Sweet Mincemeat Christmas Cake

Several weeks back I made an alternative Christmas Cake that I had seen in a magazine using 2 jars of sweeet mincemeat.  The cakes tasted lovely and were just like Chistmas Cake but without the expense of all that dried fruit.  I used the quantitie below to make 2 loaf style cakes but you can just make one large cake.  I also fed mine a few times after with brandy to keep it moist and wrapped it in foil in a tin.

Here is the recipe:

Mincemeat Cake (Alternative Christmas Cake!)

175g caster sugar

175g unsalted butter, softened

3 eggs, beaten

300g self-raising flour

2 x 411g jars of mincemeat

Handful of glacé cherries (optional)

1 tbsp brandy or sherry (optional)

1 tbsp caster sugar, plus extra to decorate

 

1.       Preheat oven to 160⁰C/fan 140⁰C/Gas 3.  Grease and double line the base and sides of a 20cm cake tin with greaseproof paper.  Also wrap a double layer of greaseproof paper around the outside of the tin and tie with string.

2.       Cream together the sugar and butter, stir in beaten eggs, fold in half of the flour and then fold in the mincemeat and cherries, if using.

3.       Fold in the rest of the flour and add brandy or sherry if using.  Spoon the mixture into the cake tin and sprinkle with caster sugar.

4.       Bake for 1 hour, then cover the top of the cake with baking paper and return to the oven for another 1 hour 15-30 minutes, until cooked and golden.  Leave in tin for 30 minutes, then remove and place on a wire rack.  When completely cool, sprinkle with a little extra sugar.