Saturday 3 October 2009





Countdown to Christmas

The Cake

This weekend marks the start of my Christmas baking, it's time to make the Christmas cake.

You may think it's a bit early but I start this time every year and feed my cake with brandy every week (just a little). The finished cake is amazing and lasts for ages (if only brandy had that effect on me).

I have used this recipe for the past 15 years and have never been disappointed.

Leave the icing of the cake until a few days before Christmas. Alternatively leave it plain. I have friends from Yorkshire who eat it with cheese and its actually very nice.

You will need to start the cake the night before you bake it, to marinate the fruit in the Brandy.

I shall post a picture of my finished cake nearer Christmas.

Ingredients

450 currants
1 granny smith apple, peeled, cored and grated
175g sultanas
175g raisins
4 eggs
225g Muscavado sugar
50g glace cherries, chopped
225g unsalted butter
1/2 tsp mixed spice
3 tbsp brandy
1/2 tsp grated nutmeg
225g plain flour
1/2 tsp salt
50g Almonds, chopped
50g Brazil nuts, chopped
1 dessertspoon treacle
Grated zest of 1 orange
Grated zest of 1 lemon

20cm round cake tin
or
18cm square tin
lined with parchment paper

Place the dried fruit and grated apple in a large mixing bowl, add the brandy and mix thoroughly. Cover and leave overnight.

The following day

Preheat the oven to 140C/275F/gas1

Sift the flour, salt and spiced into a large mixing bowl.

In a separate bowl, mix the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Beat the eggs and gradually add them to the mixture a little at a time.

Gently fold in the flour and spices.

Fold in the dried fruit, chopped nuts and treacle (use a spoon which has been standing in hot water to measure the treacle) then fold in the orange and lemon zests.

Transfer the mixture to the cake tin, cover with parchment paper and cut a cross in the middle, and bake, on the bottom shelf for 4 3/4 - 5 hrs. Check after 4hrs.

Remove from the oven and cool in the tin for 30 minutes. Remove and cool completely on a wire rack.

Wrap in two layers of greaseproof paper and 1 layer of foil and place in an airtight tin, in a cool place. Feed regularly with Brandy.









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