Christmas Cake (Fruitcake – Mum’s via Jean Green also Bert’s)
- ¼ lb. dried currants
- ½ cup dark rum or brandy
- 1 lb. candied pineapple (if rings, cut into pieces)
- ¼ lb. candied citron
- 1 lb. golden raisins
- ½ lb. seeded raisins
- ½ lb. candied cherries (¼ lb. red, ¼ lb. green)
- 1/8 lb candied lemon peel
- soak overnight
1/8 lb. candied orange peel ¼ cup blanched whole almonds (you might have to blanch your own – just use whole almonds with skins on – pour boiling water over, leave until skins wrinkle, peel skins off – I put on paper towels to soak up moisture)
- ½ lb. pecans or walnuts (I use pecans)
- ½ teaspoon mace
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ lb. butter, soft (1/2 c.)
- 1 cup white sugar
- 2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- 5 eggs, slightly beaten
- 1 tablespoon milk
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- 1 cup brown sugar
First day: Prepare all fruits. I soak the raisins and currents overnight in the rum or brandy.
Second day: Line pans with heavy waxed paper (I use brown paper bags cut to pan size). Sift 1½ cup flour with spices onto waxed paper. To keep fruits and nuts from sticking, mix with remaining ½ cup flour in a large bowl. Beat eggs slightly. Measure milk and mix together with almond flavouring. Cream butter, then cream in white and brown sugar until light. Mix in eggs, milk mixture and flour. Pour batter over fruits and nuts. Mix well (sometimes I use my hands). Fill pan by pressing mixture down firmly with your hands. Bake at 275 for 3 hours and 15 minutes. Let stand for a full ½ hour on a wire rack, and then turn out of pan. Store in a cool place. Wrap with cheese cloth and every four weeks pour ½ cup brandy or rum over cake.
I use a ??? spring form pan for one large cake or four small loaf pans (nice to make this way – can give them away, wrap each on individually in cheesecloth). I find the cake is easier to cut if you put it in the refrigerator.
- Make an almond paste (or buy it at the store)
- 1 lb. blanched almonds
- 1 pound sugar
- 1 cup water
- ½ cup orange juice
Grind almonds in a meat chopper using finest cutter (current world – use a Cuisinart). Run them through 3 or 4 times until very fine.
Cook sugar and water to 240 degrees F. Mix with chopped almonds. Add orange juice. Stir until creamy, turn onto a slab dusted with confectioner’s sugar, let stand and cool. Pack in a clean, airtight containers, store in cool, dry place at least one week. Makes 2 pounds.
I buy it at the store – roll out on a surface dusted with confectioners’ sugar to about ¼ inch thick, cut top and side shapes to fit cake – press onto cake pinching seams slightly.
- Ice with Royal Icing (stuff breaks apart when set but that is the way it is)
- 4 egg white
- 1 teaspoon cream of tartar
- 5 cups sifted icing sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoon almond extract
Combine first four ingredients in a large beater bowl and mix on low speed, then on medium to high speed for 10 to 15 minutes. Add flavouring. Dip the edge of a metal spatula in and out of the frosting. If a sharp edge or peak forms, icing is good consistency for spreading. Otherwise, beat in more sifted icing sugar until icing peaks. The icing should be slightly sifter for decorating tube work than for spreading on a cake. Keep bowl covered with a damp cloth to avoid crustiness. This recipe is easy to divide or multiply.