Christmas Cake

Christmas Cake

1 lb (450 g) butter
2 cups (500 ml) white sugar
1 dozen eggs
3 tbsp (45 ml) almond extract
3/4 cup (175 ml) brandy
3 lbs (1.4 kg) sultana raisins
1 lb (450 g) almonds (cut in half)
1 lb (450 g) glazed red cherries
1/2 lb (225 g) glazed green cherries
1/2 lb (225 g) glazed pineapple
5 cups (1.25 l) pastry flour, divided
2 tsp (10 ml) baking powder
2 tsp (10 ml) salt
2 tsp (10 ml) vanilla extract

3 square cake tins (4, 6 and 8 inch) with bottoms that can be pushed out.
(10, 15 and 20 cen square tins)

Parchment paper or clean paper bags

Bread loaf pan half full of water

1. First prepare the cake tins by lining them on all sides and the bottom
with the paper.
2. Prepare the fruit by rolling it by hand gently in 2 cups (500 ml) of the
flour and placing it in a large bowl.
3. In a separate bowl, beat the eggs.
4. In yet another bowl, cream together the butter and sugar.
5. Add the beaten eggs and mix well.
6. Mix in the brandy, vanilla and almond extract.
7. In a separate bowl, mix together the remaining 3 cups (750 ml) of flour,
baking powder and salt.
8. Slowly add the flour mixture to the cake batter mixing it very well. This
takes a substantial amount of elbow grease!
9. Pour the completed cake batter into the lined cake pans.
10. Pre-heat the oven to 250 F (120 C).
11. Place the pan of water in the oven.
12. Carefully set the nearly filled cake tins in the oven.
13. Bake the cakes until a toothpick comes clean.

About 2 hours for the small cake, 2 1/2 hours for the middle sized cake and
3 hours for the large.

14. Put the cakes on a rack to cool.
15. Remove the cakes from the tins and wrap them in plastic wrap, then in
foil and freeze until ready to use.