Ingredients

• 500 g - refined flour or maida
• 300 g - soft brown sugar
• 1/4 tsp - salt
• 2 tsp - spice powder
• 500 g - mixed dried fruits (equal quantities of currants, raisins and sultanas) chopped well and soaked in rum beforehand
• 100 g - chopped orange/lemon peel
• 500 g - butter
• 3 eggs beaten well
• 4 tbsp - milk
• 1/2 tsp - baking powder
• For almond icing:
• 300 g almonds
• 500 g icing sugar
• 1 egg yolk
• 1 tsp almond essence
• 2 tbsps lime juice
• For royal icing:
• 200 g icing sugar
• 2 egg whites
• 3 tbsps lemon juice
• 1/2 tsp vanilla essence

How to Make Traditional Xmas cake

• Sift the flour, salt, baking powder and spice powder in a bowl.
• Add the fruit, orange/lemon peel and brown sugar. Mix well. Add the butter and mix with a fork.
• Add the beaten eggs and milk and mix well to give a stiff consistency.
• Pour the mixture into a greased and papered cake tin and smoothen the top.
• Bake in a moderately hot oven for about 1 hour or till the cake is cooked and the top turns brown.
• Turn out and cool.
• To prepare the almond icing:
• Soak the almonds in water overnight, then grind to a thick paste.
• Add icing sugar, egg yolk, almond essence and lime juice. Cook with a little water in a heavy bottom pan till it solidifies.
• Remove from heat and cool.
• Knead into a stiff ball.
• To prepare the royal icing: Sift icing sugar into a bowl.
• Beat egg whites, then fold them into the sugar.
• Add lemon juice and vanilla essence. Mix to a stiff consistency.
• Brush the cake with a layer of jam or egg white to help the icing stick to the cake.
• Add a thin layer of the almond icing over the cake, pressing it gently to cover the whole cake.
• Using a flat spatula dipped in water, spread the royal icing over the layer of almond icing.
• Decorate the cake as desired.