Easy Christmas Cake

Make your own Christmas cake with our easy Christmas cake recipe. This simple, all-in-one recipe makes the perfect fruit base for your festive treat. This hearty Christmas cake will serve between 14-21 people and will take around 3hrs to prepare and bake. It’s well worth making this classic Christmas cake in advance so its got plenty of time to absorb all of the flavours from the mixed fruit and brandy. And if you’re trying to be good this Christmas, you’ll be glad to know that a slice of this mouth-watering fruit cake works out at only 242 calories per serving – yes, really! This tasty Christmas cake has been tested in the GoodtoKnow kitchen and is certainly a favourite. Once you’ve mastered this recipe you can get decorating with your chosen topping, be it traditional fondant and marzipan or royal icing or if you’re looking to keep it simple, don’t decorate this cake at all and serve glazed in a light drizzle of honey, golden syrup or warmed apricot jam.

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Ingredients
2 (8 ounce) containers candied cherries
1 (8 ounce) container candied mixed citrus peel
2 cups raisins
1 cup dried currants
1 cup dates, pitted and chopped
2 (2.25 ounce) packages blanched slivered almonds
1/2 cup brandy
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon ground allspice
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup butter
2 cups packed brown sugar
6 eggs
3/4 cup molasses
3/4 cup apple juice

Directions
In a medium bowl, combine cherries, citrus peel, raisins, currants, dates, and almonds. Stir in brandy; let stand 2 hours, or overnight. Dredge soaked fruit with 1/2 cup flour.
Preheat oven to 275 degrees F (135 degrees C). Grease an 8x8x3 inch fruit cake pan, line with parchment paper, and grease again. In a small bowl, mix together flour, baking soda, cloves, allspice, cinnamon, and salt; set aside.
In a large bowl, cream butter until light. Gradually blend in brown sugar and eggs. Mix together molasses and apple juice. Beat into butter mixture alternately with flour mixture, making 4 dry and 3 liquid additions. Fold in floured fruit. Turn into prepared pan.
Bake in preheated oven for 3 to 3 1/2 hours, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of cake comes out clean. Remove from pan, and lift off paper. Cool cake completely, and then wrap loosely in wax paper. Store in an airtight container.
Source: allrecipes