Super Boozy Christmas Cake

This isn't just any old Christmas cake, this is a special, take-your-breath away, boozy type of Christmas cake. Once you've had a slice of it,  no other cake ever compares, nothing else in life is ever quite as good...

      I made this cake for the first time last year and it received rave reviews, including one from my Grandma (one of my biggest baking rivals...) who claimed it was the best christmas cake she had ever tasted. I immediately assumed it wasn't simply a biased comment, based on our relation to one another, and took it as a massive, jaw-dropping compliment. 

     This cake is gluttonously rich, packed full of fruit and, by the 23rd of December, (when it has been  casually soaking in brandy for around five weeks...) it is also devilishly alcoholic. 

     The recipe I am uploading today is a work in progress, so I only have pictures of phase one - the cake itself. However, eventually your cake will end up covered in marzipan and rolled fondant icing, which will nonetheless be explained in this post. 

     It is of paramount importance that you spoon over a couple of tablespoons of brandy, three times a week onto your cake, until it is ready to be iced and served. 

Think of it as an old Uncle who has come to stay for the festive period who needs preserving with large quantities of alcohol. You should almost be able to hear it hiccupping by Christmas Eve!

(For the Cake)

250g plain flour

2 tsp mixed spice

2 tsp cinnamon 

225g butter

225g dark brown sugar

2 tbsp black treacle

1 tbsp marmalade

1 tsp vanilla essence

4 large eggs

850g mixed fruit, dried

150g mixed peel, chopped

200g glacé cherries, halved

150g blanched almonds, halved
(23 x 23 x 8cm, square cake tin)

Method:

• Preheat your oven to 150ºC (Gas Mark 2) and generously grease and line your cake tin.
• Initially combine the flour, spice, cinnamon, butter, sugar, treacle, marmalade, vanilla essence and eggs with an electric whisk.
• Once beaten into a creamy texture, stir in the remaining ingredients until they are well combined. 
• Then pour your mixture into your preprepared cake tin, before placing in the oven for 3 hours. (It may seem like a long time, but no raising agent is used so it is essential to cook for At LEAST this long!) 
• Remove your cake and check to see if it is cooked all the way through. If it is, remove and leave to cool. If not, place back into the oven for 20 minute intervals, until cooked thoroughly.
• Once completely cool, turn out into an airtight container and puncture roughly 10 small holes into the top of your cake. These holes will allow the brandy to soak through the sponge, leaving it deliciously moist.

Over the next few weeks - Pour 2 tbsp of brandy over your cake, 3 times a week, to ensure that your cake is moist for Christmas. Any more than this will soak your cake too much and it will crumble!

(For the Marzipan/Fondant Icing)

I firstly must admit to something - I never, ever make my own marzipan and wouldn't even know where to begin with it, even if I wanted to. Rolled marzipan is a wonderful thing and I suggest you all invest in some. If you plan on making your own then I salute you.

250g marzipan

1-2 tbsp apricot jam
675g icing sugar
2 egg whites 
1 tsp vanilla extract 
2 tbsp liquid glucose

Method:

• Initially, roll out your marzipan. Cut one piece large enough to cover the top of your cake and a further 4, smaller pieces for each, individual side of the cake.
• Paint apricot jam all over your cake. This acts as a glue for your marzipan and also helps to keep your cake moist. 
• Once you have entirely covered your cake in both apricot jam AND your rolled marzipan, place back in your airtight container for at least 24 hours. 
• Then combine your ingredients for the fondant icing, beginning with the beaten egg whites and ending with the glycerin and lemon juice, adding the icing sugar gradually.
• Once all your ingredients have been added, you should be left with a block of fondant icing. Then lightly dust a surface (and your rolling pin) with icing sugar, before rolling your icing out over it.
• Then place your icing over the cake, all in one piece. Don't worry if this doesn't work the first time, simply remove and re-roll!
• Once your cake is completely covered, decorate as you please and be as creative as is humanly possible.

This is a link to a short video about simple ways to decorate your cake if you are struggling for inspiration: http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xmf627_christmas-cake-decorating-ideas_lifestyle

Simply remember that glitter is your one true love, cake is your passion and brandy is your best friend.

Happy baking and Merry Christmas

Enjoy, K x

Bonfire Night Cupcakes

Bonfire Night isn't usually associated with celebratory cakes and I firmly believe it should be, so here they are. Little pops, bursts and flashes of chocolate and vanilla, firework themed miniature cakes - you can't say fairer than that!

     I decided to use some rainbow cases that had a slightly retro feel, as I always relate Bonfire Night to being a child. The mixture of these cases and the firework display decorations has left me feeling extremely nostalgic...and full (I am after all, my own taster and critic, along with my other dutiful, family assistants!) 

     I decorated each cake differently, with their own 5th of November themed scenes! Each cake has at least one "Magic Star" chocolate and then as many gold/silver stars as I could squeeze on. I did, of course, leave just enough room for some of my inevitable, but more than necessary, cupcake glamour - edible glitter. 

This left each cake chocolaty, sparkly and with a faint galactic swirl of gold and silver. What more could any one cupcake consumer ask for?

     I decided to spread my icing on with a palette knife instead of my usual piping nozzle and bag, to give myself a flat canvas for all my miniature scenes. The cases I used are made by my beloved Kitchen Craft 'Sweetly Does It' range, and the sprinkles I used are, naturally, from "The Happy Cupcake Company" - Bath.

So, here's my recipe:

(For the Sponge)

120g plain flour

140g caster sugar

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

40g salted butter

120ml semi skimmed milk

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla extract

(For the Frosting)

300g icing sugar

100 salted butter

40g cocoa powder

40ml semi skimmed milk

(For the Decorating Icing)

If you don't wish to make your own decorating icing, you can simply buy white writing icing from any supermarket! If you're feeling particularly creative, follow this recipe and then use a thin icing nozzle to decorate each cake, as you wish!)

60g icing sugar

20g butter

6ml semi-skimmed milk

1 drop of vanilla extract

• When cooking your sponge, simply heat the oven to 170ºC (Gask Mark 3) and cook for 20 minutes. Then remove and leave to cool completely before frosting your cakes!

Have as much fun as you like with your cakes - the more innovate your designs are, the better.

      hope you all have a lovely Bonfire Night!

Enjoy, K x