Non-traditional Christmas Cake - No Cherries

Total Time: 3 hrs 40 mins Preparation Time: 40 mins Cook Time: 3 hrs

Ingredients

• 425 g sultanas
• 175 g currants
• 900 g mixed dried fruit, coarsely chopped
• 1 orange, juice and zest of
• 440 g crushed pineapple
• 200 ml brandy, plus extra for finishing
• 170 g blanched almonds
• 200 g unsalted butter
• 200 g brown sugar
• 5 eggs
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla essence
• 1 teaspoon almond essence
• 70 g ground almonds
• 1 3/4 cups bread flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons mixed spice
• 1 teaspoon nutmeg
• 200 ml brandy, extra for feeding cake (approximate)

Recipe

• 1 combine sultanas, currants, and chopped dried fruit in the largest mixing bowl you have. add the orange zest, juice, crushed pineapple (with juice) and brandy. mix well.
• 2 cover and leave overnight to soak, stirring occasionally. (i left this for two days with no problems).
• 3 turn the oven onto 180 degrees c and toast the almonds until just brown. remove from the oven, let cool, and add to the fruit mixture.
• 4 turn the oven down to 150 degrees celsius.
• 5 cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
• 6 add the eggs one at a time, beating to combine. the mixture might curdle but this isn't a problem.
• 7 stir through the vanilla and almond essences, then add to the fruit mixture with the ground almonds. stir well to combine.
• 8 sift the flour, baking powder and spices together. mix through the fruit mixture. (my grandma told me that a light hand is necessary & not to overmix - otherwise the cake turns out tough & dry - who am i to argue with grandma?).
• 9 spoon into a prepared baking tin (mine measures 7in x 9in), then bake for 3 hours.
• 10 if the top starts browning too quickly cover with baking paper.
• 11 remove from the oven after 3 hours and cool. gently pierce the top of the cake with a skewer in 10-12 places, then trickle over 3t of the extra brandy.
• 12 wrap in tin foil and baking paper, and store in an airtight tin for 3-4 months. feed regularly with brandy to keep the cake moist and flavourful.