Christmas cakes were one of the first things on our minds once the court moved back to Buckingham Palace from Balmoral Castle. We needed about three months to let the cakes mature, and we would “feed” them every week with syrup. If you plan to make this recipe for Christmas, you’ll need to start baking in September.
2½ cups currants
2½ cups sultanas
¾ cup brandy
1 cup glacé cherries, quartered
1 orange, zest and juice only
1 large lemon, zest and juice only
4 sticks (1 pound) unsalted butter, softened
½ cup plus 1 tablespoon unsulfured molasses
2¼ cups Muscovado or turbinado sugar
8 eggs, lightly beaten
3 cups all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons brandy
½ cup sugar
½ cup water
½ (12-ounce) jar apricot jam
1 cup powdered sugar
1½ pounds marzipan
1 tablespoon brandy
1½ pounds ready-to-roll fondant icing
1. The day before preparing, mix the currants, sultanas, brandy, cherries, and orange and lemon zest and juices in a large bowl, and let them steep overnight.
2. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Line a 10-inch cake pan with parchment paper on the bottom and sides.
3. Cream the butter, molasses, and sugar until light and fluffy. Gradually add the eggs and flour, alternating until both are incorporated. Gradually stir the mixed fruit into the cake mix until combined, and spoon into the prepared tin. Bake in the center of the oven for about 2½ hours. If the top starts to brown, place a sheet of aluminum foil over the cake until it is cooked. The cake is ready when a skewer inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
4. Remove the cake to a cooling rack and leave in the pan until cold. Remove the cake and wrap it first in parchment paper and then in plastic wrap. Leave in a cool, dry place for three months, brushing it once a week with a solution of 3 tablespoons brandy mixed with 5 tablespoons sugar syrup (½ cup sugar dissolved in ½ cup water).
5. To finish the cake, heat the apricot jam, pass through a sieve, and liberally brush it over the cake. Unwrap the cake, and place it upright on a cake dish. In a little powdered sugar, roll out the marzipan about ⅛ inch thick into a circle big enough to cover the top and sides of the cake. Drape the marzipan over the cake as smoothly as possible. Trim any excess at the base. Then roll out the fondant dough in a little powdered sugar into a circle big enough to cover the top and sides of the cake. Cover the cake, smoothing out the top and sides. The cake will keep for up to four weeks.
MAKES 10 SERVINGS