Boozy Christmas Cake

Ingredients

8oz Butter

8oz Soft dark brown sugar

8oz flour (6oz plain/all purpose and 2oz self raising)

1 1/2 to 2lb of dried fruit ( I used currants, raisins, sultanas and dried cranberries)

7oz glace cherries (syrup rinsed off, cut in half and dusted in flour so they don’t sink to the bottom of your cake)

2tsp mixed spice

1 tbsp of treacle

6 tbsp of rum (can also use brandy, whisky, port or sherry)

23cm/9in cake tin, lined and greased

Preparation

Soak the fruit in the alcohol overnight in a bowl which will plump the fruit up

Preheat the oven to 140c/275f/Gas mark 1

In a large bowl cream together the butter and sugar until smooth

Whisk the eggs then add the treacle to them and mix. Add to the butter and sugar and mix really well. Sieve in the flour and ground spice and combine

Add in the fruit and mix again. The mixture will feel very stiff and heavy due to the amount of fruit but it will come together

Add to the greased cake tin and level out the top to get an even finish then add to the oven and cook for 4 to 4/12 hours. I check mine after 2 hours and if the cake the perfect colour I cover the top of the cake with a round piece of grease proof/parchment paper (foil will work too). To check when cake is done put a skewer in the centre and it should come out clean. Leave the cake in the tin to cool

When cool prick the cake in several places and feed with a little alcohol. I drizzle a few spoonfuls over the top. When the cake is completely cold double wrap it in grease proof paper then wrap in a layer of foil an put in a cake tin in a cool dry place. You can store it like this for upto 3 months. Weekly unwrap and feed with alcohol. You ice it a week before Christmas so check back mid December for how to marzipan and ice the cake