I have been making this Christmas Cake for almost 40 years. This year I made one for us Gluten Free and it turned out perfect. Yay
Yes it is a favourite of mine, so quick, easy and economical to make. It’s not uncommon for me to make 4 or 5 each Christmas, one for ourselves and others for gifts.
Always turning out the same every-time, full of flavour, rich, dark, moist and keeps for ages, that’s if family don’t find it first.
By chance if our son is visiting and I’m baking this Cake, he always breaths in deeply and I hear a sigh of satisfaction, it fills the house with that spicy Christmassy smell.
Another good thing about this Cake is with people on special diets or just watching what they eat these days you don’t have to ice it. It’s just as yummy plain or like I do sometimes, scatter a few Almonds or Glazed Cherries over the top.
Christmas Cake
- 1kg Fruit Mix, any brand
- 225g Butter
- 1 cup Brown Sugar
- 3 Eggs
- 1/2 cup Golden Syrup
- 1/2 cup Milk
- 2 cups Healtheries Gluten Free Flour Mix
- 1 teaspoon Baking Powder
- 1 tablespoon Vanilla Essence
- 2 tablespoons Bandy or Bandy Essence
- 1 tablespoon Cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon Mixed Spice
- 1/4 teaspoon Nutmeg
Preheat the oven to 150ºC
Line a 20cm x 20cm x 8cm Tin with 2 layers of Baking Paper.
Cream the Butter and Sugar together a large bowl.
Add Eggs one at a time beating well after each addition.
Place the Golden Syrup into a large jug and pour the milk on top. Carefully stir together until the Golden Syrup has dissolved into the Milk.
Place this mixture into the creamed Butter, Sugar and Eggs.
Add the dry ingredients, Spices and Essences, mix until everything is combined.
Lastly add the Fruit Mix, I use a very large Antique Silver spoon to stir with.
Using a spatula scape the mixture into the prepared Cake Tin and level off the top.
If using Cherries or Almonds, place these onto the top of the Cake now.
Bake in the Oven for 2 1/2 – 3 hours at 150ºC or until a skewer when placed in the middle comes out clean.
Leave to cool completely on a rack then wrap in Luncheon Paper, place into an air tight container until Christmas.
I usually make these Cakes in November.
If giving away for gifts I place them onto a solid surface, ( stiff Cardboard or Tray), then I purchase a Decorative Cake Wrap.
If left plain with no Icing you can buy Plastic Wording depicting Christmas, (Merry Christmas) and place on top of the Cake.
Placing the wrap around the Cake, then finishing off with Cellophane and a pretty Christmassy Ribbon, it’s a perfect gift.
As a child I remember seeing my Mother pouring Bandy over her warm Christmas Cakes not long after they came out of the oven. When I asked, “why do you do that?” she replied, “to make them last longer and to taste nice”.
