Delia Last Minute Christmas Cake Food

LAST-MINUTE CHRISTMAS LOAF CAKE

Steps:

• Tip the fruit and peel into a bowl with the orange juice and zest and 150ml of the brandy. Stir well, then leave in a warm place for 2 hrs for the fruit to plump up.
• Heat oven to 170C/150C fan/gas 4. Brush a 900g loaf tin with the melted butter, then line with baking parchment. Beat the muscovado sugar and butter until light and fluffy, then add the eggs one at a time. Mix in the fruit and the rest of the ingredients except for the remaining brandy and icing sugar. Spoon the mixture into the loaf tin, put the tin in a deep tray and bake for 1 hr 15 mins-1 hr 30 mins or until a skewer prodded in comes out clean. Remove from the oven and immediately pour over the brandy (this makes it easier for the cake to soak it up). Leave to cool, then dust with icing sugar, if using.

LAST-MINUTE CHRISTMAS CAKE

Steps:

• Put the mixed dried fruit, sultanas, rind and juice and treacle into a saucepan with the port and bring to the boil.
• Remove from the heat, cover and leave to get cold.
• Meanwhile, set the oven to 150C/300/gas mark 2 and line a 20cm/8 inch square tin or four 10cm/4 inch round tins with greaseproof paper.
• Sift the flours with the spices on to a plate.
• Cream the butter and sugar until very light, then alternately beat in the fruit, eggs and flour.
• Finally stir in the cherries and almonds.
• Spoon the mixture into the tins or tins, hollowing out the centre very slightly so that the surface will be flat.
• Bake the large cake for 2-3 hours and the small ones for 1 1/2 -1 3/4 hours, or until a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean.
• Leave to cool in the tin(s).