My Holy Hecka Xtra Xmas Cake
After all of my criticism of the fruit cake none other than the Christmas cake in my earlier blog, My Christmas list, and the subsequent results of my Instagram poll which confirmed that 62% of my followers agree with my position on this very political issue, I thought it only fair that I be proactive and do something to address this conundrum.
I appreciate that for most of who have taste buds, Christmas cake may be more than enjoying the cake itself. They often provide important memories. Perhaps of an old aunt who would religiously bring it in the same container each year and you would have to lie and say that everyone enjoyed it although in reality you fed it to the dog 15 minutes before she came by in February the following year to pick up her container, your uncle who nearly choked on a nut/piece of icing/or a dried fruit or your 1 year old who ate it and then chundered it all over your mother in law’s new curtains.
I therefore reluctantly accept that Christmas Cake has a role during the festive season and as such that there are some key elements which give the cake it’s identity:
Fruit (dried and undried);
Nuts;
White icing;
Some form of liquor.
On 19 December 2019 I came up with the a recipe which includes the above elements, yet is delicious and I can confirm incapable of remaining in our cake tin for more than a week.
Ingredients
250 g butter, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar
4 eggs
4 large bananas mashed
1 bag dried strawberries
1 shot rum
1 bag scorched almonds
2 tsps vanilla essence
2 tsps bicarbonate of soda
4 Tbsp hot milk
3 1/2 cup plain flour
2 tsps baking powder
Icing
250gm cream cheese
1 tablespoon lemon juice
However much icing sugar you need to get the correct texture
Method
1. I live by the motto KISS (Keep It Simple Stupid). Baking is no exception. I do not much around sifting things, use specific measuring cups or put certain ingredients in a specific order. I simply, place all ingredients into a bowl and mix until I have a smooth-ish texture.
2. I then place the cake in a tin lined with either butter or tin foil (#hack) because I religiously forget baking paper at the supermarket.
3. Bake in the oven for approximately 1 hour and 15 /30 minutes at 180°C.
Icing a cake never took so long.
4. Once cooled, mix the icing ingredients together and ice the cake (baby optional and if time poor should be excluded). The more the merrier (see what I did there?).
5. If you want to really want to take it up a notch, place a handful of scorched almonds in the Nutribullet, crush them and then sprinkle all over the cake (earmuffs optional but if you want to keep your hearing in tact, you should include in the process). The chocolate dust is the icing on the cake (see what I did there?)
Apparently birds eye view shots are mandatory, as are extra scorched almonds.
And there you have it. My very own version of a Christmas cake. If this isn’t capable of showing those with questionable taste buds (#traditionalchristmascakelovers) the light, I don’t know what is.
You can thank me later.
Em x.