Simple Christmas Cake

SIMPLE CHRISTMAS CAKE

INGREDIENTS:

225g Cream Plain Flour
175g Butter (at room temperature)
175g Brown Sugar
½ teaspoon Mixed Spice
½ teaspoon Nutmeg
4 large Eggs
375g  Fruit Mix
100g Chopped Mixed Nuts
100g Ground Almonds
Rind of 1 lemon
Rind of 1 orange
2 tablespoons Whiskey or 2 tsp cold tea

METHOD:

Preheat oven to 120°C/250°F/Gas ½ .Line a 20cms/8” round or 18cms/7” square deep cake tin with a double layer of baking parchment.
Cream butter and sugar together in a large mixing bowl. Beat in the eggs with a few spoonfuls of the flour. Sieve in the remaining flour and the spices. Mix well.
Finally, stir in the fruit mixes, chopped nuts and ground almonds, lemon rind, orange rind and whiskey. Make sure ingredients are well combined.
Transfer to prepared tin. Level off top with back of the spoon. Bake for about 3 ½ to 4 hours but check at regular intervals after 2 ½ hours!
When baked (a knife inserted into cake should come out clean, no dough attached to it) remove from oven and allow to cool in tin.
When cold, remove from tin and wrap in greaseproof paper, then tin foil. Store in a cool dry place until ready for decorating