Red and White Christmas

"Christmas comes but once a year, relatives come from far and near" so starts the famous song by the Two Ronnies that covers the ups, and downs, of the Christmas. Also made once a year for this occasion is Christmas Cake. In my family for as long as I can remember it was the job of my grandmother to make the Christmas Cake. However these days although she's still here in body, her mind has long since started its final journey into the sunset.

That said I volunteered to step into my Gran's Shoes and make a family Christmas Cake this year. Preparation began early in November by soaking the Sultanas and Raisins used in the recipe in whisky for around three weeks. I got round to making the cake towards the end the last working week prior to the Christmas holiday.

I felt pretty punch drunk but was aided in being motivated to make the cake by listening to "Christmas" by Low. The album is one of the most mellow Christmas Albums out there and offers a different and enjoyable musical take on the holiday season. A link to this great album is at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IippcraBPKA&list=PLPaztBWnatcifcyPsq5cymXi4V8kYhXab

The ingredients for this rich cake were as follows:

Cake Mix

Five hundred grams of Unsalted Butter.
Five hundred grams of Brown Sugar.
Five hundred grams of Plain Flour.
Four hundred grams of Sultanas.
Four hundred grams of Currants.
Four hundred grams of Raisins
Two hundred grams of Glace Cherries.
One hundred and fifty grams of Mixed Peel.
Eight Eggs.
A tablespoon of Mixed Spice.
A tablespoon of All Spice.
A tablespoon of Vanilla Essence.
One hundred and fifty grams of Ground Almonds.
Five Tablespoons of Black Treacle.
Five Tablespoons of Syrup.
A quarter of pint of Whisky.

Decoration

One Kilogram of ready to roll Marzipan Icing.
A quarter of a Kilogram of Red Icing.
A tablespoon of Icing Sugar.

The way to make this cake is as follows:

1. In November at some point towards the middle of the month soak the Sultanas, Currants and Raisins in a bowl with the Whisky. Cover the bowl in clingfilm and leave in the fridge until the third full week in December.

2. When preparing the cake pre-heat the oven to Gas Mark Two and grease a twenty-five centimetre wide and ten centimetre deep cake tin with Unsalted Butter.

3. Stir the Unsalted Butter and Brown Sugar together until they become light and fluffy.

4. In a separate bowl or measuring jug beat the eggs together.

5. Once the Eggs are beaten together add them gradually to the Butter and Sugar and stir them in carefully.

6. Add the Glace Cherries, the Fruit soaked in Whisky, Mixed Peel, Vanilla Essence, the Ground Almonds and flour and stir them all together. Once this is done add the Black Treacle and Syrup and stir them in thoroughly.

7. Carefully pour the ingredients into a the Cake Tin and bake in the Oven for around five hours on Gas Mark Two.

8. Remove from the oven and remove the Cake from the tin and leave it to cool overnight.

9. The next day roll out the White Marzipan Icing and cover the cake in it. Add the red icing to decorate the top and sides accordingly with it and then dust with Icing Sugar.

This cake was extremely rich and heavy with the Treacle and Whisky giving it a smoky and burnt taste that took me back to Bonfire Night and the taste of Bonfire Toffee and the smell of smoke in the November Air.

A cross section of the finished cake. Don't mistake the Red Icing for uncooked Sirloin Steak.