Our Two Way Classic Christmas Cake
The Christmas cake is, of course, naturally vegetarian. But this year we have introduced a simple twist that means it can also be naturally vegan. You can make it any time in the run up to the big day and nobody has to miss out on a slice of festive tradition!
Ingredients
- 350g plain flour
- 300g sultanas
- 400g raisins
- 125g currants
- 150g mixed peel
- 100g dried apricots roughly chopped
- 100g dates pitted and chopped
- 150g glace cherries
- 50g pecans chopped
- 50g almonds chopped
- 150ml breakfast tea (no milk!) or brandy or sherry
- 225g butter
- 225 soft brown sugar.
- 1 tsp orange rind zest
- 1 tsp lemon rind zest
- 1 tsp vanilla essence
- 1 tsp black treacle
- 2 tbsp marmalade
- 1 tsp mixed spice
- ¼ tsp ground cinnamon
- 4 large free-range eggs
Vegan switch outs:
Switch the 225g of butter for 225g of coconut oil; the 225g of soft brown sugar for
225g of coconut sugar; the eggs for 4tbs of golden linseed soaked in 12tbs of
water for 30 mins.
Method
- Wash and dry all the fruit and place in a large mixing bowl. Pour over the tea or alcohol and mix well. Cover and leave to stand overnight.
- Line a 20-24cm round cake tin with baking paper.
- Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the fruit rinds, vanilla essence and marmalade and beat well.
- Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each one. If the mixture starts to curdle add a little of the flour.
- Fold in the prepare fruits, alternating them with the nuts, spices and flour which you have mixed together in a separate dish. Mix well
- Pour the mixture into the lined tin, smooth over the top and bake at 140°C for 3-4 hours. The cake is ready when a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean.
- When the cake has cooled take it out of the tin and wrap in greaseproof paper and then tinfoil and store in an airtight container.
- Just before Christmas remove the wrapping and decorate how you wish. Our favourite is a coverings of pecans, almonds and glace cherries with warm apricot jam spooned over as a glaze.
