Today is the last Sunday in November, traditionally known as Stir-up Sunday. A day to make your Christmas cakes and puddings in time for the big day. In honour of this tradition, I am sharing my Christmas Cake recipe today. While it is ideal when made in advance and given time to mature (with plenty of boozy feedings before Christmas) it also tastes delicious when eaten straight away.
This Christmas Cake recipe can also be tailored to include your favourite dried fruits, nuts and alcohol. glace cherries can be included, candied peel, your choice of nuts from walnuts, almonds, pecans, hazelnuts can be added, and if you prefer a rum or whiskey over brandy, then you do you!
This recipe makes a generous 8″ round cake, or can be baked in an 8 inch square tin, but will be slightly shorter. Alternatively, you could make two 6″ cakes with this recipe, just make sure to adjust the cooking time!
INGREDIENTS
1kg Dried Mixed Fruit
150 ml Brandy
250g Unsalted Butter
250g Soft Light Brown Sugar
3 tbsp Golden Syrup
1 Orange
4 Eggs
1 tsp Vanilla Extract
275g Plain Flour
1.5 tsp Mixed Spice
0.5 tsp Baking Powder
200g Mixed Dried Peel
100g Nuts
EQUIPMENT
Large Mixing Bowl
Smaller Mixing Bowl
Wooden Spoon
Spatula or Bowl Scraper
8″ Round Cake Tin
Baking Paper
Measuring Spoons
Sieve
Weighing Scales
Metal Skewer
METHOD
The day before you want to bake your cake, make sure your butter is out of the fridge so it can come to room temperature and you need to soak your dried mixed fruit.
In a bowl, place your dried fruit and add the brandy. Give it a stir and set it to one side.
When you are ready to bake, pre-heat your oven to 150 degrees C (130 degress C in a fan-assisted oven) then line your cake tin, make sure to use a double thickness of baking paper around the sides and a layer on the bottom too.
1. Dice your unsalted butter, so you have roughly 1cm cubes and place in your large mixing bowl. Measure in the light brown sugar and mix it all together until you have a nice, smooth consistency. The softer your butter is, the easier this job is!
TIP: Take some time here to be mindful and fully present with what you are doing. Don’t worry about what’s for dinner, or having to do laundry, or what’s happening tomorrow. Put some Christmas music on, and focus on watching the ingredients come together.
2. Add the golden syrup & mix it in.
TIP: Lightly oil your measuring spoon to help the syrup glide off easily and ensure you get the full measure in your recipe.
3. Grate the zest of the orange into your mixture, then juice the orange and mix in.
4. Beat the eggs and Vanilla extract into the cake mixture.
5. Using a sieve, add the plain four, mixed spice and baking powder into your bowl and fold in.
6. Add in your brandy-soaked dried fruit, dried mixed peel and nuts. Make sure to get everything coated with the cake mix. Use a spatula or bowl scraper to get right to the bottom of the bowl so you don’t have any big pockets of cake mix or uncoated fruit.
TIP: Now is the time to stir in your intentions and make your Christmas wish. Get the family involved and allow everyone to give it a stir (clockwise, of course) and make a wish too.
7. Place your cake mix into the lined cake tin, press it down firmly, and make a well in the middle to ensure it bakes with a less-domed top.
8. Put the cake in the oven, on a low shelf, and set the timer for 2 hours. The actual cooking time for the cake will vary depending on a number of factors, including the cake tin, your oven and probably the current moon phase! My cake took 3 hours and 45 minutes in total. After the initial 2 hours, I checked it every 30 minutes for 1 and a half hours. When the top looked dry, I poked a skewer into the middle of the cake, if the skewer comes out completely clean, the cake is baked. If there is any cake mix sticking to the skewer it needs a few more minutes.
TIP: For extra punch, when the cake is baked, poke a few holes over the top of the cake and drizzle over some extra brandy.
9. Leave the cake to cool in the tin. When it is cool, remove the baking paper and wrap it in fresh baking paper and foil. You can leave the cake to mature as it is, or feed it as needed with a few more tablespoons of brandy.
Stay tuned for some suggestions on how to decorate your Christmas Cake.
Take a Mindful Minute when washing up
While the cake is baking, enjoy the festive smells that fill the house and fill the sink ready to wash the dishes. Take this time for a mindful minute. Feel gratitude for the time you’ve had to bake this cake, for having a kitchen to feed your family, for your oven providing heat. Have a look at this post for more ways to bring mindfulness to your cooking.
Don’t forget to pin this post for later.
