Lighthouse Dessert Recipes

Traditional Christmas Cake

2 cups sultanas

1 cup currants

1 cup chopped raisins

½ cup red glace cherries

½ cup mixed citrus peel

½ cup rum

250g butter, chopped

1 cup brown sugar

2 tsp Anchor Vanilla Essence

4 eggs

100g dark cooking chocolate, melted

2 tbsp apricot jam

2 cups Lighthouse Biscuit, Pastry & Cake Plain Flour

2 tsp Spencers ground cinnamon

125g slivered almonds

Icing sugar to dust

Combine sultanas, currants, raisins, cherries, peel and rum in a large bowl. Cover and stand for 1 hour or until ready to use.
Preheat oven to 160°C. Grease and line the base and sides of a round 23cm (base measurement) deep cake pan with two layers each of brown paper and baking paper.
Place butter, sugar and vanilla in a bowl and beat until light and creamy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in chocolate and jam.
Add creamed mixture to fruit mixture with sifted flour, cinnamon, mixed spice and almonds, and mix well.
Spoon mixture evenly into prepared pan. Bake for 2 ½ - 3 hours or until an inserted skewer comes out clean. Cover cake and cool in pan overnight.
Dust cake with icing sugar and decorate with stars to serve.