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The Night Before Christmas Cake
INGREDIENTS:
» 1kg mixed dried fruit
» 100g red glace cherries
» 100g DUCKS SLIVERED ALMONDS
» ¼ cup DUCKS MACADAMIA NUTS, roughly chopped
» 2 tablespoons sweet sherry or brandy
» 1 tablespoon marmalade
» 1¼ cups firmly packed brown sugar
» 250g butter, chopped
» ½ cup milk
» 3 eggs, beaten lightly
» 2 cups plain flour
» 1 cup DUCKS ALMOND MEAL
» ½ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
» 2 teaspoons mixed spice
» 200g DUCKS WHOLE ALMONDS OR
» 200g DUCKS MACADAMIA NUTS to decorate
» Extra brandy, approx ¼ cup
METHOD:
Preheat the oven to slow (140°C). Grease a deep 28cm round cake pan or a 22cm square cake pan, cover the base and side with 2 layers of baking paper, bringing the paper 5cm above the edge of the pan.
Combine the dried fruit, nuts, sherry, marmalade and sugar in a large bowl. Place the butter and milk in a small saucepan, stir over the heat, without boiling, until the butter melts.
Add the butter mixture, eggs and dry ingredients to the fruit mixture and mix well.
Spread the cake mixture into the prepared pan. Decorate with nuts, pressing gently into the mixture. Bake in a slow oven for 2 – 2½ hours.
Sprinkle some brandy over the hot cake, cover hot cake with foil and cool in pan overnight.
Christmas morning, remove from the cake tin, place on a decorative serving plate and tie a pretty Christmas ribbon around the side of the cake.