Glen’S Christmas Cake (Fruitcake) - cooking recipe

Ingredients

Fruit
375 g raisins
375 g sultanas
310 g currants
60 g glace cherries, halved
3 tablespoons rum, overproof best (or brandy)
3 tablespoons sherry wine
Cake
250 g butter
1 1/4 cups brown sugar
1 lemon, zest of, only
1 tablespoon golden syrup
2 tablespoons marmalade (or jam)
5 eggs
2 1/2 cups plain flour
1 teaspoon mixed spice
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon parisienne essence
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup almonds, blanched & chopped
To Finish
1 cup almonds (omit if icing cake)
1 tablespoon sherry wine, extra
1 tablespoon milk, extra

Preparation

PREPARE FRUIT; Wash fruit separately and dry thoroughly; chop raisins and put all fruit into container with tight lid along with cherries, add rum and sherry; mix to coat fruit, chill overnight or several days.
CAKE MIXTURE; Beat butter and brown sugar with grated lemon rind, until light and creamy; add golden syrup, marmalade (or jam) and parisienne essence, beat well.
Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each, add 1 tbs flour with last egg.
Sift together flour and spices and stir into creamed mixture alternately with fruit and chopped almonds.
Prepare 20cm (8\") square or round cake tin with 2 thicknesses each of brown and greased greasproof paper, paper should extend 10cm above the rim of the tin.
Spoon mixture into tin, smooth top; brush milk over top of cake to stop cracking and arrange extra almonds on top (omit this is icing cake) and bake in a slow oven 140degC (275degF) for about 4 to 4 1/2hrs or until cooked.
Place a baking dish of water on the shelf below during cooking to help keep cake moist.
Brown paper can be placed over top of cake to keep top from scorching.
Remove from oven, test with knife or skewer if it comes out clean it is cooked and immediately sprinkle with 1 tbs extra sherry; remove cake from tin but leave paper on cake; wrap well in tea towels or sheets of foil and leave until cold.