Grandma’s Classic Christmas Cake: Timeless & Heartwarming! 🎄❤️
📌 Highlight the Benefits 🍴💪: Nutrient-rich fruit and nuts in traditional English fruitcake provide antioxidants and fiber. 🌿
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
🔔 If you don’t have time to read now, save this for later!💌
Indulge in a timeless tradition with Grandma’s Best Christmas Cake. Passed down through generations, this rich, flavorful delight is a true holiday classic.
Ingredients for 4 people 📌:
🍇 currants – 1/4 cup
🍇 sultanas – 1/4 cup
🍇 raisins – 1/4 cup
🍒 glace cherries – 1/4 cup
🌰 blanched almonds – 1/4 cup
🧈 margarine – 1/2 cup
🌾 plain flour – 1 cup
🍚 white sugar – 1/2 cup
🍬 brown sugar – 1/2 cup
🍊 marmalade – 1/4 cup
🧂 mixed spice – 1 tsp
🥚 eggs – 2
🧂 salt – a pinch
Steps 🔥:
🍪 – Warm margarine to room temperature. Cream the sugars and margarine until smooth and creamy.
🍪 – Add one egg at a time, mixing in one tablespoon of flour between each egg.
🍪 – Blanch almonds if necessary. Add all ingredients except the remaining flour, stirring well. Then fold in the remaining flour.
🍪 – Line an 8-9 inch metal cake tin with greaseproof paper. Place the mixture in, creating a bit of a dip in the middle for even baking.
🍪 – Cook in a slow oven at 150°C for approximately 3 hours. Check for doneness with a satay stick through the center.
🍪 – Cook in the early afternoon and let it cool overnight to ensure no heat remains in the center.
🍪 – Wrap in two layers of foil and store in a cupboard.
🍪 – At the beginning of December, lightly prick the top of the cake and drizzle over a tot of brandy. Reseal and turn it over after two weeks.
🍪 – Mum’s idea: Line the tin as usual and wrap brown paper around the outside, tying it tightly with string. Leave the paper higher than the cake level to allow for covering the top if needed to prevent excessive browning.
🍪 – Cook this cake in late October or early November.
Total Time: 225
Enjoy!
Kitchen Must-Haves: 📦🥄🧄
1. Stand Mixer 🍰
– Best Brand: KitchenAid
– Essential for creaming the sugars and margarine until smooth and creamy, as well as mixing in the eggs and flour with ease.
2. Mixing Bowl and Spatula 🥣
– Best Brand: OXO
– Necessary for combining all the ingredients, folding in the flour, and ensuring an even mixture before baking.
3. Cake Tin 🎂
– Best Brand: Wilton
– An 8-9 inch metal cake tin is needed to bake the cake in the oven and achieve the desired shape and texture.
4. Oven 🔥
– Best Brand: Breville
– A slow oven set at 150°C is crucial for baking the cake for approximately 3 hours, ensuring it cooks evenly and thoroughly.
5. Aluminum Foil
Chef’s FAQs: 👩🍳❓🍷
1. What gives Grandma’s Classic Christmas Cake its rich fruity flavor?
– The combination of currants, sultanas, raisins, and glace cherries provides the cake with a deliciously sweet and tangy taste.
2. Can the almonds in Grandma’s Christmas Cake be substituted with another type of nut?
– While blanched almonds are traditionally used, you can swap them out for other nuts like walnuts or pecans for a different flavor profile.
3. Is it important to use both white and brown sugar in Grandma’s Christmas Cake recipe?
– Yes, using a combination of white and brown sugar adds depth and richness to the cake’s flavor, creating a perfect balance of sweetness.
