I got this from friends in Sri Lanka. They make such delicious stuff for Christmas and especially this cake you cant stop yourself from eating more than a single piece.



Christmas Cake

Ingredients :
250 gms. wheat rava (semolina)
300 gms. sugar
250 gms. butter or margarine
250 gms. 5 or 6 eggs (in weight)
250 gms. cashewnuts
250 gms. raisins
250 gms. pumpkin preserve (petha)
50 gms. ginger preserve
50 gms. candied peel
100 gms. sugar for caramel (you have to make it)
1/2 bottle mixed fruit jam
1 nutmeg
100 gms. almonds
100 gms. cherries
1 tbsp. vanilla essence
1 tsp. almond essence (acc. to your personal taste)
1 tsp. rose essence (acc. to your personal taste)
1/4 wine glass each of brandy, honey and rose water.



Method :

1. Cut all the dry fruits into very tiny bits and put into a clean bottle alongwith the jam, essences, brandy, honey, caramel and nutmeg powder. Mix well. Store overnight.
2. Roast semolina and mix 1 tbsp. butter to it. Keep aside.
3. Beat sugar and butter to a smooth mixture.
4. Add one egg at a time to this mixture. Beat well.
5. Add semolina and dry fruit mixture alternately. Mix well after each addition.
6. Prepare cake trays by lining them with 1 sheet of butter paper.
7. Pour cake mixture into the trays till 3/4 inch in height.
8. Bake in oven on medium heat till done. Let it cool.
9. cut into pieces and serve.



To give it a festive look -
Shape the pieces into a cylindrical roll and wrap first in butter paper and then a colour cellophane paper or any other fancy paper of your choice.

The speciality of this cake is that it keeps good for 3-6 months in an air tight container.

Thank you for sharing this recipe with us. It looks delicious!

Theresa