Traditional Canadian Christmas Cake Recipes

TRADITIONAL CANADIAN CHRISTMAS CAKE

Steps:

• Place all fruit in large bowl; add bourbon and soak for 2-4 hours
• Preheat oven to 300°F and grease two 9 x 5 loaf pans 2 1/2 inches deep or five 5 3/4 x 3 pans 2 inches deep
• Line bottoms with parchment paper; butter it (the original recipe was waxed paper)
• Cream together butter and brown sugar; beat in the eggs.
• Sift all dry ingredients; beat into butter mixture
• Add molasses and brewed black coffee or espresso to mixture; combine well
• Fold in the nuts and bourbon soaked in fruit
• Carefully pack the batter into the prepared pans almost to the top (I used an offset spatula to finish the tops of each cake)
• Place pans on centre rack of oven in a bain marie (place pans in a larger pan and pour hot water halfway up the sides); bake for 2 to 2 ½ hours, or until toothpick comes out clean (the small cakes took 50 minutes, so watch carefully after 45 minutes)
• If the tops brown too quickly, place foil over the top
• Cool 30 minutes, then remove and set on wire rack
• Wrap carefully in a triple layer of cheesecloth that has been soaked in bourbon
• Seal tightly in aluminum foil and store in a cool dry place until the holiday season
• Once a week, remove foil, and brush additional bourbon onto the cheese cloth
• The longer it is stored, the more times it is dowsed, the more pungent and flavourful it becomes.

TRADITIONAL BRITISH CHRISTMAS CAKE RECIPE

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 300 F/150 C/Gas 2.

TRADITIONAL CHRISTMAS CAKE

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 150C/300F/Gas2. Grease a 20cm/8inch round or an 18cm/7inch square cake tin and line the bottom and sides with baking parchment.
• Sieve the flour, salt, mixed spice and cinnamon into a bowl.
• Cream the butter and the sugar in a large mixing bowl and then mix in the sugar, treacle, marmalade and vanilla essence until light and fluffy.
• Mix the eggs a little at a time into the mixture adding a tablespoon of flour mixture with the last amount.
• Fold in the remaining flour mixture until well mixed and then mix in the dried fruit, mixed peel, glace cherries and the almonds.
• Turn the mixture into the prepared tin and make a slight hollow in the centre.
• Bake in the oven for 3 hours and then test with a skewer. If not ready bake for up to another hour testing every 20 minutes until the skewer comes out clean.
• Remove from the oven and leave to cool in the tin for 15 minutes.
• Turn out on to a wire rack and leave to cool.
• Once cool, make a few holes in the cake with a skewer and pour over 3-4 tbspof brandy. Let the brandy soak into the cake.

PATRICIA'S ORANGE ALMOND LIGHT FRUITCAKE

Steps:

• Combine first 5 ingredients in extra large bowl; dd rum and toss until coated
• Cover for 2 to 3 days in a cool place
• Line two 9 x 5-inch (2 litre) loaf pans with 3 layers of parchment paper
• Whisk together flour, baking powder and salt in medium bowl; set aside
• Cream butter and sugar together until light, then eat in eggs, one at a time; stir in orange rind and almond extract
• Add 1/3 of flour mixture to egg mixture stirring to combine; add 1/4 cup Grand Marnier until combined
• Repeat with another 1/3 flour mixture, 1/4 cup Grand Marnier and remaining flour mixture, stirring each just until combined
• Stir almonds into fruit mixture; gently fold batter into dried fruit mixture
• Divide and press into prepared pans
• Preheat oven to 250°F or 120°C
• Set a shallow baking dish filled half way with boiling water on lower oven rack; place loaf pans on centre rack
• Bake for about 2 1/2 hours, or until wooden pick inserted in centre comes out clean. (You may need to cover the cakes with foil for the last half hour if beginning to crack or browning too quickly.)
• Remove pans to wire racks and brush with remaining 1/4 cup of Grand Marnier; cool completely
• Remove from pans; discard parchment paper
• Wrap cakes in cheesecloth that has been drizzled with a small amount of Grand Marnier or brandy
• Wrap in foil, seal in freezer bags and store in cool place for up to 1 month or freeze for up to 1 year