Yo we are at X and two more days on the challenge…after that a week’s rest for me. So what do we have for X? What do you first get in your mind when you hear the letter X? I of course get X- Mas so I have a X-Mas cake recipe. It is one my favorite cakes and is a super recipe. I really love old fashioned fruit cakes where you indulge in cake mixing for days. That’s the idea to bring the festivity and magic of the time in your foods. I made this cake last year for Christmas but had not posted on blog so far. May be I was just waiting for this time. [Thank god I didn’t otherwise I don’t what I would do today!]
Anyways it’s a little elaborate process so read closely.
Ingredients
For dry fruit mixing
- Dried apricot – 6-7
- Sultanas – ¼ cup
- Raisins – ¼ cup
- Candied cherries – ¼ cup
- Almond – ¼ cup (halved/sliced)
- Cashew – ¼ cup
- Whiskey – ¼ cup
- Rum – ½ cup
Cake
- All purpose flour – 2 ½ cup
- Milk – 200 ml
- Vanilla pod – 2
- Butter – 100 g
- Sugar – 1 cup
- Egg – 4 whole
- Baking powder – ½ teaspoon
- Salt – a pinch
- Cocoa powder – 2 tablespoon
- Zest of 1 Lemon & 1 Orange
Let’s get started
For the fruit mixing
Soak all the dry fruits in rum and whiskey in a bowl and leave it in the fridge for 2 days
After two days you can see all the liquor is soaked within the dry fruits. (you can enjoy some just like that – we had some before we actually baked the cake J )
For the cake
Heat milk in a pan, scrape the pulp of the vanilla pods and infuse in the milk for 15-20 mins. Remove from heat and let it cool
Chop the infused dry fruits in small bits and pieces
In a mixing bowl sift flour, baking powder and salt and mix
In a separate mixing bowl cream butter and sugar and add eggs
Take off the vanilla beans from the milk and pour the milk over the eggs.
Make sure milk is cool or else you will scramble the eggs
Add the lime & orange zest
Incorporate flour mix at a time
Add the infused and chopped dry fruits in the cake batter.
Line a cake tray with greased baking paper
Pour the batter in the mould and leave it for 5 minutes
Bake it in a pre-heated oven at 180 degrees C for 40 minutes.
This should be cooked slowly in low heat.
Take out and let it cool.
You can now do a lot of things – you can have fondants on top, a marzipan cover on top or simply dust some icing sugar before serving and enjoying a wonderful Christmas lunch.
Wow I feel hungry already J
I hope you guys like it and will do it next Christmas or can do it anytime actually J
Till the next time good night
Leave a comment below if you liked the recipe and you want me to share some more
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Linking this post to A to Z Challenge 2014 for Day #24 – post starting with X.
Visit A to Z and read awesome posts by bloggers.
I am also participating in this challenge from my writing blog and I’m writing fiction this time. Visit The Sunny Side of Life and show some love.
I am also participating in this challenge from my writing blog and I’m writing fiction this time. Visit The Sunny Side of Life and show some love.
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I don't think I've ever tried fruitcake, but boy does it get a bad rap at Christmastime! I do like the idea of fondant on top. Your picture of the slice in the sunshine looks very good!
Nancy at Hungry Enough To Eat Six
2014 A to Z Challenge Participant
This sounds like a lovely recipe-bookmarking it to try later 🙂