As the festive season approaches, many South Africans are preparing to make their traditional Christmas cakes. A recipe that combines rich, fruity flavors with strong liquor is a popular choice, and can be made up to two months in advance. This cake is a family affair, and making it can create lasting memories. The recipe includes a combination of ingredients such as mixed raisins and sultanas, glacé cherries, citrus peel, and nuts.
The recipe, shared by Tony Jackman, a food writer for the Daily Maverick, involves several steps, including macerating the fruit overnight in liquor, adding cherries, citrus peel, and nuts, making a batter, preparing the tin, and baking it. The cake is made with 1kg of mixed raisins and sultanas, 300g of glacé cherries, 75g of citrus peel, and 500g of chopped walnuts or pecans. The ingredients also include 250g of whole raw almonds, ½ tsp of grated nutmeg, ½ tsp of grated cinnamon, and ½ tsp of mixed spice.
To prepare the cake, the fruit is macerated overnight in Chamarel vanilla spiced rum or similar liquor. The liquid is then strained through a fine sieve, and the fruit is mixed with crushed walnuts or pecans, almonds, glacé cherries, and citrus peel. The dry ingredients, including 250g of plain cake flour, ½ tsp of salt, ½ tsp of cinnamon, ½ tsp of mixed spice, and ½ tsp of nutmeg, are sifted and added to the mixture.
The cake batter is made by creaming 250g of unsalted butter and 250g of treacle sugar together, then adding 4 jumbo eggs and beating. The flour mixture is folded into the creamed butter and sugar, followed by the wet fruit and nut mixture. A large springform cake tin is prepared by greasing the inside with butter and lining it with baking paper and tin foil.
The cake is baked at 150°C in a preheated oven for 4 hours, without using the fan setting. After baking, the cake is pricked many times and poured with a generous amount of brandy while still hot. It is then placed on a wire rack to cool overnight, and more brandy is poured over it the next morning. The cake needs to be kept moist but not soggy.
To store the cake, it is wrapped in wax or parchment paper and placed in an airtight container in a dark cupboard. Every 7 days, more brandy is poured over the cake to keep it moist. In December, the cake can be covered with marzipan and iced, or left au naturel. Tony Jackman's family loves marzipan and plans to ice their cake.
The traditional Christmas cake recipe is a labor of love that requires planning and patience. However, the end result is a delicious and rich cake that is perfect for the festive season. With its combination of fruit, nuts, and spices, this cake is sure to be a hit with family and friends.
Key points
- The cake can be made up to two months in advance and needs to be fed with brandy every 7 days to keep it moist.
- The recipe includes a combination of ingredients such as mixed raisins and sultanas, glacé cherries, citrus peel, and nuts.
- The cake needs to be baked for 4 hours at 150°C in a preheated oven without using the fan setting.
