SO CHRISTMAS is just around the corner and one of the things I love to do is bake all my christmas goodies. Because nothing tastes as nice as home baked christmas cake. (This also makes a great wedding cake or birthday cake.)

A big advantage of this cake is that it keeps well for weeks, even months. Infact, keeping it a week or two undoubtedly improves the flavour.

If you have baked your cake a few weeks in advance and are keeping it wrapped in aluminium foil, then here is a little tip to keep it nice and moist. Once a week open that aluminium foil and sprinkle 3 tablespoons of brandy over your cake. Then wrap it back up, in the aluminium foil, until you are ready to decorate it or just eat it. This will give it a richer brandy infused flavour that will delight and tantalise your taste buds.

PREPARATION TIME: 30 MINUTES

COOKING TIME: 1 HOUR 10 MINUTES

PRE-HEAT OVEN TO 160°C / 325°F / GAS MARK 3

INGREDIENTS FOR 1 CAKE

• 150g vegan butter
• 250ml (1 cup) water
• 200g sugar
• 150g sultanas
• 150g currants
• 150g mixed candied peel
• 150g seedless raisins
• 125ml (½ cup) brandy
• 250g flour
• 10ml (2 teaspoons) baking powder
• 5ml (1 teaspoon) bicarbonate of soda
• 5ml (1 teaspoon) mixed spice
• 3ml (¾ teaspoon) ground cinnamon
• 3ml (¾ teaspoon) ground ginger
• 130g unsweetened apple sauce (for non vegan 2 Large eggs)

METHOD

1. In a large saucepan, bring the vegan butter, water, sugar, sultanas, currants, mixed peel, raisins and brandy to the boil.
2. Meanwhile, sieve the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and spices into a large mixing bowl. 
3. Add the boiled fruit mixture to the flour mixture and blend well. 
4. Fold in the apple sauce. (or eggs)
5. Pour the mixture into a lined and greased loaf tin, 23cm x 12cm, or a 20cm deep round tin (if you use a non-stick tin with a fine coating of non-stick cooking spray, it will not be necessary to line the tin), and bake for about 1 hour 10 minutes. 
6. Test after 1 hour. 
7. Leave the cake in the tin for 10 minutes, then turn it out. When the cake is cool, wrap in aluminium foil and store.

VARIATION 

For a richer cake, add the following to the boiling fruit mixture: 100g each of glacé cherries, glacé pineapple, glacé or preserved figs, watermelon konfyt, chopped dates and preserved ginger. After the apple sauce has been added, fold in 200g chopped nuts. Bake for 1½ hours in 2 loaf tins (the extra ingredients will double the amount of cake made).