Christmas fruit cakes

Christmas fruit cakes

(Makes 3 large muffin size cakes and two 11x16cm rectangular cakes)

8 oz butter                                            

3 oz slivered or chopped almonds

8 oz light brown sugar   

1 lb. raisins                                   

5 eggs                                                             

1 kg good quality mixed fruit

1 doz. dates

100g cherries

(Or replace fruit in above three items with 3 pkts.Quality Mixed fruit)

2 ozs S.R. flour                                               

1 level teaspoon salt

9 oz plain flour                                                

¼ teaspoon each cinnamon, grated nutmeg, and mixed spice     

Fruit and nuts preparation:

1.      Prepare the fruit and nuts at least three days before cooking.

2.      Warm the Rum and following ingredients together in a small saucepan until nicely blended.

3.      Allow to cool completely.                   

4.      Pour this mixture over the prepared fruit and nuts. Cover and macerate or soak for three days or at least overnight. Give the mixture a stir or a shake each day if possible.

½ cup of Bundaberg Rum or brandy or sherry

 ½ teaspoon each of vanilla paste, and almond essence

1 level dessertspoon of golden syrup                                                      

1 level dessertspoon each of lemon juice and orange juice

1 level dessertspoon of Bushells sweetened coffee & chicory essence

1 level dessertspoon of Fig or dark jam   

Day of cooking:

Preheat the oven to 140 ⁰ or 120⁰ fan forced.

Method: 

1.      Cream butter and sugar until light and soft. Test each egg separately in a cup and beat them into the butter, cream one at a time, and add a little of your measured flour between the last 2^nd or 3^rd egg to prevent any risk of curdling.

2.      Have ready the flours sifted together with salt and spices. Add these and blend smoothly and well. Last of all add the macerated fruits and mix evenly and thoroughly.

3.      Let the mixture stand in the bowl for 10 minutes before placing in the prepared tins. Place your wooden spoon upright in the centreof the mixture. It should not move if correct consistency.

4.      Line the base and sides of your cooking tins with 2 layers of brown paper and a layer of Baking paper. Using brown paper lunch bags when lining small tins makes the job a lot easier. If using muffin tins, the Multix Café collection muffin wraps (baking paper) work very well placed inside the brown paper liners.

5.      Spread mixture evenly into prepared pans. Decorate tops with blanched almonds and glacé cherries.

6.      Bake cakes at 140⁰  for 15 minutes and reduce to 130⁰ fan forced for about 1 hour 45 minutes or until cooked when tested. Brush hot cakes with extra rum or sherry. Cover cakes tightly with foil. Cool in the pans.

7.      Decorate cakes with ribbon if preparing for gifts.

The cakes will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 months.

Suitable to freeze.

Enjoy!