The classic Christmas cake

1 lb (450 g) currants
2 oz (50 g) almonds, chopped
6 oz (175 g) sultanas
6 oz ( 175 g) raisins
2 oz (50 g) glace cherries, rinsed, dried and finely chopped
2 oz (50 g) mixed candied peel, finely chopped
3 tablespoons brandy
8 oz (225 g) plain flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground mixed spice
8 oz (225 g) unsalted butter
8 oz (225 g) soft brown sugar
4 eggs, size 1
The grated zest of 1 lemon
The grated zest of 1 orange
4 oz (110 g) whole blanched almonds (only if you don't intend to ice the cake)

You will need an 8 inch (20 cm) round cake tin or a 7 inch ( 18 cm) square tin,
greased and lined with greaseproof paper. Tie a band of brown paper round the
outside of the tin for extra protection.


You need to begin this cake the night before you want to bake it. All you do is
weigh out the dried fruit and mixed peel, place it in a mixing bowl and mix in
the brandy as evenly and thoroughly as possible. Cover the bowl with a clean
tea-cloth and leave the fruit aside to absorb the brandy for 12 hours.

Next day pre-heat the oven to gas mark 1, 275 ° F ( 140 ° C). Then measure out
all the rest of the ingredients, ticking them off to make quite sure they're all
there.
The treacle will be easier to measure if you remove the lid and place the tin in
a small pan of barely simmering water.


Now begin the cake by sifting the flour, salt and spices into a large mixing
bowl, lifting the sieve up high to give the flour a good airing. Next, in a
separate large mixing bowl, whisk the butter and sugar together until it's
light, pale and fluffy. Now beat the eggs in a separate bowl and add them to the
creamed mixture a tablespoonful at a time; keep the whisk running until all the
egg is incorporated. If you add the eggs slowly by degrees like this the mixture
won't curdle. If it does, don't worry, it will still taste good!


When all the egg has been added fold in the flour and spices, using gentle,
folding movements and not beating at all (this is to keep all that precious air
in). Now fold in the fruit, peel, chopped nuts and treacle and finally the
grated lemon and orange zests.


Next, using a large kitchen spoon, transfer the cake mixture into the prepared
tin, spread it out evenly with the back of a spoon and, if you don't intend to
ice the cake, lightly drop 2 oz (50 g) blanched almonds in over the surface.
Finally cover the top of the cake with a double square of greaseproof paper with
a 50p-size hole (1") in the centre (this gives extra protection during the long
slow cooking). Bake the cake on the lowest shelf of the oven for 4 1/2 - 4 3/4
hours. Sometimes it can take up to 1/2-3/4 hour longer than this, but in any
case don't look till at least 4 hours have passed.


Cool the cake for 30 minutes in the tin, then remove it to a wire rack to finish
cooling. When it's cold `feed' it, wrap it in double greaseproof paper secured
with an elastic band and either wrap again in foil or store in an airtight tin.
You can now feed it at odd intervals until you need to ice or eat it.