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Alison Holst’s Christmas Cake 

Ingrediants

432g can crushed pineapple in juice

1.5kg Fruitcake Mix 

3 cups high grade flour
1 tsp each cinnamon and mixed spice
½ tsp ground cloves
225g butter
1 cup sugar
½ tsp each vanilla, almond and lemon essences
6 large eggs
50g Blanched Almonds, to decorate (optional).

Method

The day before mixing the cake, put the dried fruit and undrained pineapple in a large fry pan.  Cover pan, heat until liquid boils then simmer until all juice is absorbed.  Leave overnight, or until cold.

Next day, combine flour and spices and set aside.  In a very large bowl, cream butter, sugar and essences until light.  Beat in eggs one at a time, adding 2 tablespoons of the spiced flour with each.

Stir in prepared (cold) fruit and remaining spiced flour.  If mixture seems too soft, add extra flour until mixture will just drop from a spoon.  Put in a lined tin, levelling the surface.  Decorate with blanched almonds.

Bake at 150°C for 1½ hours, then 130°C for 2 hours longer, or until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean.  (Brush hot cake with ¼ cup brandy or sherry if you like.)

MAKES 1 X 23CM ROUND OR SQUARE CAKE.  Note:  bake this cake without using fan bake.

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