Recipe - Christmas Cake

MOM'S CHRISTMAS CAKE

Prepare 600g mixed fruit - sultanas, raisins, peel, currants, red, green & yellow cherries, crystalized pineapple. (I did 250g cake fruit, 200g cherries, about 100 g pineapple).

Add 60g chopped almonds. Coat fruit and nuts with flour.

Mix:
300 g flour (600 ml)
½ teasp baking powder
½ teasp salt

Cream:
150 g butter
200g sugar

Add:
4 eggs
3/4 teasp almond essence
Mix well and then add flour mixture.
Lastly add flour coated fruit.
Bake in a paper-lined tin and hollow mixture out towards sides of tin.

Bake at 160° C for about 2 hours or until done.

A colleague at work suggested that I soak the cake fruit in tea overnight (rooibos).
It did make the cake moister but be sure to strain all the liquid off before adding the fruit to the cake otherwise the cake becomes soggy as I discovered on my trial run before the wedding.

This colleague also told me that she puts the shelf low in the oven, puts a newspaper on it, stands the cake tin on top and then rests grease proof paper over the top of the cake. This means it cooks more slowly. I did this and must warn you that although the paper does not burn it does smell hot for a while. After baking 5 cakes on the same newspaper and using the same piece of greaseproof paper the paper was slightly browned but not burned. Those people who commented on the wedding cake told me that it tasted divine. The lady who was catering told me that she had had TWO pieces already - and that was before handing any out! Someone else who does not like fruit cake told me that she really enjoyed her piece. Hope you enjoy this.

Peter and I are having offcuts from the wedding cake with custard and cream for dessert tomorrow. It tastes delicious like this.

Christmas greetings to all of you.
I hope to speak to some on the telephone tonight.
Peter and I are going over to Mike's and Jodi's flat tomorrow for a visit.

Love to you all
Jane