ahead of Christmas but you can marzipan and ice it up to two weeks before the big day.