Stir Up Sunday

Photo © Anne-Marie Minhall

It's time for ..

** D R U M R O L L **

The Christmas Cake.

Last weekend the following happened ..

Into a Tupperware box went the following dried fruit ..

175g Raisins

500g Currants

350g Sultanas

150g Dates

100g Cranberries 

100g Cherries

Then add the ..

Zest of 1 Orange & 1 Lemon - Use unwaxed fruit

Finally .. 

150ml Brandy (a decent one)

Bring everything together before covering with a lid & leave for 4 or 5 days

Stir daily as you hum or whistle a happy tune (not compulsory btw)

Now the day has arrived to bake the cake.

I'm smiling.

You'll need a deep & round 23cm tin

Butter & line it with greaseproof paper (make a triangle with your paper before a quick scrunching - it works)

Oven 140C/Gas 1

Here we go ..

250g Butter softened (really well softened)

250g Muscovado Sugar

4 Eggs

1 tbsp Black Treacle

75g Walnuts chopped or crushed

75g Self-Raising Flour

175g Plain Flour

1tsp Mixed Spice

1/2tsp Cinnamon

1/2tsp Ground Ginger

A large bowl will be needed

In goes the butter, sugar, eggs, treacle & nuts

Beat everything together really well 

Add the flours & spices & mix

Time for the soaked plump fruit to get involved, add & stir thoroughly

Spoon into the greased & lined baking tin making sure it's all level before placing into the oven for 4 hours, possibly 4 & a half

Photo © Anne-Marie Minhall

Check after 2 hours & if it's brown on top, then, cover loosely with foil for the remaining cooking time. Have a skewer to hand to check the centre of the cake & if it comes out clean, all is well

Let the cake cool in the tin

Once it's cool make some piercings in the cake & feed it with a few drops of brandy once a week. Keep it wrapped in greaseproof & foil.

I've never been bothered about marzipan or icing - you may differ.

Home has the aroma of Christmas today & I'm loving it.

AMM