My husband’s mother in law taught me how to make this cake many years ago and her mother made it too. It’s a quick and easy fruit cake, lighter than the usual Christmas cake and perfect if you have little time to soak fruit as the mincemeat adds lots of flavours and moisture.

​Over the years I have made jars and jars of mincemeat but the recipe I’m using in this cake is the quickest and easiest to make. If you are really hurt on time you might like to use bought mincemeat.

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Quick and easy mincemeat
Resources
A large pan 

Ingredients

• 2 medium sized Bramley apples around 150g when peeled
• 150g light brown sugar
• 150ml barley wine
• Zest and juice of 1 small orange
• Zest and juice of 1 small lemon
• 30g unsalted butter
• 100g raisins
• 25g pre soaked Californian prunes,chopped
• 50g dried cherries,chopped
• 50g dried cranberries, chopped
• 150g sultanas
• 1 teaspoon mixed spice
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 3 tablespoons brandy
• 3 tablespoons of orange liqueur
• ( if you do not wish to use alcohol you may add 6 tablespoons of freshly squeezed orange juice)

Method
Peak and grate the apples and place in a large pan with the brown sugar,barley wine,zest and juice of the orange and lemon. Stir well and place on a medium heat.Gradually bring to the boil stirring frequently until the apples are soft.
Add the butter,dried fruits and spices to the pan stir well and simmer until thickened (about 30 -40 minutes).
Remove from the hear and allow to cool completely. Once cool stir in the brandy and the orange liqueur, or the orange juice
The mincemeat can be packed into jars or into fridge containers until needed.

Ingredients 

• 150g soft unsalted butter
• 150g light muscovado sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 225g self raising flour,sifted
• 230g mincemeat
• 90g currents
• 110g sultanas
• Zest of a small unwaxed orange
• 1/2 teaspoon mixed spice
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 50g blanched almonds , (either split or whole, if you have a nut allergy these can be left out )
• 2 tablespoons of sieved warm apricot jam( optional glaze when the cake comes out of the oven)

Resources

• 2 x 2lb loaf tins lined and greased with parchment, or a 23cm ( 9inch) loose bottomed round tin, lined and greased

Method

• Set the oven for 160C fan, 140C conventional, gas 3

Place all the ingredients except the almonds in a large bowl and beat well until all blended, about two minutes.
Turn into 2 loaf tins or the round tin.

Arrange the almonds neatly in rows on the loaf cakes or in a circular pattern on the round cake.
Bake for 1 1/4 hours or until golden brown and firm to touch.

After one hour you may wish to check whether baked by placing a skewer in the middle of the cake, when the skewer comes out clean the cake remove from the oven and place on a cooling rack until completely cold.

If you wish you may glaze the top of the cakes with warmed,sieved apricot jam whilst they are warm.
Once cold remove from the tins and store in an airtight container.
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Unlike a rich fruit cake this cake will need to be eaten within two weeks, that is if you can resist eating it.