While it might seem too early to think about baking the family’s Christmas cakes, a friend has already started gathering her ingredients in preparation for producing about 25 cakes to give to family members and to fill orders from friends.
A 1979 cookbook dedicated to Christmas baking notes that Christmas cakes become moist and improve in flavour if they are baked several weeks before they are to be served. Once completely cooled they then can be wrapped in cheesecloth that has been soaked in warm brandy, wrapped in several layers of foil and placed in a tightly covered tin.
According to the cookbook, Christmas cakes will keep for months, sometimes years, if they are stored properly.
This week’s recipes offer ideas for two Christmas cakes.
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White Coconut Fruit Cake
3 cups diced, mixed candied fruit
1 1/2 cups halved red and green candied cherries
1 1/2 cups diced candied pineapple
3 cups light seedless raisins
1 cup desiccated coconut
1 cup blanched slivered almonds (optional)
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsps. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup butter
1 cup granulated sugar
3 large eggs
1 tsp. almond extract
1/4 cup orange juice
1/4 cup brandy
Prepare two-9x5 inch loaf pans by greasing them with butter and lining them with buttered brown paper.
Preheat the oven to 250 degrees F.
Combine all the fruit and nuts in a large bowl and dredge them with 1/4 cup of the flour.
Sift the remaining flour together with the baking powder and salt.
In a large bowl cream the butter, add the sugar and beat until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the almond extract.
Stir in the orange juice and brandy alternately with the sifted dry ingredients. Fold in the floured fruit and nuts.
Turn into the prepared pans and bake for 3 hours or until a skewer inserted in the middle of each cake comes out clean.
Cool for 30 minutes in the pans then turn out onto racks. Carefully remove the brown paper and cool completely.
Cover with brandy-soaked cheesecloth, wrap in foil and store in an air-tight tin for several weeks. If cakes appear dry, add more warmed brandy to the cheesecloth. If cakes are too moist, allow to air for a few hours. Cakes may be frozen.
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Dundee Christmas Cake
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
2/3 cup chopped maraschino cherries
1 cup seedless, light raisins
1 1/3 cups currants
1 cup minus 2 tbsps. butter
2/3 cup granulated sugar
4 eggs
1 tbsp. lemon juice
1/2 tsp. almond extract
Grease a 9x5 inch loaf pan with butter and line it with buttered brown paper.
Preheat the oven to 275 degrees F.
Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt.
Drain the cherries thoroughly and pat dry with paper towel. Chop the cherries then combine with the raisins and currants and dredge with 1/4 cup of the combined dry ingredients.
Cream the butter, add the sugar and beat until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in lemon juice and almond extract.
Gradually stir in the dry ingredients, mixing only to blend. Add the prepared fruits and mix carefully.
Turn into the prepared pan and bake for 2 hours or until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean.
Cool in pan for 20 minutes then turn out onto a rack. Carefully remove the brown paper and cool completely. Store in cool, dry place for several weeks before serving.
Joyce Walter can be reached at ronjoy@sasktel.net.
