A Warm and Spicy Christmas Cake

It is by no means actually too late to make your Christmas cake, however when you’re organized and obtained it finished in October/November, you may have extra time to “feed” it. To be honest, I all the time have one of the best of intentions to make one early, however it would not appear to get round till the tip of November or generally per week or two earlier than the large day.

This model is wealthy in fruit and booze, plus the added bonus of heat spices and stem ginger, making it really feel like an excellent hug alongside a mid-morning cup of espresso.

We’re not huge on frosting, so once we’re able to eat it, I simply glaze it with a spoonful or two of apricot jam melted on the range with a teaspoon or two of water. You possibly can add blanched almonds on prime for adornment at this level when you like. Generally we skip this stage too and simply dig in.

Observe: When you’re on the lookout for candied peel, search for one of the best you could find, because it actually does make a distinction and also you get nice flavors with out being too candy and confectioned. This yr our pals in Cavistons had complete candied oranges and clementines that we simply could not move up.

A heat and spicy Christmas cake

• 200g of one of the best candied peel you could find
• 800g combined dried fruit
• 150ml darkish rum, plus additional for feeding
• 250 grams of unsalted butter
• 200 g darkish muscovado sugar
• 1 orange, grated and juiced
• 1 lemon, grated and squeezed
• 175 g of flour
• 125g floor almonds
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 2 tsp combined herbs
• 1 tsp floor cinnamon
• 1 tsp floor ginger
• 5 balls stem ginger (in syrup), drained and finely chopped
• 5 medium eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Place the zest and dried fruit in a big saucepan with the rum, butter, sguar, and citrus zest and juice. Carry to a boil over medium warmth, scale back warmth to low and warmth till butter has melted. Let cool for half-hour.

In the meantime, preheat the oven to 150C/130C sizzling air/Gasoline 2.

Line a 20 cm deep cake tin with a double layer of parchment paper, wrap a double layer of brown paper (or newspaper) across the exterior and safe with twine.

Place the flour, floor almonds, baking powder and spices within the pan with the cooled fruit and viscous liquid, then add the stem ginger, eggs and vanilla. Stir with a picket spoon till no floury bits stay.

Pour the combination into the ready tin, easy the highest and bake on the middle shelf for two hours till cooked by way of. Take away from the oven, prick holes within the prime with a skewer and spoon 2 tbsp rum over it, and let it cool fully within the tin.

When the cake has cooled, take away the parchment paper, wrap in contemporary parchment and retailer in an hermetic container. Feed the cake with 1-2 tablespoons of rum each two weeks, as much as 4 instances, however do not feed it within the final week when you plan on frosting or icing it, because the floor must be dry.

(Unique recipe from BBC Good Meals)