Easter Cake Recipe |
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You will need..... 12 oz. plain flour 1/2 level teaspoon salt 3/4 level teaspoon each mixed spice and ground cinnamon 9 oz. butter Preparation Time 9 oz. soft brown sugar 30 minutes 5 large eggs, lightly beaten rind of 1 lemon, grated
Cooking Time 6 oz. stoned raisins
2 hours 45 minutes 4 oz. each sultanas and
currants
3 oz. each glace cherries and candied peel
Oven setting
2 oz. almonds, blanched and chopped
350ºF; Gas Mark 4 about
4 tablespoons milk
335ºF; Gas Mark 3 2
level tablespoons apricot jam, sieved
10 oz. almond paste Grease and
line a 9-inch cake tin. Sieve flour, salt, spice and cinnamon. Halve
cherries and chop peel. Cream butter and sugar until pale and creamy,
add lemon rind. Gradually beat in eggs. Add 3 tablespoons of flour
towards end to prevent mixture curdling. Fold in remaining flour, fruit
and enough milk to make a soft dropping consistency. Spoon half mixture
into tin and spread evenly. Make almond
paste in usual way (see Quick Tip below). Roll one half of paste
to a 9-inch circle. Place on top of mixture in tin. Wrap remainder of
paste in foil. Spoon in remaining mixture and hollow out centre
slightly. Bake in a moderate oven for 30 minutes then in a very
moderate oven for 21/4 hours. Cool in tin for 15 minutes. Turn out on
to a wire tray. Remove paper. Brush centre
and edge of cake with apricot jam. Roll remaining almond paste into
strips and plait; place round edge of cake and it the centre. Decorate
with colored eggs.
Quick Tip
To
make almond paste combine 10 oz. ground almonds with 10 oz. castor
sugar, them mix to a stiff paste with juice of half a lemon and one
large egg.
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