Juliet's Mum's Christmas Cake

Do you remember the cake from the Novelistas' Christmas party? Juliet Greenwood made it, using one of her mother's recipes. It was absolutely delicious! So, if you'd like to have a go at making it yourself, here is the recipe.

Ingredients

8oz/227g  butter/margarine

8oz/227g  sugar

8oz/227g  self raising flour

3 eggs

1 small tin of pineapple (chopped)

2oz/57g  glace cherries

2oz/57g  candied peel

1 orange

1 lemon

1 grated eating apple

2oz/57g  sultanas

2oz/57g  currants

2oz/57g  walnuts

4oz/113g  toasted almonds.

1 teaspoon of mixed spice

Method

Cream butter and sugar, add eggs gradually. Beat well. Add fruit and nuts and rind of orange and lemon. Fold in the flour and mixed spice.

 

Place in greased cake tin (7inches/18cm) and bake for 1 hour at 180 (160 for fan-assisted) or gas mark 4. Turn out onto a plate to cool. While still warm make holes in the cake with a knife and feed in a little of the orange and lemon juice, and either some of the pineapple juice or a tipple of your choice (brandy or sherry work nicely). When cool, ice with butter icing flavoured with a little lemon and decorate with cherries and toasted almonds.

 

Can be made the night before Christmas, and the fruit and nuts can be adjusted. Just put in what you like best! Simple and delicious – enjoy!