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Overnight Christmas Cake
Low, slow cooking results in a deeply flavoured, long-lasting fruitcake. This recipe makes one very large cake, but the mix can be divided between two or even four smaller tins if desired (reduce the cooking time accordingly and remove from oven when a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean).
Prep Time
20 mins
Cook Time
12 hours
Serves
20
Vegetarian
Special Occasions
Baking
Dessert
$$
Kiwi
Ingredients
500 g butter
2 cups sugar
10 eggs
2 tbsp sherry, or brandy, plus 1/2 cup to pour over cake
4 1/2 cups plain flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
10 cups mixed dried fruit, such as currants, sultanas, raisins and dates (1.5kg)
1 cup mixed peel
1 cup glacé cherries
2 cups mixed nuts, such as almonds and brazil nuts
Method
STEP 1
Preheat oven to 100ºC (do not use fanbake as it will dry out this cake).
Grease a 28cm round or 25cm square cake tin and line the base and sides with three layers of baking paper.
STEP 2
Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy, add eggs and the 2 tbsp sherry or brandy and mix well.
Sift flour, baking powder and salt together, then stir in dried fruit and nuts.
Add to the butter mixture and use a large wooden spoon or clean hands to combine evenly.
Transfer to prepared tin, pressing it in firmly.
Cook until cake is set and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean (10-12 hours, check after 10 hours).
STEP 3
Remove from oven, immediately make holes in top of cake with a skewer and pour the ½ cup sherry or brandy over the top.
Allow to cool in tin.
STORAGE
It will keep for weeks if wrapped in baking paper and stored in an airtight container in a cool place.
Brush the top with more sherry or brandy every three or four weeks if desired.
