Preparation time: 45 minutes

Cooking Time: 3 ½ hours

Serves: 6 (comfortably)

Ingredients
Sultanas: 125 grams
Currants: 125 grams
Raisins: 125 grams
Mixed peel: 125 grams
Almonds: 125 grams (optional)
Grated carrot: 125 grams
Butter: 125 grams
Sugar: 200 grams
Water: 125 ml
Brandy: 50 ml (optional)
Salt: ¼ teaspoon
Biocarbinate of soda: 1 teaspoon
Flour: 225 grams
Cinnamon: ¼ teaspoon
Nutmeg: ¼ teaspoon
Ground ginger: ¼ teaspoon
Mixed Spice: ¼ teaspoon
Eggs: 4

1. Fi rstly start by placing the butter, sugar and water into a large thick based pan and boil until a caramel stage is reached .

2. Stir in the dried fruit and mix well until all the fruit is covered with the carameled sugar, at this stage add the brandy, salt and bicarbonate of soda

3. Mix all the spices together with a touch of water until it turns into a paste, then add this to the mixture

4. Stir in the sifted flour

5. Finally stir in the beaten eggs

6. Place the mixture into a 20cm x 5cm round cake tin greased and lined with greaseproof paper

7. Bake in a pre heated oven at 100°C for 3 ½ hours

8. Remove from oven, allow to cool for 10 minutes before removing from cake tin and cool on a wire rack  

Royal Icing

Royal icing is the traditional covering of wedding, and other celebration cakes. It dries very hard. With a little patience and artistic skills it can be fashioned to any form and with the addition of a little food colouring it can satisfy any creative calling. A traditional Christmas recipe for a full flavoured rich Christmas Cake.

Ingredients
Icing sugar: 400 grams
Egg whites: 3
Glycerine: 2 drops

Preperation  

1. Sieve the icing sugar twice

2. Mix in the egg whites and the glycerine

3. Beat the mixture with a wooden spoon until the mixture is stiff and can support itself.