Completely gorgeous Christmas Cake - preparations

If you have the time this weekend, consider cutting down on stress in the build-up for Christmas, and start making your Christmas cake and Christmas pudding.You still have all the time in the world to do this at the moment , and a weekend will give you time so you can bake at leisure.
I know I have heard people often say "I don't like Christmas cake " and , it is quite true, if you buy them ready made , they very often disappoint,  as they can be stodgy, heavy and quite sharp-tasting.
The contrast with a home made cake and pudding is surprising, and it is really worthwhile to make your own.
Make your own or don't eat them at all, that's what I say !!
Below a recipes that I can assure you are delicious.Get baking - you will never regret it!
By the time it's Christmas you can whip it out and suprise everyone with a stunner of a Christmas cake.This cake improves with age so it's a win-win situation !!

                                                                  Christmas cake                      
Mmmmmm- you can eat this till deep into January as it keeps very well- but you might have finished the last crumbs the week after Christmas, it's that tasty ....

Ingredients cake:
225 gr butter
250 gr candied fruits
250 gr raisins
225 gr currants
110 gr glaceed cherries
225 gr flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
225 gr brown sugar
150 gr ground almonds
4 eggs


1st Stage :the making & baking of the cake
Pre-heat the oven to 165 degrees Centigrade.
Butter a tin with a removable base with a diameter of 30 cm.
Take a piece of baking paper of about 50 cm long and 8 cm high and butter this, and put it, buttered side towards the tin-side, inside the tin so it forms an extra inside within the cake tin.
Mix the raisins, currants, and the cherries .
Sprinkle about 50 gr of flour over this and mix well so all the fruit is covered with a layer of the flour.Add the rest of the flour and the baking soda.
In a second bowl, mix the butter and the brown sugar to a creamy soft mixture.Add the ground almonds, then the eggs, one by one. Then add the flour and fruit mixture.
Mix well, then pour the mixture in the baking tin.Bake 1 hour and 45 minutes in the middle of the oven on 165 degrees Centigrade.Check if the cake is done, by putting a knitting needle in the middle- this should come out dry .
Let the cake cool down in the tin, then remove it from the tin and take off the baking paper from the side.

2nd stage: 
The decoration.
Ingredients:

Red-currant jelly.
Roll of ready-to use white marzipan
Tubes of ready-to-use icing in various colours ( red, green, yellow)
A stencil if you are not good with icing for a seasonal message
Readymade edible Christmas cake ornaments like Christmas trees, ice-bears or whatever takes your fancy.


Warm  4 table spoons of red-currant jelly , and spoon this on the top and the sides of the cake.
Even this with a spatula so you have a thin layer of jelly all over the top and side of the cake. 
Roll out the marzipan and drape it over the cake and press slightly so the sticky red-currant jelly acts as a glue to attach it to the cake.Cut off the bits that are too much so the cake is nicely covered with the marzipan.
Now it's time for the fun bit of decorating the cake.A classic is always to go for a symetrical design- see what kind of sweet edible Christams decorations you can get and decorate to your hearts content.
If you are not too good with the whole icing thing, use a stencil to write a Christmassy message- that's what I did !!
Start baking and start decorating !!! Enjoy!!This cake is delicious with a nice cup of tea!!!

                                                           Get into the Christmas spirit!!!