Christmas Cake - Part 2 - Making the Cake

Ingredients (To make an 8" Cake)

225g / 8oz Butter
112g / 40z Soft Brown Sugar
112g / 4oz Dark Brown Sugar
1tbsp Treacle
285g / 10oz Plain Flour
5 Large Eggs
150ml Brandy or Sherry
1/2 tsp Mixed Spice
1/2 tsp Cinnamon
1/2 tsp Ground Ginger
1/2 tsp Nutmeg 
Boozy Fruit (previously prepared)

Method

1. Pre-heat your oven to 140C / 120C Fan / Gas Mark 1

2. Next line your tin using baking paper (I'm using a square tin so that I can cut the cake in half to make two smaller rectangular cakes, but you can use a round tin if you prefer). Then wrap a thick layer of newspaper around the outside of the tin and secure well with string. (This is to protect the cake so that the edges don't burn in the oven, as it has to cook for quite a long time).

3. Cream the butter and sugars together well, until pale and fluffy.

4. Add the treacle and beat until combined with the butter and sugar mixture.

5.  Beat the eggs and add to the creamed mix a little at a time. Keep the whisk running until all the egg is incorporated. (If the mixture looks like it is going to curdle at any point, add a half a tbsp of flour while whisking.)

6. Remove the whisk and put it to one side, then sift the flour and spices over the mix, then fold until fully incorporated.

7. Add the boozy fruit that you have already prepared and mix until evenly distributed throughout the cake mixture.

8. Spoon the cake mixture into the prepared tin and level out with a knife or spatula. Cut out 2 squares of greaseproof paper to the same size as the tin, and cut a hole in the centre of the squares (about the size of a 2p coin). Place the squares over the cake mixture. (This will protect the top of the cake from burning, while the central hole allows air to escape, and the cake to colour evenly.)

9. Bake on the lowest shelf in the oven for 4 1/2 - 4 3/4 hours. After this time, check the cake is done by inserting a skewer in the centre of the cake (through the greaseproof paper whole) - if it is cooked enough, the skewer will come out clean. If the skewer still has cake mix on it, put the cake back in for another 10 minutes and then check again. (It is far better to give the cake extra time in small quantities, as you don't want to over cook it after all of the time you have spent prepping!!)

10. Once the cake is done, remove from the oven and cool in the cake tin for half an hour on a wire rack. Then remove the cake from the tin, making sure to only remove the paper from the sides of the cake, and not the base (as you will need this later!) and place onto the wire rack to finish cooling.

11. Once the cake is completely cooled, lay out 2 long pieces of foil (each about 3 times the length of your cake) across each other in the shape of a 'plus' sign. Then do the same with 2 pieces of baking paper. Lay the cake in the centre of the foil/baking paper (over the part where they criss cross over one another).

12. With a skewer, pierce approximately 30-40 holes into the cake, making sure not to go all the way down to the bottom of the cake as you don't want all the alcohol you are feeding it to drip out of the bottom! (I usually find that piercing holes to 3/4 of the cake's depth is plenty)

13. Put a cap full of brandy into a small cup, and using a pastry brush, feed the liquid across the top of the cake until you use up all of the liquid. (Don't worry if the top looks very wet - the residual alcohol will seep down the holes that you created, making a wonderfully boozy and moist cake - yum yum!)

14. Gather up the strips of foil and baking paper, one side at a time, and fold each side over the cake until it is completely covered and there are no air holes. Transfer to a tin big enough to hold your bundle of cake - I usually use an old biscuit tin from last Christmas, but you can use anything that fits, as long as it is air tight.

15. Put the cake into a cool(ish) cupboard, and bring out once a week to 'feed' with some more brandy, using the same technique as in step 13. You want to 'feed' your cake for a minimum of 4 weeks up to Christmas to get the best flavour and texture. (If you are running short of time and don't have 4 weeks, just be sure to 'feed' your cake twice a week instead of once, and this should achieve the same result, although the flavours may not be quite as developed)

16. Now your cake is ready to be decorated, which can be as simple or complex as you like!  

        

Christmas Cake - Part 1 - Fruit Preparation

Its been so long since I've had a Sunday free to do some baking, so I thought I'd make the most of it! An attempt at a new Apple cake recipe (results and recipe to come soon), and I have decided that this is the year I will make my first Christmas Cake! I've always wanted to make one, but have never had the time (a poor excuse really), so, after reviewing many recipes (and trying to decipher different versions in my gran's hand written book), I have chosen combine a few recipes into one, taking the parts I like best of each - could make for an interesting Christmas Cake, that's for sure!!

Getting organised for the cake, I have started with pre-soaking my fruit to get the best flavour in the cake and to make sure the fruit is nice and juicy. I have chosen the fruit that myself and my partner like best, but you can use your own combinations depending on preference.

Ingredients:

• 7 oz Raisins
• 7 oz Glace Cherries, sliced in half
• 7 oz Sultanas
• 3 1/2 oz Dates, chopped
• 2 oz Currants
• 2 oz Caster Sugar
• 60ml Water
• 175ml Brandy
• 1 Cinnamon Stick

Method: 

1. Weigh out the dried fruit, and transfer to a large bowl, along with the cinnamon stick, and mix with a spoon until evenly mixed.
2. Heat the water and sugar in a saucepan (if you have a stainless steel saucepan (or I use the base of my steamer), use this, as I find that dissolving sugar in a non-stick pan tends to scratch the surface when stirring) over a low heat, until the sugar has completely dissolved and the mixture is still clear, making sure not to over-heat the mixture or caramelise.
3. Let the sugar mixture cool slightly, then transfer this to the brandy and stir to combine.
4. Pour the liquid over the fruit and stir well, ensuring the liquid has coated all of the fruit. (If you are pushed for time and have not got time to soak the fruit for 6 weeks, the same effect can be achieved by heating the fruit with the brandy syrup mix - so once you get to step 4, transfer the fruit mixture back into the pan and heat gently on a very low heat for approx 10-20 minutes - you don't want to stew the fruit, but the heat and liquid will help the fruit to plump up and absorb the alcohol mixture enough to give the effect that it has been soaking for 6 weeks! If you are choosing this method, once heated, transfer the fruit mixture with juices to a bowl to cool before adding to your cake mixture.)
5. Transfer the fruit mix into a large air-tight storage container, and store in the cupboard until you are ready to make your cake.
6. Over the next week, stir the mixture every day (or every other day if you don't have time to do it every day), to make sure the fruits are soaking up the brandy and remain nice and moist. After the first week, stir the mixture once a week until you are ready to make your cake.

The longer in advance you can prepare your fruit and allow the flavours to develop, the more intense flavour your Christmas Cake will have. I would suggest soaking the fruit for a minimum of one week, anywhere up to 6 weeks in advance.

As this is my first attempt, I am going to try soaking my fruit for 3 weeks before making my cake.......we will see how I get on!