Making this Christmas cake now still leaves time to feed it with brandy over the next few weeks.

I recommend buying pre soaked dried fruit from Lidl or Aldi as this keeps your costs down, but still allowing for a brandy taste. This cake shall be finished closer to Christmas with a step by step guide to its decoration.

Christmas Cake

• 900g of mixed fruit consisting of, raisins, currants, sultanas, mixed peel and cherries

  OR

• 225g of raisins
• 225g of currants
• 225g of sultanas
• 100g of glazed cherries
• 100g of mixed peel
• 350g of plain flour or self raising for a looser cake substance
• 100g of chopped almonds
• 1tsp of mixed spice
• 225g of butter or butter equivalent
• 225g of castor sugar
• 4 eggs
• 150mls of milk or 150mls of milk and brandy combined if using brandy

Method

1. Line a deep 9inch tin with baking paper.
2. Sift the flour and mix with the almonds and mixed spice.
3. Beat the eggs with the milk or milk/brandy mix
4. In a large bowl cream the sugar and the butter together.
5. Add the flour and the eggs alternatively, slowly to the mix.
6. Combine well together.
7. Add the fruit and mix in, I often get the family to take turns to help.
8. Pour into your lined cake tin.
9. Bake in a pre heated oven 150°C, 300°F, gas mark 2 for 3 ½ – 4hrs
10. Check the cake is ready after 3½ hours by skewering,  if skewer comes out clean your cake is ready, if cake mix sticks to your skewer, give your cake another half hour.
11. Once ready, remove from the tin and allow to cool.
12. Once completely cool, double wrap in baking paper with a layer of tin foil over the top.
13. Keep in an air tight container. If you are feeding your cake brandy, do this every couple of weeks up until Christmas, by piercing your cake and pour in a tablespoon or two of brandy over the top. This matures your cake enabling it to last longer.