RECIPE: JACQUIE'S CHRISTMAS CAKE

A DAY BEFORE (OR MORE):

Place all the dried and glacé fruits in a large bowl or container. Add the sherry and brandy or rum, combine well, then cover and stand for at least 24 hours, or for up to 2 weeks, stirring occasionally.

ON THE DAY:

Preheat the oven to 130°C fan-forced (150°C conventional). Grease five 10cm square tins or a deep 20 cm round cake tin with the extra butter and line the base and sides with baking paper. Jacquie likes to wrap a few sheets of newspaper around the tins when baking to slow the cooking.

Place the butter and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.

In a separate bowl, combine the vanilla extract, almond essence, glycerine, golden syrup, jam, lemon zest and juice, then add to the butter mixture and beat until well combined.

In another bowl, sift together the flours and spices, then add to the batter with the chopped nuts and soaked fruit and beat until well combined. Spoon the batter into the tin/s and smooth the top/s. Decorate the tops with whole pecans and the extra glacé cherries, then bake for 3.5 – 3.75 hours for the larger tin, or 1.5 – 2 hours for the smaller tins, or until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean.

Remove from the oven, then pour over about 2 tablespoons extra alcohol over the top. Stand to cool in the tins, then remove from the tins, wrap in foil and place in an airtight container. To enhance the flavour of the cake before eating or gifting, ‘feed’ your cake by drizzling an extra teaspoon of your chosen alcohol over the cakes once or twice a fortnight. Don’t be tempted to overfeed the cakes or they will become stodgy.

The cakes will keep, tightly wrapped in an airtight container, for up to 6 months.

NOTES:

• The glycerine helps keep the cake moist during baking and is available from supermarkets.
• Instead of using 60 ml (0.25 cup) each of sherry and brandy, you could substitute both with 125 ml (0.5 cup) rum.