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Christmas Cake Veg CD CBF British 200mins plus decorating
Makes 1 x 20cm/8 inch cake Cold Vegetarian Dried Fruit Alcohol Nuts Cakes Baked fayre Britain Europe
Ingredients:
Instructions
1. Preheat the oven to 170C, 325F, Gas Mark 3 and line a 20cm/8 inch deep cake tin.
2. Place all the fruit in a plastic bag and sprinkle in 4 tablespoons of the plain flour. Shake well to thoroughly coat the fruit. Set aside.
3. In a large mixing bowl, cream together the fat with the lemon and orange rinds and the sugar until light and fluffy.
4. Stir in the almonds and mix well.
5. Add the beaten eggs, a little at a time then fold in the remaining plain flour, self raising flour, fruit, lemon juice and brandy. Mix well.
6. Turn into the prepared cake tin and bake in the oven for 2 1/2 - 3 hours. Check after 2 hours and cover with a double piece of greaseproof paper if necessary.
7. Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the tin.
8. Wait until the cake is completely cold then turn upside down, onto a plate. The bottom of the cake has now become the top. If necessary level what used to be the top so the cake will stand solidly.
9. Measure around the cake with a piece of string or tape measure.
10. Divide the almond paste into two and set one half aside.
11. Dredge a work surface very well with icing sugar. Divide the remaining half into two and roll each piece into an oblong as wide as the cake is deep and as long as half the circumference of the cake. It should be just OVER 7mm/1/4 inch in thickness.
12. Melt the apricot jam in a small saucepan and use to brush the sides of the cake. Make sure you reserve some for the top of the cake.
13. Press the two strips of almond paste to the sides of the cake, smoothing the joins with a round bladed knife. Make sure the top of the almond paste sides are level with the top of the cake. Transfer to a cake board and set aside.
14. Well dredge the work surface once again with icing sugar then roll our the remaining almond paste to a circle large enough to fit the top of the cake.
15. Brush the top of the cake with the remaining apricot jam then cover with the
circle of almond paste, pressing down firmly and smoothing the join.
16. Spoon the Royal icing on the top of the cake then using a palette knife, smooth it over the top using a "to and fro" motion, until all the bubbles have broken.
17. Spread the icing down the sides of the cake, once again, smoothing with a palette knife.
Tip - getting a really smooth icing requires a little practice and patience, especially down the sides. Why not just "rough ice" the sides using a round bladed knife by simply patting the knife firmly onto the icing then pulling it back up thereby creating little peaks. Dampen the knife with water when necessary.
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