Christmas Cake Recipe

Yes, it is still August and yes, I am writing a recipe for a Christmas Cake. There are many recipes out there and although they all call for the cake to be made in advance the times vary greatly, from a couple of weeks to a couple of years before serving.
Crazy right?! No cake could go untouched for that long in my house!

If you don't fancy baking one yourself visit http://www.englishchristmascake.com and they will do it for you!

Makes a 20cm / 8in Christmas Cake

• 150g/5oz raisins
• 125g/4.5oz dried dates, stoned and chopped
• 125g/4.5oz sultanas
• 100g/3.5oz candied cherries, rinsed
• 150ml/5 fl oz brandy
• 225g/8oz butter, plus extra for greasing
• 200g/7oz caster sugar
• 4 eggs
• grated rind of 1 orange
• grated rind of 1 lemon
• 1tbsp black treacle
• 225g/8oz plain flour 
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp mixed spice
• 25g/1oz toasted almonds, chopped
• 25g/1oz toasted hazelnuts, chopped
• 750g/1lb 10oz marzipan
• 3 tbsp apricot jam, warmed
• 3 egg whites
• 650g/1lb 7oz icing sugar
• Edible decorations of your choice

The recipe which I use states to make this Christmas Cake AT LEAST 3 weeks prior. I will be making it in September this year.

1. Put all the fruit in a bowl and pour over the brandy. Cover and leave to soak overnight.
2.  Preheat the oven to 110C/225F/Gas Mark 1/4. Grease a 20cm/8in cake tin with butter and line it with grease proof paper. Cream the remaining butter and the caster sugar in a bowl until fluffy. Gradually beat in the eggs. Stir in the citrus rind and treacle. Sift the flour, salt, baking powder and mixed spice into a separate bowl, then fold into the egg mixture. Fold in the soaked fruit and brandy and the nuts, then spoon the mixture into the prepared cake tin.
3. Bake in the preheated oven for at least 3 hours. If it browns too quickly cover with foil. The cake is cooked when a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Remove from the oven and leave to cool on a wire rack. Store in an airtight container until required.
4. Roll out the marzipan and cut to shape to cover the top and sides of the cake. Brush the cake with the jam and press the marzipan on to the surface. Make the icing by placing the egg whites in a bowl and adding the icing sugar a little at a time, beating well until the icing is a very thick and will stand up in peaks. Spread over the covered cake, using a fork to give texture. Decorate your Christmas Cake as you wish with the edible decorations of your choice.

Homemade holiday food gifts

Homemade holiday food gifts are not only great because, well everyone loves food, but also because food is so versatile. These gifts can be made to fit any holiday, with tons of colors, and all sorts of different themes. A holiday themed homemade food gift is fail-proof; everyone will just adore it!

One of the most important parts of food-based gift giving, next to a great tasting treat, is the personalization. Imagine the difference in getting a plain plate of cookies, or receiving a nicely packaged (don't worry it is not expensive, nor difficult) box or gift baggy of your favorite cookies, with maybe a note or a card attached, in the least. Quite a difference, is it not?!

Goodhousekeeping.com

There are many ways to package your home made food gifts. If, for instance, you are giving away things which are in jars maybe, such as home made jams or jellies, you could do a variety of gift baskets. If you are making home made candies, then the gift baggies are a nice choice to be considered. If you are giving a larger amount of candies, especially if there is a variety of flavours and types, then you could do gift baggies in the gift baskets. In case you are making cookies, cakes, fudges, or any other desserts similar to those, you could use some of the lovely and adorable paper boxes that you see in crafts stores. Either way you desire to wrap it the effect will be a lot greater than your plain packaging, and it is also budget friendly (very important in today's economy!).

Another way for you to personalize your homemade food gifts is to make sure you know what the person likes. You do not want to give a chocolate-lover the vanilla fudge! On top of that, keep the gift recipient in mind when decorating, especially if it is cookies that you are making. Icing is very versatile. You can write the person's name, greetings, an occasion related message, or draw something that relates to them.

When you get your gift baggies, baskets, or boxes from the arts and crafts store, make sure to grab a greeting card (finished or blank ones), or some blank tags. The tags are a wonderful way to show your artistic side and create a uniquely presented gift for your cherished ones. If you have time, and feel up to it, please don't shy away from making a hand made greeting card, or writing a cute note to the recipient.

You do not, by any means, have to make great elaborate creations, or be a chef or a baker such as the ones you see on the television these days. After all it is the thought that counts. Well... that and it still would be nice if it tasted yummy on top of that thought!