Light Christmas Cake
125g (4oz) glace cherries50g (2oz) glace pineapple
225g (8oz) currants
225g (8oz) sultanas
125g (4oz) chopped mixed peel
125g (4oz) plain flour
225g (8oz) English butter
finely grated rind of 1 lemon
finely grated rind of 1 orange
225g (8oz) soft brown sugar
50g (2oz) ground almonds
4 eggs, beaten
100g (4oz) self-raising flour
30ml (2tbsp) lemon juice
45ml (3tbsp) brandy
apricot jam, sieved and melted, 550g (1 quarter lb) marzipan and 700g (1 half lb) royal icing.
1. Butter and line a 20.5-cm (8-inch) round cake tin.
2. Quarter the cherries, wash if syrupy and dry well. Cut the pineapple into small cubes and mix all the fruit well together with 45ml (3 level tbsp) plain flour.
3. Whisk the butter, add the lemon and orange rind, the sugar and continue to whisk until pale and fluffy. Stir in the almonds. Beat in the eggs little by little and lastly fold in the remaining sifted flours, fruit, strained lemon juice and brandy.
4. Turn into the prepared tin. Bake in the oven at 170 degrees C (325 degrees F) mark 3 for about 2 half - 3 hours, covering loosely with foil if the top gets too brown. Cool in the tin.
5. Store the cake in an airtight tin for at least 1 month before brushing with apricot glaze and covering with marzipan. Leave to dry then decorate with royal icing.
serves 24-30