Diane Tapper's Christmas Cake

Christmas cake is a whole genre of it's own. I love fruitcakes and Christmas cakes, and make both for the Holidays. Dry currants can be hard to find, but are available at Whole Foods, Sun Harvest, or your local organic grocery store in the bulk section.

1 - 2/3 cups dried currants
1 - 2/3 cups raisins
1 sherry glass of sherry (I estimate this to be about 1/2 cup)
Mix together and let stand to allow fruit to soak up some of the sherry. I usually let the fruit soak over night.

1/2 c + 1 T butter
1/2 c + 1 T sugar
3 eggs
Cream butter and sugar together, mix in eggs.

1 - 1/4 c flour
1/4 c ground almonds
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp cloves
Sift these into the butter mixture and combine.

Add the fruit/sherry mixture to the batter. Line an 8" x 8" inch cake pan with foil. Bake for 2 hours at 275 degrees.
Once this cake has cooled, wrap in cheesecloth soaked in brandy and store in the fridge. Soak and wrap the cake with brandy weekly.
Serious Christmas Cake junkies start their cakes in October so they are well marinated for the holidays.