christmas cake part 2

Yesterday, after swimming and grocery shopping, etc I decided to get to work on our Christmas cake for 2009. Out came the raisins, currants, dried cranberries and apricots and the candied peel. So here is how I adapted the recipe:

Dark Fruit Cake (adapted from the Canadian Living Cookbook)

1 c. candied peel

1 c. dried cranberries

1 c. dried apricots

Place all these into a food processor and grind until finely chopped.
1 c. currants

2 c. sultanas

2 c. raisins

Add all the fruit together and add

1/2 c. brandy or rum

Let sit for a couple of hours or overnight. Grease cake pans, line with waxed paper and grease the paper. Preheat the oven to 275 deg F.

2 c. almonds finely chopped

1/2 c. flour

Mix these into the fruit mixture

1/2 c. butter

3/4 c. granulated sugar

1 c. packed brown sugar

5 eggs

1 1/2 tsp vanilla

Cream together the butter and white sugar. Add the brown sugar and keep mixing. Add the eggs into the mixture, 1 at a time. Add vanilla.

1 1/2 c. flour

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp each of cinnamon, allspice and mace

Add the flour mixture into the butter mixture and incorporate well. Then fold the fruit mixture into the batter. Pat into the prepared pans.

Bake for ~ 3 1/2 hours or until the cake is brown and bounces back when poked. Wrap the cakes well when cooled and they will keep for at least 6 weeks.

The whole house will smell cakey and spicey. Yum!