Christmas Cake Love

Yesterday I made a Christmas Cake. I know that really diligent souls have made their Christmas cake months ago in order for it to 'mature' and all that but hey I am just happy that I have made one at all! It is my darling man's Mummy's recipe which I finally managed to get off one of his sister's. I had feared that it had got lost when his Mum had passed away.

When Val was alive and well she used to make a Christmas cake for the family's of each of her children. She'd hand us a humble looking bundle... the cake wrapped in lunch paper and then newspaper all tied off with some string. An unassuming and as I say 'humble bundle' - a bit like her really. But what dwelt within was something else! A rich fruit cake - decadent and delicious. Also a bit like her - a woman rich with life's experiences, love and wisdom.

So yesterday I launched into this pleasant task - pleasant, mostly 'cause I thought of Val heaps and marveled at her lovingly mixing and baking and sloshing Brandy on 9 Christmas cakes for all her family. Therein lies a challenge - now I could continue that family tradition and make cakes for our four girls and their loved ones..... mmm. Trouble is, most of them screw their noses up at anything that looks remotely raisin-y or sultana-ish. Even a date is considered suspect! Meanwhile I feel sure my cake will be enjoyed by at least some of the souls who drop by our house over the Christmas period. One darling man will certainly tuck into it heartily!

I had to phone my own Mum, who is an expert baker, with regard to the "splash brandy over" bit of the recipe. She had some good tips on hand which I will include in the recipe. I saw a lovely 'passing the baton from one generation to the next' story on TV1's Close Up on Tuesday night. Take a look at 'Sweetheart Deal' HERE Choose chapter 2 to view this segment.

Val's Christmas Cake.

1 kg mixed fruit
250 gms butter
250gms dried apricots
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup cold tea or water
3 tsp orange rind & 2 tsp lemon rind
1 tsp each of cinnamon, mixed spice & ginger
1 tsp each of almond essence & lemon essence
1 TBLSPN golden syrup
5 eggs lightly beaten
2 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
blanched almonds (I put mine on the top of the cake before it went in the oven)

Combine fruit, sugar, butter, cold tea in pot. Stir til butter and sugar are combined and dissolved. Simmer about 8 minutes. Cool. Add golden syrup and lightly beaten eggs. Sift and fold in dry ingredients. Bake at 130deg C for 2 1/2 - 3 hours.
'Splash brandy over' -
Leave cake to cool. Make several holes in cake with a skewer (or knitting needle). Spoon 2 TBSPNS brandy over the cake. I used a pastry brush to spread it around. Wrap the cake in 2 layers of greaseproof paper and then 1 layer of foil (or Newspaper as Val used to do). The brandy is good for flavour and helps the cake to keep well too!
Apparently this should be done weekly - a great plan if you have made you cake nice and early! Mine will get only one more dousing before we crack into it!