Rich fruit cake for Christmas

4 large eggs

6 tablespoons milk (or brandy)

1 tablespoons black treacle 

300g SR flour

225g butter

150g caster sugar

600g sultanas (you can use a mix of sultanas,  currants and raisins)

270g cherries

90g mixed peel

45g ground almonds

45g chopped almonds or walnuts 

1 teaspoon mixed spice

Makes a 20cm round or 17cm square tin

A few days before making the cake soak the fruit in brandy or other alcohol in a covered bowl

Rub together flour, sugar, butter and mixed spice and then add to the fruit. (You can do this in a food processor). Beat the eggs, milk or brandy and treacle together and mix thoroughly. Spoon into a double lined tin and level top.

Cook at 180 for 90mins and then at 170 for a further hour. It is done when a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean. If it is not done then reduce temperature to 150 and check every 15mins. 

If it cooks too quickly and is browned before it is cooked in the middle you can cover with brown paper to shield it from the heat 

In the Aga cook for 45 to 60mins in the top oven and then bottom oven until down, maybe another 3-4 hours or so

Remove from oven and spoon over 1 tablespoon brandy. When cool remove the paper it was cooked in and wrap in clean paper and foil and place in an air tight tin. You can baste with extra brandy top and bottom for a few days

Best made at least 3 weeks before needed.

See separate recipe for marzipan

This is my mum's recipe. She was taught to make it by her grandfather.

Original recipe from was for a 2lb loaf tin and grampy used to take a slice when he went for an all day walk so she made one every few months. There was always one in the cupboard