Steenbergs Organic

Macdonald Christmas cake

Ingredients

• 275g softened organic butter
• 275g Fairtrade organic soft brown sugar
• 500g organic sultanas
• 500g organic raisins
• 175g chopped candied peel
• 100g chopped glace cherries
• 50g organic preserved ginger, chopped
• 350g organic currants
• 75g organic dried apricots snipped
• 175g organic flaked almonds, toasted until golden brown
• 275g organic plain flour, sieved
• 1tsp organic Fairtrade mixed spice
• ½ tsp grated organic nutmeg
• 2tsp organic cinnamon
• 6 large free range eggs, beaten
• Grated rind of 2 organic oranges & 2 lemons
• 150ml "good" whisky

Instructions

1. Butter a 25cm cake tin and line with greaseproof paper. Beat together the butter and sugar until the mixture is very well mixed and fluffy. In a large bowl, mix together all the organic dried fruits and toasted flaked almonds. Sieve in about half of the organic flour and organic spices and mix well, using your hands.
2. Beat the eggs into the butter and Fairtrade sugar mixture, alternating with the remaining flour and spices. Beat in the orange and lemon rinds. Mix in the flour-coated fruits and organic nuts, mixing really well, and lastly mix in the alcohol. Pour into the cake tin, smoothing it even and then hollow out the middle with the back of a wooden spoon. Bake for 30 minutes at 180°C, then lower to 140°C and bake for a further 2½ hours.
3. Take out the cake and cool in its tin. When cold, skewer into the cake in as many places as you want, then pour some whisky or brandy over the cake; leave for a few minutes, then tip out of tin, wrap tightly and store until you're ready to marzipan and ice the cake.

Reprinted with kind permission of Claire Macdonald from her book "Celebrations"

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