Ingredients: (makes 20-22 slices)
250 gr of butter at room temperature
250 gr sugar
6 medium size eggs, separated
Zest and a juice of 1 orange
4 tbsp of black treacle
350 gr plain flour
1 tsp of mixed spices
1/2 tsp of ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp of nutmeg 
1/2 tsp of salt
1 tsp of baking soda
450 gr of sultanas
250 gr of raisins
100 gr of dry prunes chopped in big pieces
100 gr of mixed candied peel, chopped
100 gr of glace cherries chopped in big pieces
1 1/3 cup of milk (275 gr)
5 tbsp brandy
For the decoration:
4 tbsp apricot jam
1000 gr of almond paste
1000 gr of royal icing
Green,red or any other food coloring
Preparation
- Beat the butter and sugar together until the mixture is light and fluffy.
beat in the egg yolks,one at a time,then the orange zest,orange juice and the treacle.
2) In a large bowl, sift half of the flour with the spices and salt. In another bowl,mix the remaining flour with soda and all the dry fruits.Mix together the milk and the brandy.
3) Gradually stir the spiced flour into the egg mixture and stir well.Stir in the floured fruit, alternately with the milk mixture. When add all the ingredients mix well.
4) Whisk the egg whites until stiff and fold them into the mixture.
5) Grease a 23 cm round,deep cake tin greased and floured.
6) Turn the mixture into the tin and level the top, making a shallow depression in the center so that the cake will rise evenly.
7) Preheat the oven and Bake the cake to 140 c ( 275 F ) and bake for about 2 1/2- 3 hours,until skewer inserted in the center comes out clean, let the cake cool in the tin.
When the cake is cool enough, turn out on to a wire rack and leave until it is completely cold before wrapping the cake in foil and storing.
8) To enrich the cake is to add alcohol. To do this, prick the cake with a skewer and using a pastry brush, brush the top of the cake with brandy, rum of sherry every week until you need to icing the cake.
Decorating the cake
To decorate the cake, brush cake with melted jam.
Roll the almond paste and cover the cake,brush a rolling pin with icing sugar,roll gently over the paste.
Icing the cake
Making the royal icing:
900 gr icing sugar
4 large eggs
1 tbsp lemon juice
2 tsp glycerine
Sift the icing sugar
In a large bowl whisk the egg whites until frothy but not very stiff.Beat the icing sugar into the egg whites gradually.When half the sugar has been added mix in the lemon juice and add the remaining sugar gradually. Beat in the glycerine, cover with a damp cloth and leave the icing to stand for 24 hours.
The next day, put half of the icing on top of the cake,using an icing ruler pull smoothly across the top of the cake,remove any excess icing from the sides.Leave the top of the cake to set for another 24 hours before starting on the sides.
To ice the sides, spread the icing around the cake,hold a pallet knife against the cake.
Leave the sides to set for 24 hours
You can always buy a ready made colored almond pasted or colored icing sugar to create your own decoration.
I know that Christmas Cake is a bit of a process but it worth every bite!!!!
MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!!!