Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas and best wishes to you all for the New Year and beyond!

In memory of my Mother and as a little gift to everyone I would like to share her Christmas cake recipe. Now, I know that in the world of Christmas fruit cakes there are basically 2 camps; those that love them and those that hate them. So even if you absolutely hate them you may have a friend who loves them and you can bake this up as a gift for them next Christmas.

A word about Christmas cake traditions ... my Mother, Mary was Welsh and it was her tradition to bake this cake in early November. We would all take a turn stirring the batter and making a wish as we stirred. The cake was then slowly baked and the warm aromatic scent of Christmas slowly filled the house. When the cake was done it was anointed with liberal doses of sherry or port and then lovingly wrapped in cheese cloth, waxed paper and then finally put in a tin and placed in the linen cupboard to await Christmas. In later years when we were scattered across Canada with our own families, Mom would bake 7 of these cakes and mail one to each of us, keeping one for my Father, herself and any lucky visitor.

So here is the recipe ... enjoy!

Cacen Nadolig (Christmas Cake)

Ingredients:

• 1 cup flour
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 cup sultanas
• 1 cup raisins
• 1/2 cup currants
• 1/2 cup glazed cherries (or dried cherries if you hate those nasty little green and red things!)
• 1 tsp grated lemon rind
  
• 4 eggs
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp mixed spice
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 3 tbsp milk
• brandy, port, sherry, rum or whatever your preference.

1. Soak fruit in alcohol of choice for 24 hours.
2. Cream butter and sugar.
3. Beat eggs and add slowly, beating after each addition.
4. In a separate bowl, sift all dry ingredients together and add grated lemon rind.
5. Add flour mixture to soaked fruit.
6. Fold the flour and fruit mixture into the creamed mixture.
7. Add milk a tablespoon at a time until the batter falls easily from the spoon.
8. Grease a 9" spring form cake tin and line the bottom and sides with greaseproof (parchment) paper so that the paper comes about 3" above the sides of the tin. Regrease the paper.
9. Turn the cake mixture into the prepared tin, spread evenly and make a slight dip in the middle.
10. Bake on the bottom shelf of a cool oven (300 deg. F) for about 3 1/2 hours, until the cake is a rich brown and firm to the touch.
11. Allow to cool in the tin and then turn out.
12. Prick the cake all over and pour the alcohol over the cake.
13. Store in cheese cloth or greaseproof paper and then in an airtight tin.