Non-Traditional Christmas Cake - No Cherries
photo by LilKiwiChicken
- Ready In:
- 3hrs 40mins
- Ingredients:
- 19
- Yields:
-
1 cake
- Serves:
- 30
ingredients
- 425 g sultanas
- 175 g currants
- 900 g mixed dried fruit, coarsely chopped
- 1 orange, juice and zest of
- 440 g crushed pineapple
- 200 ml brandy, plus extra for finishing
- 170 g blanched almonds
- 200 g unsalted butter
- 200 g brown sugar
- 5 eggs
- 1 1⁄2 teaspoons vanilla essence
- 1 teaspoon almond essence
- 70 g ground almonds
- 1 3⁄4 cups bread flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons mixed spice
- 1 teaspoon nutmeg
- 200 ml brandy, extra for feeding cake (approximate)
directions
- Combine sultanas, currants, and chopped dried fruit in the largest mixing bowl you have. Add the orange zest, juice, crushed pineapple (with juice) and brandy. Mix well.
- Cover and leave overnight to soak, stirring occasionally. (I left this for two days with no problems).
- Turn the oven onto 180 degrees C and toast the almonds until just brown. Remove from the oven, let cool, and add to the fruit mixture.
- Turn the oven down to 150 degrees Celsius.
- Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
- Add the eggs one at a time, beating to combine. The mixture might curdle but this isn't a problem.
- Stir through the vanilla and almond essences, then add to the fruit mixture with the ground almonds. Stir well to combine.
- Sift the flour, baking powder and spices together. Mix through the fruit mixture. (My grandma told me that a light hand is necessary & not to overmix - otherwise the cake turns out tough & dry - who am I to argue with grandma?).
- Spoon into a prepared baking tin (mine measures 7in x 9in), then bake for 3 hours.
- If the top starts browning too quickly cover with baking paper.
- Remove from the oven after 3 hours and cool. Gently pierce the top of the cake with a skewer in 10-12 places, then trickle over 3T of the extra brandy.
- Wrap in tin foil and baking paper, and store in an airtight tin for 3-4 months. Feed regularly with brandy to keep the cake moist and flavourful.
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