CHRISTMAS PLUM CAKE
Ingredients
220g cherries preserved in kirsch
100ml of the kirsch syrup
200g seedless raisins
400g pitted prunes, chopped
200g soft dried figs, chopped
Zest of an orange
Zest of a lemon
15ml brandy
175g plain flour
2.5ml cinnamon
2.5ml nutmeg
5ml, heaped, baking powder
2.5ml salt
225g unsalted butter
15ml dark muscavado sugar
225g light muscavado or soft brown sugar
4 large eggs, lightly beaten
50g ground almonds
15ml treacle
Method
First place the cherries, kirsch syrup, raisins, prunes, figs, zests and brandy in a large bowl.
Stir the mixture every 20 mins or so and within 2 hours all the alcohol will have been soaked up and the fruit will be plump.
Preheat oven to 140C
Prepare a cake tin or tins. I have made a 22cm by 6cm deep round flexible mould. This took 2 hours. The mix also makes 3 x 450g loaf tins, here I use a loaf tin liner.
If you use a traditional non-stick loose bottomed tin then butter and flour well, or line well with silicone paper or use a liner.
Sift the flour into a bowl along with the spices, baking powder and salt, leave to one side.
Cream the butter and sugars in a large bowl, until the mixture becomes paler and fluffier.
Slowly add the eggs, add a little flour if mixture curdles too badly.
Fold in the flour and almonds.
Then thoroughly mix in the fruit and treacle and pour into the cake tin.
Bake until a skewer comes out clean, up to 2-3 hours, will depend on cake tin.
