Diamonds are forever Part 1

Pat and Colin

I’ve started the cake for P and C’s Diamond wedding celebrations in April. They’ve requested a fruit cake to celebrate their 60 years together. The first stage is to make the cake so I’ve used one of Grandma Abson’s tried and tested Celebration Fruit Cake recipes in an 8 inch or 21 cms cake tin. 

Celebration Traditional Fruit Cake

8oz/225g brown sugar

8oz/225g butter

1 tbsp black treacle (warmed)

1 tbsp golden syrup (warmed)

5 eggs (beaten)

9oz/250g self raising flour

3-4oz/100g glace cherries

4oz/110g mixed peel

10oz/275g each of sultanas, raisins, currants

1tsp each of cinnamon and mixed spice

2oz/50g nut mix +1oz/25g ground almonds or

3oz/75 ground almonds

1/6 pint/110ml stout

Cream the butter and sugar and add the treacle and golden syrup. Add the eggs and half of the flour and spices. Beat the mixture. Stir in the almonds and cherries and then the rest of the flour and dried fruit. Add the stout. Bake for 3 – 3 ½ hours. Start warm for 30 minutes and then gradually reduce and finish in slow oven. (325F, Mark 3, 170C to 250F. Mark ½ 130C)

Celebration Cake ready for the next stage

Meryl's tips : It’s important to cook a fruit cake like this gently and in advance so it can mature over the next couple of months. Wrap it in foil to store until it’s ready for the next stage. I’ve pencilled in a date around mid-March (2 weeks before the Diamond ‘do’) to put on the almond paste and then the end of March (1 week before) to complete it with the icing. I’m going to make a 2 tiered cake with a Victoria Sandwich as the second tier so I’ll keep you posted with the preparations.

I’m wondering how to decorate the cake. Pat carried lilies of the valley at her wedding so I’m on the lookout for a spray of these flowers .....