It is so simple to have a Homemade Christmas and this recipe is a great place to start. It is a tried and true recipe from Mum’s Recipe Book. She made it for years and I have been making it for at least 25 years to gift small cakes to friends and family each Christmas.

You Will Need:

125 grams butter

1 cup sugar

1 cup water

1 level teaspoon mixed spice or cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

700 g mixed fruit

2 level teaspoons of bicarbonate of soda

4 tablespoons brandy or sherry

1 beaten egg

1 cup Plain Flour

1 cup Self Raising Flour

Method:

 I soak the fruit in the brandy or sherry overnight before making this cake. You don’t have to do this but I believe that it adds to the rich flavour.

Place the butter, sugar, water, fruit, spices and bicarb into a large saucepan and bring to the boil. Boil gently for 8-10 minutes. Leave until cold (almost cold is OK).

Add the egg and flours to the mixture and mix in well. 

Place into greased, paper lined cake tins and bake at 160C for approximately 1 hour. 

Once cooked, sprinkle over with extra brandy or sherry and wrap the whole cake and tin in paper to cool over night. 

I make 3 times the quantity and it gives me 17 small cakes. I make some round and some loaf shape. These small cakes take just over an hour to cook and you can cook at 160 C. 

Enjoy!

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Gillian (and Andrew)