Christmas Cake

Combine all the dry fruits and nuts in a deep bowl and add 1/2 cup orange juice. Leave it for a few hours or overnight to penetrate. :- to speed up the process, put the bowl in the microwave oven and microwave for 10 seconds.

Set the oven temperature at 160c. Grease an 8' pan or 13 x9 ' cake pan.

Beat sugar and butter together till light and fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time. Add 1 tbsp flour with every egg to prevent the batter from curdling. Sieve the flour with the baking, soda bi carb, salt and all the spices.

Gradually fold in the flour into batter mixture. :- Do it only in one direction, clock wise. Too much beating is bad for the cake.

Fold in the fruits, marmalade, remaining orange juice, treacle and vanilla. :- The batter should fall off in a lump when dropped from a spoon. If too stiff, add more orange juice and stir.

Pour into a 13 x 9 inch pan or a 20 cm round cake pan.

Bake in a pre-heated oven of 160 c for 1 1/2 hrs to 2 hrs.

The cake will shrink from the sides of the pan when done.

Leave to cool in pan. Turn the cake upside down prick holes into the base with a skewer (about 10 -12 holes) and pour the brandy over. Cover the cake with a thick foil and allow the cake to mature for a week or two.

Christmas cake is ready.