Christmas is the time of the year for coming together with your friends and family – it is also the time of the year for indulging in Christmas cake! It is the perfect thing to eat after your plump Christmas goose; assuming you have the room. I recommend you do keep some room though, because you will not want to miss this dark, flavorful, and moist fruit cake. It uses an almond paste icing which just adds a richness perfect for the festivities.
Ingredients
16 oz candied cherries
8 oz candied mixed citrus peel
2 cups raisins
1 cup dried currants
1 cup dates – pitted and chopped
4.5 oz slivered almonds – blanched
1/2 cup brandy
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp ground cloves
1 tsp ground all spice
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup butter
2 cups packed brown sugar
6 eggs
3/4 cup molasses
3/4 cup apple juice
How To Make Christmas Cake
- Combine dates, cherries, citrus peel, raisins, currants, and almonds in a medium bowl.
- Stir in brandy.
- Let sit 2 hours or overnight.
- Dredge soaked fruit with 1/2 cup flour.
- Preheat oven to 275 °
- Grease an 8x8x3 inch fruit cake pan.
- Line with parchment paper and grease again.
- Mix together salt, 2 cups flour, baking soda, cloves, allspice, and cinnamon in a medium bowl.
- Set aside.
- Cream butter until light in a large bowl.
- Gradually blend in eggs and brown sugar.
- Mix together apple juice and molasses.
- Beat into butter mixture alternately with flour mixture.
- Make 4 dry and 3 liquid additions.
- Fold in floured fruit.
- Turn batter into prepared pan.
- Bake in preheated oven for 3-3 1/2 hours.
- Remove from pan and lift off paper.
- Cool cake completely, then wrap loosely in waxed paper.
- Store in an airtight container.
Trivia
St. Nicholas is originally from Turkey.