Christmas Cakes

New Zealand Listener, Volume 37, Issue 954, 22 November 1957, Page 36

Christmas Cakes

T is time now to make your Christmas cakes before eggs get dearer (as they always do at Christmas time), and so that the cakes have time to mature in flavour. The cheaper Christmas cakes you can make nearer the festive season, and I will give you some recipes for them a little later. If you mix a teaspoon of glycerine with the creamed butter it will help to keep the cake moist, without using brandy. Remember that a rich cake requires long slow baking. Cooking times must be taken only as a guide, for ovens vary with the pressure of the gas, or the strength of the electricity; and you must remember that’ a deep cake takes longer than a shallow one. Use intelligence, and be sure to test the cake before taking it out of the oven--use a straw from a corn broom and see that it comes out clean and not sticky. Whangarei Cake Here is the recipe promised us by G.B., Whangarei, who has used it for 60 years: 2 Ib. of flour, 1 oz. baking soda, 34 Ib. butter, 134 1b. currants, 2 Ib. raisins, 142 lb. moist (brown) sugar, 42 lb. mixed peel, 1 teaspoon nutmeg, 1 teaspoonful ground ginger, 1 teaspoonful mixed spice, %2 ‘teaspoon salt, 4 eggs, 1 pint warm milk, Mix flour and baking soda, rub in butter, put currants, raisins and peel through the mincer. Add to the other ingredients. Break in the eggs. When mixed in, add the milk, which must be warm, not hot. Put in oven quickly and bake in a slow oven about 3 hours. Forty-five Years Old This is another good recipe, as you will guess from its age-record: 1 Ib. butter, 1 Ib, sugar, 1 Ib. eggs weighed in shell (usually 8), 1 Ib. raisins, 2 Ib. sultanas (or 1 Ib. sultanas and 1 Ib. currants), 3% lb. altogether of peel, almonds, cherries and a few dates if liked, 14 Ib. flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, and vanilla, orange, lemon, almond and pineapple essences, or any other kind liked. Bake 4 to 5 hours. To cook this, a kerosene tin cut down makes a_nicesized cake (cut about 6 inches high). The lady lined the tin with the backs of writing pads and grease paper, and said it never burns. Her oven is a coal one and she does not have it too hot at first. To ensure an evenly baked cake she runs the cold water tap over her hands and, without drying them, pats over the cake. She very seldom has had to cut any part off before icing it, because it rises so evenly and flat. Pineapple Christmas Cake This is always a favourite. Use the same cup for all measurements. This makes a large cake with a delicious flavour. One cup butter (about 4/2 Ib.), 1% cups brown sugar, 4 eggs, 3 cups flour, 14% cups chopped figs, 142 cups candied cherries, 1 cup raisins, 42 cup shredded peel, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon ground cloves, 2 cups chopped nuts, 2 small teaspoons salt, 2 teaspoons each of cinnamon and allspice, a cupful of tinned pineapple juice, and the pineapple pieces drained and chopped small. Cream the butter and sugar, add the egg yolks and beat well. Sift 2 cups of the flour with the spices, baking powder and-salt, and add this alternately with the fruit juice. Next add the nuts and all the fruit mixed

with other cupful of flour. stly add the _ stiffly beaten egg whites. Put into well greased and nanered tin and

bake in slow oven 3% to 4 hours. This makes a very large cake with a delicious flavour and it keeps well and moist. The Milford Cake A special favourite and asked for every year: 3 Ib. mixed fruit (more or less), 1 cup hot water, 12 Ib. butter (or more), 1 cup brown sugar, 1 tablespoon golden syrup. Put all in a large saucepan. Boil 10 minutes. Let cool. Add 1 tablespoon glycerine, 1 teaspoon each mixed spice, mace. Beat stiff 4 or more egg whites, add yolks and beat until like custard. Add to mixture in saucepan alternately with 1 lb. flour to which has been added 1 teaspoon each baking powder, baking soda, and a sprinkle of cayenne pepper. Bake in 9inch tin lined with greased paper and cover with double sheet brown paper. Put on third shelf from bottom and bake 31% to 4 hours, 350 degrees, top off, bottom low, See oven does not get below 200 degrees, as some ovens lose heat. If so, turn bottom to medium, top to low for 10 minutes. Custard Christmas Cake Although an economical recipe, this cake is a consistent favourite, said to be as rich tasting as any extravagant one: 2 lb. flour, 2 Ib. sultanas, 1 1b, currants or Yaisins, 1% Ib. mixed peel, 1 Ib. sugar, 1 lb, butter, 4 eggs, 4\ teaspoons baking soda, grated nutmeg to taste (about 14 teaspoon), 1 dessertspoon each of almond and lemon essence, 1 pint boiling milk, Rub butter into flour, mix all dry ingredients, beat eggs slightly, then pour boiling milk over eggs and essences, add to dry ingredients, and mix well. Bake 4 to 5 hours, Mixture is a very wet one, The Doctor’s Wife’s Cake I dare not leave out this favourite recipe, which is so welcome every year and seems just about fool-proof; 1 Ib, eges (usually 8), 1 Ib. butter, 1 Ib, sugar, 5 to 6 lb. mixed fruit, including currants and dates, 142 Ib. flour, several essences to taste. Cream butter and sugar very well. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each. Mix -together fruit and flour, and add little by little to the mixture. Add _ essences . (almond, lemon, vanilla, etc). Bake in a tin 8 inches across. Put 6 thicknesses greased paper on bottom of tin, also round ‘sides. Now light oven and place cake in at régulo 1. Do not open door for 4 hours, Bake 6 to 7 hours approximately. Do not alter heat. No rising. The 1ZR Special Half pound butter, 5 eggs, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 10 oz. flour, 4% teaspoon each of 7 essences-vanilla, lemon, pineapple, brandy, cherry, almond and any other; % lb. sugar, 2 Ib. fruit, % to 4% teaspoon curry powder. Prepare fruit and sprinkle with flour, Put in warm place while creaming butter and sugar. Also have flour sifted in a warm place. When butter and sugar are nicely creamed, add eggs one at a time and sprinkle in a little flour with each egg to prevent curdling. Add curry powder, then fruit and flour alternately, baking powder last. Quickly turn mixture into well-greased tin, Bake in a moderate

oven, 342 hours approximately; oven 300 degrees to begin with. After first %%4 hour, heat may be lowered. Dark Christmas Cake Three-quarters pound butter, 1 Ib. flour, % Ib. raisins, 4% Ib. lemon peel, 6 eggs, 4% lb. almonds, 1 small teaspoon baking soda, 6 level tablespoons black currant jam (the secret of the cake), % Vb. sugar, % Ib. sultanas, 3% Ib. curtants, % Ib. preserved ginger, % Ib. walnuts, ¥% teaspoon salt, 1 tablespoon treacle. Cream butter and sugar, beat eggs one by one and add separately. Then add flour, to which baking soda and salt have been added. Then work in fruit, treacle, and lastly black currant jam, Grease tin well, line with brown paper and bake 344 to 4 hours. Will keep for months and may be used as a wedding cake. Makes over a 7 lb. cake, Put in oven at 350 degrees, top off and bottom low. Lower the temperature after an hour and leave till cooked. Can cook on stored heat the last % hour. These times are only a guide and approximate. No-rising Christmas Cake One and a half pounds flour, 1% Ib. butter, 42 Ib. sultanas, 4% Ib. raisins, 1 teaspoon spice, 1 lb. sugar, 6 eggs, 14 or eee iele ea i@lme lee ie alarelelelawierciew.

ARS We SS SSS SEE OSes Ib. currants, peel if liked, 12 teaspoon baking soda in 1 cup of milk. Cream

butter and sugar, add eggs one by one, beating each 5 minutes, Milk and baking soda, then flour and fruit alternately. Put in dish to be baked in and’ leave all night. Next day cook 414 to 5 hours in slow oven.

NEXT WEEK: Christmas Puddings and Mince Pies