Well I missed Stir-it up Sunday as I was drowning under a sea of baby clothes and toys from the loft!  (Don’t ask) But on Monday, I managed to actually make my Christmas Cake!  Hoorah!

It’s a pretty simple recipe, basically 8oz (or 225g if you’re into metric) of flour, sugar, each of the fruit (sultanas, raisins, currants and cherries), and butter,  4 eggs,  1 tsp mixed spice, pinch salt, 4 oz flaked almonds and 2 tbsp brandy.

I was surprisingly organised this time and the kitchen didn’t resemble a warzone for a change!

Back to the recipe.  I creamed the butter and sugar, then added the eggs (slowly) then the flour, spice and salt (slowly) and then the brandy.  Once all combined in went all the fruit and nuts (slowly).  Then all the mix went into the lined cake tin.

Making sure to add a dip in the middle as I didn’t want a cake that looks like mount versuvius!  Not this time!!

In it went for three and a half hours on 150 degrees.  The house smelt fabulous and I got to lick out the bowl!  (There is a reason I made this while little one was at school -I am mean when it comes to Christmas cake mix).

I haven’t a photo of the finished cake as it was too dark to take one, sorry!  But now it’s time to start feeding it with the brandy – I reckon twice a week until Christmas aught to be about right, what do you think?

Well it’s back to the card orders now and thoughts of Christmas mincepies!

Happy Baking!
x