Michael’s wife Geraldine makes the most of the seasonal Christmas fruit stocked in Cosgrove’s annually from October to December.

Geraldine, a keen baker, shares her recipe below for a traditional, beautiful and simple Christmas cake (no icing required!). This cake is suitable for bakers of all levels and using the highest quality fruit, is a sure to be tasty festive treat!

Cake mix

250g room temperature butter (not included)

200g of light muscovado sugar

4 free-range eggs (not included)

200g of sifted plain white flour (not included)

150g of medium seedless raisins

150g medium sultanas

85g of chopped pecans

175g of dried cranberries

200g of glacé cherries (mixed colours)

100g of mixed, chopped citrus peel

2 teaspoons of mixed spice

3 (a little extra for the brave) tablespoons of whiskey (not included)

Decoration

3 tablespoons of apricot jam (not included)

60g of glacé cherries

Icing sugar (not included)

Whole citrus peel cut into thin slices

60g pecan and almonds nuts (blanch if you wish)

Red ribbon

 

Recipe

  1. Soak all dried fruits in the whiskey (overnight if possible)

  2. Preheat oven to 150C/ gas to fan oven 130C

3.  Line an 8 inch loose bottom cake tin ~3.5” deep with greased parchment paper 

4. Line the outside of the tin with brown paper

5. Cream the butter with the sugar until well mixed and soft

6. Beat in the eggs one at a time and fold in sieved flour

7.  Tip in soaked dried fruit, chopped pecans and spice and mix well

8. Spoon the mixture into the prepared tin

9. Flatten mixture with the back of a spoon making a slight depression in the centre to help the cake rise easily

10. Tap the tin on the worktop to settle the contents

11. Bake for 1 hour and then cover loosely with foil or brown paper and bake for 1 further hour

12. Insert a clean skewer into the centre and when it comes out clean the cake is ready

13. Leave the cake to cool with the parchment paper intact

14. When cold, remove the paper and wrap in greaseproof paper + tinfoil

15. Store in an airtight container until ready for decoration

To Decorate

  1. Heat the jam in 2 tablespoons of water
  2. Brush the top and sides of the cake with the glaze
  3. Roll the glacé cherries in a little icing sugar
  4. Arrange cherries, thin citrus slices and nuts on top of the cake
  5. Tie the red ribbon around the cake

 Enjoy the Baking!!!!!!