Cat's Christmas Cake

Everyone that has tried it has said it was the best Christmas cake they have ever had, it's delicious! This was passed down to me from my nan ('granan') and uses a recipe by Zena Skinner although I have made some modifications:

Make the cake any time from October, as this allows more time for it to mature.

Ingredients:

•  12 oz currants
• 12 oz sultanas
• 8 oz raisins (California seedless)
• 3oz chopped blanched almonds
• 3 oz chopped angelica (we just use that mcuh extra candied peel)
• 4 oz quartered glace cherries
• 4 oz chopped candied peel
• 10 oz plain flour
• 10 oz butter
• 10 oz dark muscavado sugar
• 5 eggs
• Grated rind from 1 lemon
• 3 tablespoons brandy (or rum)
• 1 teaspoon mixed spice (I add extra cinnamon etc to give more flavour)
• Pinch nutmeg
• Pinch salt

Method:

• Line a 8 inch square tim with double thickness greeseproof paper/ baking parchment. Tie a band of brown paper around the sides of the tin and secure with string.
• Mix together the flour, spices and salt and set aside.
• In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Beat the eggs in one at a time, adding a tablespoon of flour with each egg.
• Add all other ingredients a little at a time exept for the brandy (or rum).
• Finally, add the brandy/ rum and some milk if it is too stiff (it is probably needed), the mixture should just drop off the spoon easily.
• Bake at 150 degrees C (130 fan) for around 3 1/2- 4 hours. Test it with a skewer, if it comes out clean and the cake is lightly brown, it is done (don't worry about holes left in the cake as it will be covered).
• Turn the cake out onto a wire rack to cool, when completely cool, wrap in greeseproof paper and seal in a tin to leave it to mature for Christamas.

The covering and decoration:

I use roll out marzipan (buy from supermarkets), but you can always make your own.

• Sive apricot jam and place in a pan. Heat it for around 5 mins, until hot then leave to cool.
• Roll out the marzipan (about 2 packets if you buy from the shops) quite thin on a icing sugar covered surface and until large enough to cover the cake.
• Use a pastry brush to cover the cake with the jam (this is so the marzipan will stick).
• Use the rolling pin to roll the marzipan around it then drape it gently over the cake. Ease it around the corners (you may have to mould it further) and smooth it over and trim the excess (use for decorations).
• Then you have to leave the cake for at least a few days for the marzipan to dry, otherwise it will ruin the cake.

I then use roll out white icing (buy from supermarkets), but you can use royal icing instead.

• Roll out the icing (about 2 packets if you buy from the shops) quite thin on a icing sugar covered surface and until large enough to cover the cake.
• Using a pastry brush, cover the marzipan-ed cake with brandy (this is so the icing will stick).
• Use the rolling pin to roll the icing around it then drape it gently over the cake. Ease it around the corners (you may have to mould it further) and smooth it over and trim the excess (use for decorations).

On this cake, I used red writing icing to pipe 'Merry Christmas' and added a red ribbon around the sides. I also made models of: santa, snowman, rudolf, penguin, presents; this was done by using leftover white icing and using food colouring. I also made marzipan stars. Below is the final result: