Do I need to apologise ??????
Most certainly not 😂😂😂😂 I’ve made this timely so next year you don’t forget 😜😜😜……..” must make Christmas Cake Halloween is over ”
Now for some making a cake and not eating it for weeks must sound appalling !!!! But calm your passion , this has been done for centuries and well I’m not one to mess with history 🙊🙊
Quick history lesson then 😂😂
Dried fruit in Winter !!!! Absolutely we are British, what grows in winter 😂
So its seasonal and traditional too
Christmas Cake started life as porridge !!! Developed into the pudding (that’s a whole different recipe for nearer to Christmas ).
We then got clever in the 16th Century and added flour and eggs, and finally someone decided the imported spices that came from the East would resemble ‘ The Wise Men’
Obviously this took a while to get there but eventually we get
THE CHRISTMAS CAKE ……….here endeth to days lesson in British History 😜😜
Now the cake……. this is a recipe developed over time, memories for mothers bakes , adapted to GF , then GF, V
As with all Christmas Cakes, its not to be eaten before the day cutting it is a nightmare and I bust a gut to get you todays crumbporn
I had to make a smaller cake, dowse it in brandy and leave it two days and pray it would cut !!!!
Ive spent time showing how to line the tin, sorry if I offend you ( well its me!!! Im not 😜) but as those that follow me know the blog is here to help you over come fears….if I put line a tin with triple parchment would you all know what I meant? ……plus I want it done right ….I will be watching 😈😈
This bake is easy !!!! Just work the directions as I’ve written them and it a great upper arm work out !!!
So lets get this started and finished and you have Cake for Christmas sorted and after the price I’ve seen so the tiniest Free from Cake , you have an absolute bargain 😍😍😍
Lets Bake !!!!
Traditional Christmas Cake GF, DF V and Nut Free
A Fruit Cake packed with dried fruit and full of flavour
Made in 8 in Square tin or 9 in round
For Gluten Free Dairy Free Version…. use 1 tsp of Baking Soda only and add 4 medium Eggs ( US large ) after the syrups and omit the Apple Cider Vinegar
Ingredients
- 150 ml Sunflower/ Vegetable OIl
- 280 g Gluten free Plain Flour ( if not using your own blend i advise Doves Farm UK or Pilsbury US )
- 1/4 tsp Xanthan Gum ( omit if your flour blend has it in )
- 650 g Sultanas
- 300 g Raisins
- 20 g Dates
- 20 g Dried Pineapple ( hydrated in 50mls boiling water )
- 1 tsp Salt
- 1 tsp Cardamon
- 1 tsp Mixed Spice
- 120 g Dark Treacle ( or Molasses )
- 180 g Golden Syrup ( Brown Race syrup )
- 4 tsp baking soda
- 4 tsp Apple Cider Vinegar
- 50 g Grated Raw Carrot
- 1 Orange Zested
- 2 lemons Zested
Directions
- Pre heat your oven to 120 C Fan / 140 C Standard / 285 F
- Hydrate your pineapple in 50 mls of boiling water and leave to stand
- Grease and line your tin with 3 sheets of parchment paper !!!!! The Tricky bit !!!! Easiest to show you in pictures 🙈😂😂
- Weigh out the flour,baking soda, salt , Xanthan ( if using ), Cardamon and Spices out and mix with a whisk
- Sieve into a LARGE bowl
- Add the fruit to the flour and toss til covered in flour. I find using my hands best
- Grate the citrus zest
- Measure out the Golden syrup and Treacle
- Add the Golden Syrup and treacle and stir in as best you can !!!! its hard
- Add the eggs IF USING and mix
- Add the oil mix , Pineapple and pineapple water, grated carrot orange and lemon zest
- Mix well, you will need some elbow grease ….get working
- Turn out into a pan and press in and flatten
- Cover with parchment snuggly
- Bake in the oven for 2 hours 30 minutes to 3 hours , until a cocktail stick or cake tester comes out clean
- Leave to cool in the tin……..over night
- Lift out on the tin in with all the parchment and cover tin two sheets of tin foil !!!!!
- DO NOT ENJOY TIL CHRISTMAS
IT NEEDS TO BE NEAT or you cake will have scruffy sides !!!!
Pretend you are wrapping a box
6.Measure out all the fruit and chop the dates into small pieces
10.Measure out the oil and the Apple cider vinegar and combine
There you go all done….feeling smug I hope, you’ve a bake out the way !!!
One less job in ‘Silly Season’
Do not forget to feed your cake, you want it to mature !!! Grow up into a grown up cake ( Very Mullered if you are using booze 🙈🙈). I have told you in the recipe what to do ….just incase you tend to look at the pretty pictures 😜😜😜
I even opened my coloured glace Cherries I snaffled away last year !!!!
JUST FOR YOU 😘😘😘
Merry NOT Christmas
Now obviously I havent decorated this years cake because the one you see in the pictures is currently wrapped as you saw and getting fed weekly !!!
But in true ‘ Blue Peter ‘ Style …… nope the Americans have no clue…….here’s one I made earier……..well last year and its fully clothed !!!!
If I remember I will add this years one to the post when its done
Hope you enjoyed the post.
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Until Next week
💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜BYE💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜
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Looking forward to making my first Christmas Cake!
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I cant wait to see it Kim 😍😍 #britishbyproxy goes Stateside 🤣🤣
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My oh my, Clare!!! That cake looks like it has tradition written all over it 💕 I’ve never ventured into making something along these lines but, this year, I think I may have to include a little piece of love into my kitchen from across the pond! Plus, it’s a #boozybake!! What’s not to love? 🎄
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The flour can be swapped in for Wheat and the egg equivalent is there. Its a cake of the season here and will Defiently bring something new to your table . 💜💜
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