Wartime Christmas Cake

Happy Saturday Lovelies...

And I must say.. I do love weekends as I get to have breakfast with my dear hubby.. no rush.. no fuss and lots of conversation... The perfect start to a busy day!

For breakfast we had some tasty Potatoes O'Brien made with our stored potatoes an peppers from  our Victory Garden. I'm so grateful that our garden is still producing... and topped with poached eggs from our Girls... it really was a home grown meal

So the prepping for winter continues and MrD has finished splitting and stacking all the wood we will need for the coming months. We were so blessed to be gifted with logs earlier this year when we helped our friends clear a fallen tree. It should see us through... and some.

As for me it was time to make our Christmas cake... and oh my goodness the kitchen smells amazing

I know for some it may be too early to even think about Christmas... but when you  do your own baking you need a head start. Especially with the rich, fruit cake. It needs plenty of time to be 'fed' weekly and let the flavours mature before icing at the beginning of December

This is a recommended Christmas Cake recipe from the Ministry of Food in the mid 1940’s and the rationed ingredients make a very acceptable cake. For me..it always turns out well... and is a family favourite.

1 lb. mixed dried fruit
6 tablespoons of brandy (or alcohol of choice)

3 oz. sugar
4 oz. margarine
3 level tablespoons warmed treacle or syrup
8 oz. plain flour
Level teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
Pinch of salt.
1 level teaspoon cinnamon,
1 level teaspoon mixed spice
2 eggs, fresh or dried
3 tablespoons cold tea.

• The day before baking, put the dried fruit in a bowl
• Mix them with the brandy
• Cover with a cloth and leave them to soak for a minimum of 12 hours.

• Line a 7 inch cake tin with greaseproof paper.
• Pre-heat oven to 150 C, 300 F, Gas Mark 2.
• Cream the sugar and margarine together
• Beat in the treacle or syrup.
• Mix the flour, soda, salt and spices together.
• Add alternately with the eggs to the creamed mixture
• Beat well.
• Add the fruit and mix in the tea.

• Put the mixture into the tin, lined with greased paper
• Bake in a very moderate oven for 2½ hours.
• You may need to cover top with foil half way through cooking
• Cool in the tin.
• When cool remove from the tin and place in airtight container.
• Feed weekly by poking holes over the cake with a skewer
• Then pour a couple of Tablespoons of Brandy over the surface.
• This is not mandatory.. but it will keep the cake moist and develop a richer taste

Original Ministry of Food Christmas recipe