The Weekly‘s All-Time Favourite Christmas Cake
Prep & Cook 5-6 hours (plus cooling time) / Serves 4-6
2 1/3 cups (375 g) sultanas ♥ 2 1/3 cups (375 g) chopped raisins ♥ 3/4 cup (125 g) dried currants ♥ 1/2 cup (100 g) red glace cherries, quartered ♥ 1 cup (250 g) firmly packed mixed glace fruit (such as oranges, pineapple, peaches, apricots) ♥ 1/3 cup (120 g) ginger marmalade ♥ 1/2 cup (125 ml) brandy ♥ 1/2 cup (125 ml) orange juice ♥ 250 g butter, softened ♥ 2 tsps finely grated orange rind ♥ 1 cup (220 g) brown sugar ♥ 4 eggs ♥ 1 cup (150 g) plain flour ♥ 1/2 cup (75 g) self-raising flour ♥ 3/4 cup (90 g) almond meal (ground almonds) ♥ 2 tsps mixed spice ♥ 2 tsps ground cinnamon ♥ 1/3 cup (80 ml) brandy, extra, from brushing
ICING 3 egg whites ♥ 4 1/4 cups (680 g) icing sugar, sifted ♥ 3 tsps lemon juice ♥ 1 1/2 tsps glycerine
Click through the gallery below for preparation steps.
Recipe: The Australian Women’s Weekly
Combine the fruit, marmalade, brandy and juice in a large microwave-safe bowl. Cover with plastic wrap; microwave on high for 3 mins, stirring after each 1 min. Remove plastic wrap and cool completely.
Preheat oven to 140 C (120 C fan-forced). Line base and side of a deep 22-cm round cake pan with two layers of brown paper and two layers of baking paper, extending paper 5 cm above sides of pan.
Beat the butter, rind and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer until combined. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Stir in the sifted flours, almond meal and spices. Stir into the fruit mixture. Spread the fruit mixture into the prepared pan; smooth top.
Bake cake for about 3 1/2 hours or until a thin-bladed knife inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean. Cover loosely with foil if over-browning occurs during cooking. Brush hot cake with extra brandy.
Cover the top with a piece of baking paper; snip and fold down lining paper; cover cake tightly with foil. Wrap in a towel; cool in the pan overnight. Remove from pan.
ICING: Whisk egg whites in a large bowl with an electric mixer until just frothy. On low speed, add the icing sugar, 1 tbsp at a time. Add the lemon juice and glycerine, and beat for about 5 mins or until very stiff and thick. Cover the surface of the icing with plastic wrap and store in a cool place until ready to ice.
Spread cake with icing and decorate with your choice of Christmas decorations.