A Cake for Christmas - Pinkie

A Cake for Christmas

My late grandfather was a colonel in the British Army and he seemed to have taken a liking to many of the typically British desserts. Custard and rice pudding, for example, were staples in his household. Christmas was also a huge event and he spent a whole year preparing for it. His idea of a Christmas celebration was to gather all the family at his home and have the biggest luncheon one could ever imagine. He would make sure nothing went amiss, custard and pudding included. He would also bake a large Christmas cake every year, for all the family to enoy, and serve it right after distributing the presents to each and every one of us.

My late grandfather ... he seemed to have taken a liking to many of the typically British desserts.

 
Grandfather’s Christmas luncheon was a family tradition – something we all looked forward to throughout the whole year. When I got married, I decided I’d start a few traditions of my own and, having gotten hold of the 28cm pan Grandpa used to bake his cake in, I took it upon myself to start baking a Christmas cake every year for all the family.  Nowadays, we cut it in the afternoon and savour it with some freshly brewed coffee.  And even though I always send a huge piece of the cake to my aunts, I still manage to serve the last, delicious piece of it at Easter!  

My grandfather and grandmother with their carefully prepared Christmas spread. This included

roast turket, suckling pig, pasta dishes, fruits of the season, many vegetable dishes - and (of course) the huge, delicious Christmas cake.

I usually start preparing my Christmas cake in November because this rich type of cake tends to get better - and mature - with age. I bake the cake about six weeks before Christmas, then I feed it by adding booze to it right up till Christmas Eve, when I usually cover it with dark chocolate and decorate it with festive silver or gold balls, or Sicilian marzipan fruits.

Christmas Cake Recipe

Ingredients (for a 28cm round pan)

2kg mixed dried fruit (raisins, currants, sultanas, cherries, prunes, dates, figs, pineapple, papaya, cranberries, apricots etc)
250ml brandy (or whisky, sherry, rum, orange juice, or milk)
500g butter
4 tsp grated lemon rind
400g dark brown sugar
4 tablespoons honey (or treacle if a darker cake is desired)
8 eggs
450g plain flour
150g self-raising flour
2 tsp mixed spice
Extra brandy (or other alcohol used in mixture)

Method

In a large bowl, combine fruit and brandy, cover and allow the fruit to stand in the brandy overnight -  or for up to a week.

Cover the base and side of a deep 28cm round pan (or 22cm if halving the quantities) with 3 layers of baking paper.  The paper should extend at least 5cm above the edge of the pan.  The paper will prevent the cake from burning on the outside before the core is done.

Beat butter, rind and sugar in a bowl until the mixture turns a lighter colour.  Add honey/treacle and beat until just combined.  Beat in eggs one at a time (the mixture may curdle at this point).  Stir this into fruit mixture, then stir in the sifted flours and spice in batches. Spread cake mixture into the prepared pan and bake at 150 deg C/ 300 deg F (slow oven) for 4 hours (3 hours if halving mixture).

Turn out hot cake and brush bottom side (of cake) with extra brandy.  Cover tightly with foil and allow to cool.  Every other day, or even daily if so inclined, inject cake with more brandy.  There’s really no limit to this – the boozier the better.  One way to do it would be to puncture small holes in the cake with a skewer and slowly pouring the alcohol into the holes.