Christmas Cake

Fruit Cake with Ginger

Ingredients
6 1/4 cups mixed fruit (raisins, sultanas, currants, dates, cranberries)
2 tablespoons glazed ginger
1 cup almonds
3/4 cup brandy
250 gms softened butter
1 1/4 cups brown sugar
4 eggs
2 1/4 cups plain flour, sifted
1/4 teaspoon bicarbonate soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
2-3 tablespoons brandy extra

Method
Place fruit, ginger and nuts in a bowl and pour brandy over top, cover and leave to soak overnight or for a few days.  Preheat over 140 degrees.  Place softened butter and brown sugar in mixing bowl and beat until light and fluffy.  Add the eggs one at a time, beat between until completely mixed.  Add the flour, and bicarbonate cinnamon and ginger and stir to combine.  Line a 20cm tin with two layers of baking paper and spoon in mixture.   Bake 2 hours or until cooked through, using a skewer to test (it will come out clean when cooked and should be a light golden brown colour).  Whilst still hot pour over the extra brandy and cool in the tin. To make the design, once completely cooled, remove from tin and use a christmas decoration or shape placed on top, then simply use icing sugar sifted lightly over the top and remove the decorations.

notes: if you prefer not to add the ginger, just remove the glazed ginger and the ground ginger from the recipe.