Wee Buns Cookery School provide some of the best hands-on baking and cooking classes in Northern Ireland. Mary Anne has many years experience including working in renowned Michelin star restaurants and she has supplied this scrumptious Christmas cake recipe so that you can bake with ease and confidence in your own home!
Total Cooking time 4 – 4 ½ hours
Ingredients
- 285g /10 oz currants
- 255g / 9 oz sultanas
- 255g / 9 oz raisins
- 65g / 2 oz glace cherries, rinsed, dried and chopped
- 65g / 2 oz candied peel, chopped finely
- 65g / 2 oz almonds, ground
- 1 tablespoon treacle
- 1 orange and 1 lemon grated zest
- 3 tablespoons Brandy or Whiskey
- 225g / 8 oz plain flour
- 1 level teaspoon baking powder
- 225g / 8 oz butter
- 225g / 8oz light or dark brown sugar
- pinch salt
- 1 teaspoon mixed spice
- ½ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- 5 large eggs
- 3 tablespoons milk (optional)
Method:
1. Line the tin bottom and sides with double thick baking paper and wrap and tie a layer of brown paper around the outside of the tin. This helps protect it while in the oven for a long time. Preheat oven to 160C.
2. Begin the day before by combining the sultanas, raisins and currants, mixed peel, orange and lemon zest and cherries in a bowl and add the Brandy and treacle and leave overnight for the fruit to plump up.
3. In a food mixer beat the butter (which must be soft / room temperature) with the sugar until the mixture looks light and fluffy, at least 5 minutes.
4. Then start adding the eggs one at a time, ensuring each egg has been incorporated before adding the next. Add the ground almonds before adding the last egg.
5. Sift the flour into the egg mixture and fold in. Then add the dried fruit and spices and fold in also. If the mixture seems a bit stiff, fold in the milk one tablespoon at a time until the mixture is lighter.
6. Spoon into the tin, level the surface and make a dip in the centre, dampen your hand with water and just press over the surface.
7. Place in the oven then Immediately turn the temperature down to 150C and bake for 1 ¼ hours then reduce the temperature again to 140C and cook for another 3 hours or until nicely brown and a skewer comes out clean.
8. Pour over more Brandy or Whiskey when warm if desired.
9. Cool on a rack and then wrap well in grease proof paper and tin foil until ready to use.
Wee Buns offers a range of cooking and baking classes in a small purpose built kitchen for adults and children. Our classes focus on using the best quality ingredients, making the most of local and seasonal produce.
