Be-Ro Christmas Cake

350 g (12 oz) Be-Ro Plain Flour 1 x 5 ml spoon (1 tsp) mixed spice 100 g (4 oz) ground almonds 4 medium eggs 150 ml (¼ pint) milk (or ½ milk, ½ brandy) 225 g (8 oz) butter 225 g (8 oz) caster sugar 225 g (8 oz) currants 225 g (8 oz) sultanas 225 g (8 oz) raisins 100 g (4 oz) glacé cherries, halved 100 g (4 oz) cut mixed peel

Basics Cake Basics Celebration Fruit Cakes Creaming Method Remedies Cake Remedies See Also Royal Icing

1	Heat oven to 150ºC, 300ºF, Gas Mark 2. Grease and line a 23 cm (9 inch) round or 20.5 cm (8 inch) square tin.
2	Sieve together flour, spice and ground almonds. Beat eggs with milk.
3	Cream butter and sugar, stir in flour mixture and egg mixture alternately, a little at a time.
4	Lastly add fruit. Mix thoroughly. Place mixture in prepared tin and protect with brown paper.
5	Bake for about 3½-4 hours.
6	Allow to cool then cover with almond paste and leave for 1 week.
	N.B. If you prefer a more open texture use self raising flour in place of plain.
	Royal Icing
1	If possible, stand the cake on a revolving cake stand or upturned cake tin.
2	Spread the icing on with a palette knife dipped in hot water to ease smoothness of the finish - but avoid making the icing too wet.
3	Cover the cake completely with icing, using sweeping strokes of theknife. Then spread the top smooth. To make the sides straight, bring the palette knife around the cake continuously, holding the knife upright.
	N.B. If the cake is to be iced further e.g. piping, leave to stand for 24 hours.