Festive Christmas Cake

Ingredients

• 450g glace cherries
• 225g mixed peel
• 300g sultanas
• 150g currants
• 175g pitted dates, chopped
• 125g blanched almonds, chopped
• 1/2 cup brandy
• 1/2 cup plain flour
• 2 cups plain flour, extra
• 1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
• 1 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 250g butter
• 2 1/2 cups soft dark brown sugar
• 6 eggs
• 1/2 cup treacle or golden syrup
• 3/4 cup apple juice

Preparation method

1. Combine cherries, mixed peel, sultanas, currants, dates and almonds in a large bowl. Add brandy, toss and stand overnight. Stir flour into soaked fruit.
2. Preheat oven to 140 C. Grease a 20cm round cake pan and line with two layers baking paper. Mix together extra flour, bicarbonate of soda, spices and salt in a small bowl.
3. Beat butter in a bowl with an electric mixer until light and creamy. Gradually beat in brown sugar and eggs. Mix together treacle and apple juice. Beat into butter mixture alternately with flour mixture. Fold in floured fruit. Spread mixture into prepared cake pan.
4. Bake for 3 to 3½ hours, or until a skewer inserted into the centre of cake comes out clean. Cool cake in pan then remove and wrap in baking paper and then foil. Store in a cool place.

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German Christmas Gingerbread Cake

Ingredients

• 1 2/3 cups (170g) plain flour
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• 1 cup (125g) wholemeal flour
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• 4 teaspoons baking powder
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• 2 teaspoons ground ginger
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• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
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• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
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• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
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• 250g butter, softened
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• 2 cups (310g) packed brown sugar
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• 3 eggs
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• 2/3 cup (220g) honey, room temperature
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• 1/4 cup (65ml) orange liqueur
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• 250g sour cream
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• 1/2 cup (125ml) orange juice
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• 1 cup (155g) raisins
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• 1 cup (125g) blanched slivered almonds

Preparation method

1. Mix together the flours, baking powder, and spices.
2. In a large bowl, cream the butter with the brown sugar. Beat in the eggs, then the honey, orange liqueur, sour cream, and orange juice. Beat the flour mixture into the creamed mixture, and then stir in the raisins and almonds. Pour the batter into a greased and floured ring tin.
3. Bake cake at 180 degrees C for 80 minutes, or until it tests done with toothpick. Transfer to a rack to cool.

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Christmas Cherry and Fruit Cake

• Serves: 8
• Yield: 1 loaf cake
• Ready in: 2 hours 30 mins (Prep 30 mins., Cooking 2 hrs)
  

Ingredients

• 200g white sugar
• 250g butter
• 2 eggs
• 125 ml orange juice
• 250g plain flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 375g sultanas
• 250g halved glace cherries

Preparation method

1. Preheat oven to 150 degrees C. Grease and line a 22x13cm loaf tin with baking paper.
2. Cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add beaten eggs and orange juice and mix well.
3. Sift flour and baking powder. Reserve 1/3 cup of flour mixture and toss with raisins and cherries (this will keep them from sinking to the bottom of the cake).
4. Add flour mixture to batter and blend. Add floured raisins and cherries to dough and mix until just combined.
5. Pour batter into prepared loaf tin. Bake in pre-heated oven for 2½ hours.
6. Wrap the cake in plastic wrap or foil and store in a sealed tin for a couple of days before serving.

Additional Info:

You can freeze this cake. It’s best if you can wait several days before eatings to allow the flavours to develop.

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