xmas cake

This is the typical british Chritstmas Cake, made with loooaaads of dried fruit and nuts. Obviously the advantage of making your own is that you choose which dried fruits and nuts you put in, plus you can use organic ingredients and making it gluten free, refined sugar free and so on.

The fruits are soaked overnight in Guinness, then I bake the cake on All saints day and you then store it in a tin box and add a shot of whiskey per week. A very boozy cake indeed by xmas.

PREPARATION & COOKING TIME: 24 hours for soaking + 1.5 hours

INGREDIENTS for 2 cakes of 20cm diameter (makes 24 portions):

500gr sultanas

200gr currants

100gr prunes

100gr dates

250gr cranberries

200gr glace cherries

200gr candied peel

200gr walnuts

300gr gluten free self-raising flour

1tsp each cinnamon, nutmeg, all spice

2 cloves and ½ teaspoon cardamom seeds, grounded (optional)

1 tsp xantan gum

100gr coconut sugar

4 eggs

250gr butter, room temperature

330ml can guinness

1 orange peel and juice

• In a large bowl mix the sultanas, currants, prunes, dates, cranberries, glace cherries and candied peels, then add the orange zest and juice and the Guinness
• Let it soak overnight, stirring regularly throughout the day
• In the meantime prepare the flour mix, by combining in a bowl the gluten free flour, xantan gum, spices and mix well
• After 12 hours the Guinness will be totally absorbed
• preheat oven at 150C/ 300F
• Make the cake mix, by whisking the butter and coconut sugar until fluffy
• Add eggs one at the time, incorporating into the butter mix
• If it curdles, add a bit of flour mix and continue adding all the eggs
• Add the flour to the wet mix and the walnuts and mix well with a large spatula
• Transfer the mix into two oiled and lined cake tins of 20cm diameter
• Cook in the oven for 1-1.5 hours or until a skewer in the middle comes out clean
• Cool the cakes and store in tin boxes in a cool place
• Add 1 shot of brandy or whiskey every week until xmas

NUTRITIONAL VALUE PER PORTION
energy kcal	376.7
fat	14.9
of which saturated	6.2
carbohydrates	56.0
of which sugars	38.4
fibre	2.3
protein	8.7
salt	0.1