desperately seeking AH ORIGINAL Xmas cake recipe. Have been making it for 40 years and the recipe has faded so badly in my book, its now unreadable. I dont want the one that the fruit is preboiled the day before. One would think after all these years I would remember it by heart, but nope!! I know it has 6x size 6 eggs. This recipe has been made for my kids weddings (by me) plus endless other functions...as well as every Xmas.
Many thanks.

Not interested in any other recipes, only this one.

PLEASE, if anyone has this elusive recipe (which Mr Google doesnt have) could ypu post it on here for me.

craftylady1 - 2019-11-05 08:13:00

Its in the Kitchen Diary collection book, there are 2 versions, 1 has extra fruit, I dont know how to copy it here, unless I type it all out. I have just found it on line look up Alisons Pantry

articferrit - 2019-11-05 09:02:00

The member deleted this message.

unknowndisorder - 2019-11-05 09:07:00

225g butter
1C sugar
1/2tsp vanilla
1/2tsp lemon essence
1tsp cinnamon
1tsp ground ginger
1tsp mixed spice
1/4tsp nutmeg
3C flour
6 eggs
500g Sultana's, washed & dried
500g currants, washed and dried
500g mixed fruit, washed and dried
1C drained crushed pineapple
Blanched almonds and cherries
1/4C brandy optional)

unknowndisorder - 2019-11-05 09:15:00

Line a 23cm tin with one or two layers of grease proof or baking paper. Measure spices and flour into any suitable container and put aside.
Cream butter, sugar and essences until light and fluffy.
Add eggs, one at a time, with a spoonful of flour mixture after each to prevent curdling. Add prepared fruit and pineapple to remaining flour.
Add flour and fruit to creamed mixture and mix thoroughly by hand.
Press evenly into prepared tin.
Use almonds and cherries to decorate top.
Bake at 150C for 1-1/2 hours, then at 130C for about 2 hours, until a skewer comes out clean.
Sprinkle hot cake with brandy, if desired.

unknowndisorder - 2019-11-05 09:19:00

That looks almost exactly the same other than just using mixed fruit.....but I can tweak it from memory.

Thank you VERY much...it has the measure of ingredients that I couldnt remember. A choccy fish is flying your way.

craftylady1 - 2019-11-05 09:38:00

Which book do you have? And no worries :)

unknowndisorder - 2019-11-05 09:45:00

I dont have a book with it. I got the recipe 40 years ago from my new husbands aunt, and have used it over and over...The only difference is the fruit. I just use mixed fruit and add cherries, almonds and mixed peel. Need to lessen the amount of fruit. Plus I pour not too much brandy after taking it out of the oven, while the cake is still hot. Its a fabulous recipe, and very easy, and is always popular at events I have made it for.

Will probably make it Thursday. Sometimes I 1 and a half times the recipe, and bake in a bigger tin for the same time.

Edited by craftylady1 at 9:58 am, Tue 5 Nov

craftylady1 - 2019-11-05 09:57:00

YOur AIL probably had tweaked it initially :) I am seriously tempted to make it myself, but find baking is a waste of time these days (but the birds don't mind). I just miss the baking, but DH prefers bought junk food (nothing wrong with my baking, just DH is odd).

unknowndisorder - 2019-11-05 10:02:00

Instead of the mixed fruit its
600-700g sultanas
450-500g raisins
2-250g currants
50g preserved ginger
50g cherries
50g almonds
50g peel

articferrit - 2019-11-05 11:03:00

unknowndisorder wrote:

YOur AIL probably had tweaked it initially :) I am seriously tempted to make it myself, but find baking is a waste of time these days (but the birds don't mind). I just miss the baking, but DH prefers bought junk food (nothing wrong with my baking, just DH is odd).

It lasts for ages...I have chopped one into 2 and frozen it, and its as good as freshly made.

craftylady1 - 2019-11-05 14:33:00

is it done of fan bake or bake bake please

caspm5 - 2019-11-09 06:35:00

caspm5 wrote:

is it done of fan bake or bake bake please

As it doesn't state fan bake, I would assume bake bake. Plus with the lower temperatures of the oven. (To me, fan bake is higher temps, but that could be off the mark).

unknowndisorder - 2019-11-09 08:19:00

I made this cake today for the first time. It smells and looks good, but is a lot more faffing than my usual melted butter/presoaked fruit recipe. Have got the ingredients to make a second one for a friend.

trah - 2019-11-12 18:10:00

caspm5 wrote:

is it done of fan bake or bake bake please

I just use bake...

Have made 3 so far...must stop, but i LOVE making this cake :-

The more you make it, the less faffing it seems to be. Made one at 6 am Saturday morning, and it was made and baked around 9.00 am. Will ice one , well the almond paste tomorrow, then put the white icing on at the end of next week. Have organised a Christmas do so cake is to have with coffee/tea.

craftylady1 - 2019-11-13 13:57:00

I saved this recipe to make, today, I went thru my collections of recipes and found I already had a copy, so began by simmering the fruit and pineapple together. Now that's done, I read back over the recipe posted here and see this one isn't simmered.
Can anyone tell me how the two cakes differ as an end result?

wheelz - 2019-11-17 20:34:00

wheelz wrote:

I saved this recipe to make, today, I went thru my collections of recipes and found I already had a copy, so began by simmering the fruit and pineapple together. Now that's done, I read back over the recipe posted here and see this one isn't simmered.
Can anyone tell me how the two cakes differ as an end result?

Different recipe for you to try:
1 tin crushed pineapple
500 gr. mixed fruit
1 cup sugar
100gr. butter
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp mixed spice
1 tsp ground ginger
Put all the above ingredients into a saucepan,bring to the boil and simmer 3 minutes. Cool. Beat two eggs and stir in with 1 tbsp. brandy (if desired) then add 2 cups flour and 2 tsp. baking powder and mix well by hand. Pour into a 20cm. square tin lined with two layers of paper. Cook at 170C for 90 minutes,turn off oven and leave in another 20 minutes. Cool on a wire rack. Store in an airtight container in a cool place

Quote
edlin (244 244 positive feedback) 7:18 pm, Tue 17 Nov #4

And I have bumped the thread it came from :)

unknowndisorder - 2019-11-17 23:32:00

Thanks...I have all the recipe, but wanted to know if anyone has made the two variances of her recipe and if they differ in taste and texture being made differently.

wheelz - 2019-11-18 07:50:00

Well, I have made two of the creamed method ones, but won’t be tasting them till nearer Christmas, wheels, sorry! I wish I had seen this second recipe before though, as I hate creaming butter and sugar and adding eggs one by one with a spoonful of flour in between each one.... tedious! Would much rather do a presoaked one!

trah - 2019-11-18 22:39:00

trah wrote:

Well, I have made two of the creamed method ones, but won’t be tasting them till nearer Christmas, wheels, sorry! I wish I had seen this second recipe before though, as I hate creaming butter and sugar and adding eggs one by one with a spoonful of flour in between each one.... tedious! Would much rather do a presoaked one!

Easy in a big mixer. I only add a bit of the measured flour if the mixture curdles. I just love making this recipe and have to make my self stop buying the ingredients so I dont make so many cakes there would be enough to tile the kitchen!!

The presoaked recipe of this cake I made a couple of years ago, and found it wasnt as good as the one i use.

craftylady1 - 2019-11-19 05:50:00

AH changed her recipe to the soak one...wasnt impress TBH, so went back to the creaming one.

craftylady1 - 2019-11-19 05:51:00

They both use the butter creaming method, one simmers the fruit, the other doesn't.

wheelz - 2019-11-19 08:41:00

After reading how much this recipe is loved I would love to give it a go! Are you able to post the method also for a newby Christmas cake maker :-)

unknowndisorder wrote:

225g butter
1C sugar
1/2tsp vanilla
1/2tsp lemon essence
1tsp cinnamon
1tsp ground ginger
1tsp mixed spice
1/4tsp nutmeg
3C flour
6 eggs
500g Sultana's, washed & dried
500g currants, washed and dried
500g mixed fruit, washed and dried
1C drained crushed pineapple
Blanched almonds and cherries
1/4C brandy optional)

bailey25 - 2019-11-19 10:32:00

bailey25 wrote:

After reading how much this recipe is loved I would love to give it a go! Are you able to post the method also for a newby Christmas cake maker :-)

Check the post down from that for the method :)

unknowndisorder - 2019-11-19 11:21:00

What a dork, completely missed it, thanks loads :-)

unknowndisorder wrote:

Check the post down from that for the method :)

bailey25 - 2019-11-19 11:36:00

bailey25 wrote:

What a dork, completely missed it, thanks loads :-)

lol, all good, I am not sure why I did two posts, but figure I didn't trust the iPad lol - and should have said method to follow or something ;)

unknowndisorder - 2019-11-19 11:40:00

Oh yummy...Christmas cake...cant wait for my first (ond probably last piece this season) Have made one for a ladies Christmas lunch and will decorate it and take some down to the hotel we are havinhg the function it. Good excuse for a trial..lol

craftylady1 - 2019-11-19 12:37:00