Jane Grigson's Christmas cake recipe
Jane Grigson's Christmas cake recipe from janerowena |
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IngredientsIngredients:1 ½ lb mixed dried fruit 4 oz of whole roasted almonds 4 oz chopped candied citrus peel 4 oz rinsed glacé cherries quartered or left whole 10 oz plain flour 1 tsp ground cinnamon 1 tsp grated nutmeg the grated rind of a lemon 8 oz salted butter 8 oz soft dark brown sugar 1 tsp vanilla extract 1 tbs black treacle (or molasses) 4 eggs 1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda 1 tbs warmed milk brandy |
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MethodPreheat your oven to 140⁰C (275⁰F).Begin by mixing all the dried fruit, almonds, candied peel and cherries in a large bowl. Next, sift in the flour, turning in and coating the fruit, then mix in the spices and fresh lemon rind. Now cream the butter sugar in a separate bowl, then mix in the vanilla and black treacle. Beat in four eggs one by one until incorporated, and the mix in the fruit and the flour. For the final stage, dissolve the bicarbonate of soda in the warmed milk, stir it in, and then add enough brandy to slacken the mixture slightly, so that it achieves a dropping consistency – you don’t want a dry cake, now do you? Line an eight inch cake tin with greaseproof paper and pour the mixture in, hollowing the top a little to compensate for it rising in the oven. Cover with a layer of brown paper to prevent scorching and bake for 3 to 3 ½ hours. Test it after 3 hours with a skewer. When done, leave to cool in its tin overnight. Wrap in greaseproof paper or foil and keep in an airtight container. Ideally the cake should sit for at least a month to mature, but 2 or 3 weeks is also fine. Whilst it sits, you need to feed it with a sprinkle of 2 or 3 tablespoons of brandy, turning the cake every couple of days or so. The cake is ready to eat when it has been ‘fed’ for a little while, however, you might want to add a layer of marzipan and royal icing. | |||||||||||||||||||
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