HAVE YOURSELF A CREATIVE CHRISTMAS!
Village under the snow Christmas cake
SERVES 18
For the cake
80g (3oz) glacé cherries, chopped
70g (2½oz) dried cranberries
75g (2½oz) raisins
150g (5oz) currants
4 tbsp mixed candied peel, chopped
250ml (9fl oz) dark rum
475g (17oz) butter, softened, plus extra for greasing
200g (7oz) brown sugar, packed
4 large free-range eggs
250g (9oz) plain flour
½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
½ tsp salt
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground allspice
300g (11oz) treacle
120ml (4fl oz) milk
130g (4½oz) mixed nuts, e.g. almonds, walnuts, pecans etc., chopped
For the gingerbread
275g (10oz) plain flour, plus extra as needed
2 tbsp cornflour
1 tbsp ground ginger
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp salt
200g (7oz) unsalted butter, at room temperature
200g (7oz) treacle, slightly warmed
1 tsp vanilla extract
To decorate
500g (18oz) icing sugar, plus extra as needed
3 tbsp meringue powder
2-3 tbsp warm water
3-4 tbsp pearl sugar crystals
1 For the cake: Combine the dried fruits with the rum in a large mixing bowl. Stir well, cover, and let soak for at least 24 hours at room temperature.
2 After soaking, preheat the oven to 170°C/Gas Mark 3. Grease and line the base of two 20cm (8in) cake tins with greaseproof paper.
3 Cream together the butter and brown sugar until pale and fluffy, 3 minutes. Beat in the eggs, one by one, until fully incorporated.
4 Stir together the flour, bicarbonate of soda, salt, cinnamon and allspice in a separate mixing bowl. Gently beat the flour mixture into the creamed butter and egg mixture in three additions, alternating with the milk and treacle. Stir in the soaked fruit followed by the chopped nuts. Divide the batter between the two cake tins, tapping on a flat surface to help settle them.
5 Bake for about 1 hour until dry to the touch on top, rotating them after 30 minutes; when ready, a cake tester should come out clean from their centres. Remove to wire racks to cool completely.
6 For the gingerbread: Combine the flour, cornflour, spices and salt in a large mixing bowl. Stir well and set aside.
Beat the softened butter with the treacle and vanilla extract in a separate mixing bowl until pale and creamy, about 2-3 minutes. Beat in the flour mixture in four additions, mixing well in between until you have a rough dough; add more flour as needed to form a stiff dough.
