Christmas Cake
IIn the Anglo tradition, Christmas cakes are fruit cakes, often decorated with layers of almond icing, a thick coat of royal icing, and then topped off with decorations. There is a myriad of fruit cake variations: boiled fruit cakes, light fruit cakes, nut-free cakes, some with alcohol, some alcohol-free, and heavy fruit cakes – and that only covers the traditional Anglo fruit cake! Let's demystify the process of making a fruit cake, step by step.History
The first recorded fruit cakes were baked by the Egyptians. These cakes, based on barley flour and incorporating fruit and nuts, were placed in tombs to aid the souls in the afterlife. The Romans enhanced this recipe with pine nuts, pomegranate seeds, anise, cumin, and honeyed wine, creating a cake known as "Satura," which was given to soldiers before battle. From the 18th century onwards, the consumption of fruit and cakes coincided with the winter solstice and the nut harvest, leading to a greater emphasis on nuts in the recipe. Older recipes predominantly featured figs and dates, but in more contemporary versions, coloured glacé cherries (for that Christmas colour), pineapple, apricots, and other dried fruits are used. Today, spices typically include cinnamon, ginger, vanilla, and citrus peel.
Aging
Alcohol is often incorporated to prolong the cake's longevity, which can be achieved in four ways:
1. Soaking the fruit in rum or brandy for at least 48 hours, reserving any leftover soaking liquid to use in either step 2 or 3 below.
2. Perforating the bottom of the cake or brushing it with alcohol every 1-2 weeks.
3. Wrapping the cake in an alcohol-soaked cheesecloth and storing it in an airtight container. You will also need to perform step 2 regularly.
4. Employing a combination of all three methods listed above!
Dark vs Light
Dark cakes are made with molasses, brown sugar, dark fruits like currants and raisins, and dark spirits. They generally have a long shelf life.
Light cakes, which have a shorter shelf life, are made with granulated sugar, coloured fruit, and often without alcohol.
Boiled
This is a somewhat misleading term. The cake isn't boiled; it's baked in the oven like its light and dark counterparts. The distinguishing factor is that the fruit, sugar, and butter are boiled with some water for about 10 minutes to plump and soften the fruit before being combined with the flour and other ingredients.
In my family, we always purchased a charity Christmas Fruit Cake from the Lions Club. These cakes were always eaten by the adults, while we kids definitely preferred sweeter treats. It wasn't until last year, when I was making some Christmas cakes for the Country Women's Association of Victoria Christmas Fare, that Myles asked why I never made us a Christmas cake. Good question! Amid all the other Christmas baking, I never really found the time to make one for us. Myles' dad, Ivan, loved fruit cake, and they evoke a strong sense of nostalgia for Myles. So this year, in addition to the ones I've baked for the Fair, Myles has enjoyed a constant supply :)
Just a few tips
1. It's important to be meticulous when lining the tin. Smoothing out all the wrinkles will yield a better-looking cake.
2. Wrapping the outside of the tin in 2-3 layers of newspaper or brown paper prevents the edges from becoming overly dry during baking. NB: I promise the paper won't ignite in the oven!
3. To ensure that the cake stays fresh until Christmas, let it cool in the tin at least overnight before wrapping.
4. Avoid scraping the last of the mixture into the tin, as you will end up with cake mix without fruit on the top of your cake.
5. Bang the tin on the bench to eliminate all air pockets, before putting in the oven.
6. The cake is cooked when a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean.
Shortening recipe
This is the ideal method to grease your tin.
1 part flour to 4 parts copha. Melt the copha, add the flour, mix to form a paste. Store in a container in the fridge and reheat each time you need to use it.
To see how to make the Christmas Cake, click on the video link at the bottom of this post.
Merry Christmas, everyone!
Serves 10+ (Makes approx a 1 kg cake)
Ingredients:
125 g each of sultanas, currants, chopped raisins
45 g chopped red glacé cherries
60 g chopped mixed Peel
45 g slivered almonds
50 ml brandy or sherry
30 g self rasing flour
125 g plain flour
1/4 tsp grated nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground ginger
125 g butter
125 g soft brown sugar
2 large eggs
1/4 tsp lemon essence or finely grated lemon rind
1/4 tsp almond essence
1/4 tsp vanilla essence
20 g blanched almonds for decoration (optional)
Preheat oven to 150°C fan/170°C.
Preparing the 15 cm straight sided, square cornered tin.
Lining the tin:
Brush the tin sides and bottom with copha/flour paste. Let dry.
Line tin sides and base with baking paper and enclose the entire tin in 2 or 3 layers of newspaper/brown paper on the outside to come up 10 cm or so above the tin.
Tie securely with string.
For best results fruit should be equal in size – raisins snipped 2-3 pieces, cherries 4-6 pieces.
Mix together all the fruits and nuts, sprinkle with sherry or brandy. Cover and leave for at least 1 hour, but preferably overnight or longer.
Sift together the flours and spices.
In a separate bowl, cream butter and sugar with the essences until smooth and lighter in colour.
Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
Add 1/3 of fruit, then 1/3 of flour mixture. Mix thoroughly. Repeat until all have been added.
The mixture should be stiff enough to support a wooden spoon.
Place the mixture into the prepared tin and bake for approximately 2 hours.
Allow cake to cool in tin at least overnight to prevent cracking in the top.
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