Monday 1 December 2014

A Christmas kitchen.......Ginger Ale Fruit cake








 
 

This was me on Sunday.  Playing Christmas Carols and baking fruit cakes.  I found a couple of small cake tins in a kitchen store in town and they are the perfect size for gifts.  Using the recipe below I was able to make 5 small cakes.

I measured out the fruit and poured in the ginger ale before I went to bed Saturday night and placed in a covered bowl.  It is an easy to follow recipe (Dulcie May Booker) and you can tweak it to suit your tastes or add more brandy (or not) if desired.

I just need to wrap in cellophane and ribbon and they will be ready to give out this week as teacher gifts.

I love baking at Christmas, and next on my list is Chocolate Fudge. I use a Nigella Lawson Recipe - delicious!  Jars will be filled again this year and then decorated with the usual Christmas ribbons and tags.


Ginger Ale Fruit Cake

You will need:

225g Sultanas
225g Dates
225g Currants
225g Raisins
2 tablespoons Lemon Rind
240ml Ginger Ale (I made sure the fruit was well covered, and tipped the excess out in the morning)
225g Butter
225g Sugar
4 Eggs
280g Flour
1 teaspoon Baking Powder
1/2 teaspoon Almond Essence
1 teaspoon Vanilla Essence
1 tablespoon Brandy (I used about 2)

Method:

Soak fruit and lemon rind overnight in ginger ale.

The following day - cream butter and sugar very well.  Beat in eggs one at a time, then add sifted flour and baking powder.

Add soaked fruit and, lastly, essences and brandy.

Bake for 1 1/2 to 2 hours (depending on the size of tin you use - mine were done after 1 hour 15 minutes) in a paper-lined tine at 320F (160C).

Intially when I put in all the fruit ready for soaking it looked like way too much - but once the other ingredients are added the consistency is great.  It is a VERY fruity cake!

Enjoy!



What Christmas treats do you enjoy making this time of year? 

Feel free to share your links in the comments section below.

Don't forget to enter this beautiful Christmas giveaway.



 

8 comments:

  1. These look delicious friend!!! And what a great idea to hand them out now to teachers!! You have inspired me get my teacher gifts done by next week!!! Happy day to you pal! Nicole xo

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  2. What a great idea to make little cakes for gifts. They look and sound incredibly tasty!! xx

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  3. Your cakes are lovely. I always bake several types of cookies and this year I'm thinking about festive fudge too.

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  4. I love making Christmas cakes, the smells in the bourse as they bake are heavenly! X

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  5. mmmm they look lovely! If i ever start loving Christmas mince I will have to come back and try it!

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  6. wish I was a staff member at your children's schools. :) Cute bowls too. Not holding much hope for many gifts this year with the mean librarian clamping down.... 1300 still out and 1000 grown legs and walked,,,,,,,,

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  7. Ah, little perfectly formed fruit cakes, what could be a more perfect gift?! They look fantastic. I always try and bake some gingerbread each Christmas. x

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