Christmas Cake Fruit Mix

 

I waited a whole year to start the process to bake this cake.

I have had tons of cakes, and 1000's of plum cakes. Even had a JD soaked cake from Lynchberg. But never made the old fashioned traditional Christmas cake. Last year our local news paper had a supplement on Christmas cakes and puddings and I wanted to bake and eat one. But they needed a few days time. I had planned to start this cake last week of November but here I am on 9th December finally soaking all the fruits needed. I took help of a few online recipes too. So I am late but 15 days is good to get the fruits soaked and one soaking of the cake. Better now cause there is no guarantee if I'll be punctual next year...

Ingredients:

850 grams Mix Fruit

- 200 grams Dates, 

- 200 grams Dried Figs,

- 150 grams Apricots,

- 100 grams Dried Golden Plums

- 100 grams Raisins

- 100 grams Black Currants

150 grams Dry Fruits

- 50 grams Almonds

- 50 grams Cashewnuts

- 50 grams Walnuts

450 ml Rum (or Whiskey or Brandy)

Zest of one Orange

Chop all the fruits into small pieces; I cut the apricots and figs into 9 pieces, like a tic-tac-toe. Dates were quartered and cut into 3 pieces, raisins and sultanas were cut in half. 

The golden plums were the toughest to chop. Chop thick peel from one flat side of the seed.  The rest of the fruit will peel off from the central seed. Then chop into small pieces. 

The almonds and cashew nuts are chopped into three pieces each. The walnuts are quartered and cut into three. 

Take all these fruits and nuts, mix them and put them in an air tight glass jar. The jar should be large enough to allow the fruits to double in volume. 

Pour the alcohol into the fruit mix. Stir with a silicone or wooden spoon so that the fruits on top also get soaked. I used a wide mouthed jar so I simply inverted it at night (it balances well). The fruits will absorb some of the alcohol and will swell. 

Depending upon your timeline to bake, keep this overnight, for a month or up to three months before baking the cake.