We chatted to Dorset Food & Drink member Lizzie Baking Bird who shares a recipe for her ‘Last minute Christmas cake’!
Baking while we talked, Lizzie told us about the Christmas fairs and markets she’s been to and now as she’s ‘skidding into Christmas’ – has typically sold all the cakes!
Lizzie continued “I recall the first year I pulled up outside the cottage and my partner asked for his festive confection. I dragged out a sad last-minute offering from the supermarket shopping bag – his face dropped! Since then, I always have this little number up my sleeve”.
“It is a lovely any occasion fruit cake – the magic is what you add or take away as many of the ingredients are optional and flexible. Substitute dried cranberries, apricots, cherries, any nuts, booze, or juice and just make it”.
Lizzie’s top tip –“Be sure you keep the same overall quantity of liquid and dry ingredients”.
The cake will keep for a month or can be eaten the same day that you make it. You can even marzipan and ice it.
Ingredients
450g mixed dried fruit
50 ml brandy
100 ml fresh orange juice
150g butter
150g dark brown sugar
2 tsp mixed spice
12 glace cherries, quartered
120g nuts, chopped
3 eggs
225g plain flour
1 tsp baking powder
2 tbsp marmalade with 1 tbsp brandy
Method
Heat on at 170C/ Gas mark 3
Line a 20cm/ 8″ tin with baking parchment
Bring the fruit, orange juice and brandy to the boil in a small pan for 2 minutes.
Add the butter, sugar and spice. Simmer for 5 minutes and turn off the heat.
Throw in the cherries and nuts and stir. Leave to cool for 30 minutes.
Crack in the beaten eggs a little at a time and mix after each addition.
Fold in the flour and baking powder. Put the mixture into a prepared tin and cover loosely with foil.
Pop in the oven for 45 minutes then remove the foil.
Leave for a further 15 – 20 minutes and check it’s cooked. A skewer will come out of the cake with a few crumbs attached when ready.
Stir the marmalade and brandy together and paint on top of the cake as soon as it’s out of the oven.
When cold put it in an airtight tin – or wrap well in foil.
In the run up to Christmas you can find Lizzie at the Old Ship Inn in Upwey, on Saturday mornings until 12.30pm.
For more Lizzie Baking Bird loveliness, check out her website lizziebakingbird.co.uk
