"Cheap but Rich" Christmas Cake

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4.34 from 3 votes

A recipe from the 1940's for decadent Christmas Cake on a tighter budget.

Prep Time30

Cook Time1 30

Total Time2

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: Australian

Servings: servings

Calories: 97kcal

Author: Libby Hakim

Ingredients

1 cup butter (250 grams)
1 cup caster sugar
2 ½ cups plain flour (all-purpose flour)
¼ cup plain flour
(extra for flouring fruit)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon mixed spice
4 eggs
680 grams mixed fruit
100 grams glace cherries, halved
¼ cup blanched almonds, chopped
1 cup browning
¼ cup rum, brandy or whisky (optional - not included in original recipe)

Browning

½ cup caster sugar
boiling water

Instructions

Pre-heat oven to slow (155 degrees celsius, fan-forced).
Prepare a round cake tin (approx 25cm in diameter) by greasing and double lining with baking paper.
To make browning, heat the sugar over medium heat until it melts and turns a dark brown colour. Carefully add boiling water (take care as sugar mixture will be extremely hot) and mix together until you have one cup of liquid.
Cream butter and sugar on med-high speed in a stand mixer.
Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition.
Sift flour, baking powder and mixed spice. Fold into mixture gradually and alternately with the browning.
Add extra flour to fruit, using your hands to mix and coat the fruit in flour.
Add fruit, cherries and almonds to the mixture and stir to combine.
Bake in a slow oven for an hour and a half or until a dark golden brown colour and a skewer inserted comes out clean.
Remove from oven and, if desired, spoon the alcohol over the top of the cake.
Cover with foil and wrap in a clean tea towel. Allow to cool completely before cutting.

Nutrition

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