Ingredients
5 large eggs
300g Sultanas
200g Raisins
200g Currants
100g Stoned,chopped prunes or apricots
4Fl oz sherry (medium) + 4 Tbs sherry to finish
Rind and juice of 1 orange
Rind and juice of 1 lemon
2 level tbs Apricot jam
1 level tbs Black Treacle (exact)
100g Glacé Cherries - halved
100g Walnut pieces
250g Butter, unsalted
200g soft, dark brown sugar
250g Plain Flour (good measure)
1 level teaspoon Cinnamon
1/4 level teaspoon fresh grated nutmeg
1/2 level teaspoon mixed spice
Method
Bottom oven 100C
Shelf between middle and bottom set of runners
This mixture makes one 8'' round and one 6'' round cake
Grease and carefully double line the tins with greaseproof paper
Wash and dry fruit. Put into large saucepan with prunes or apricots. add sherry, juice and grated rind of orange and lemon. Stir over gentle heat until mixture starts to steam.
Turn into bowl, cool, cover and leave overnight. Add cherries and walnut pieces to fruit mixture.
Cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.
Sieve all dry ingredients together and add 4 tablespoons to creamed mixture. Gradually beat in eggs adding more flour if mixture starts to curdle
Fold in remaining flour. Beat in jam and treacle with wooden spoon. Fold in fruit and nut mixture. Turn into cake tims and bake until cooked.
The cooking times of rich fruit cakes vary enormously - a very rough guide is an hour an inch. Test with skewer and when cooked remove from oven and sprinkle the remaining sherry over cakes whilst still hot.
Wrap completely with clean tea towels and leave to cool in tin for 24 hours. Remove cake from tin and wrap in two layers of foil, ensuring they are airtight
Do not remove the greaseproof paper the cakes were cooked in until you are ready to marzipan them.
