Servings: 25cm Cake

Christmas Cake Made Easy Recipe Ingredients: 250g Brown Sugar 5 Eggs 350g Standard Flour 1 tsp Baking Powder 150g Mixed Peel 3 tbsp Treacle 425g Icing, and nuts and cherries to decorate. 1kg Fruit Cake Mix 750g Almond Paste Zest of 1 Lemon, finely grated 250g Raisins 2 tsp Mixed Spice 70g Blanched Almonds, plus extra for decorating 150mls Orange Juice or Brandy or Port 250g Butter

Directions:
Place all fruit, orange juice, and treacle into a large pan. Orange juice can be substituted for port* or brandy* if preferred.
Bring to the boil, then simmer uncovered for 10 minutes. Stir frequently. Set aside to soak for 4 hours. Pre-heat oven to 140c. Butter and line cake tin with double thickness baking paper, cover the sides and base with several thickness of newspaper, secure with string. Place butter, sugar, eggs, flour, baking powder and spice into a large bowl. Beat until smooth. Add the almonds and soaked fruit. Mix to combine, pour into cake tin. Smooth over, then bake for 3 1/2 - 4 hours. Cool and remove from tin. Wrap in baking paper. If desired, decorate with almond paste and royal icing 1 week prior to Christmas. * port or brandy is not available online at http://www.woolworths.co.nz or http://www.foodtown.co.nz