Here’s my take on the traditional Christmas cake. It's not the good solid wodge of dried fruits that you usually get with a Christmas cake, but this magnificent beastie lacks none of the Christmas flavour. And it's rich, luxurious texture is simply irresistable. I've replaced the conventional marzipan and hard white icing with a generous layer of creamy topping with just a hint of orange tang. It’s bloody lovely, it really is! Don’t just take my word for it though …
”This is better than the real thing!” said my cake chum Caroline. (Or at least we think that’s what she said – her mouth was pretty full at the time).
“Moist, fruity and spicy – a great Christmas cake that leaves you feeling seasonal and satisfied without the feeling of having swallowed a bowling ball” says my partner/soul cakemate James.
I used chopped golden berries, they’re lower in sugar than raisins and sultanas and their rich flavour means a little can go a long way . If you can’t source them, chopped prunes are a pretty good alternative.
250g sweet potato chopped 100g courgettes 150g finely chopped apple 200g almond flour 100g melted butter 4 eggs 3 tbsp erythritol brown sugar replacement (this is my first choice but any other v low sugar natural sweetener would do) 3 tbsp yacon syrup (this is my first choice because of its caramel flavour but you could use an alternative sweetener and add more caramel essence) 70g chopped golden (Inca) berries (or chopped prunes) 1 tbsp cocoa 1 tsp baking powder Pinch of salt Juice and zest of 2 oranges 2 tsp orange essence 1 tbsp vanilla essence 1 tsp caramel essence 4 tsp mixed spice 3 tsp ground ginger 1 tsp cinnamon. 5 tbsp brandy
Pre-heat the oven to Gas Mark 4/ 350C Line a 23cm square cake tin with baking paper. Peel and grate the sweet potato, or whizz in a food processor. Grate or whizz the courgette and apple. Add eggs, sweetener, zest and orange juice, vanilla essence, caramel essence, orange essence and brandy. Blend thoroughly. Add the melted butter and blend well. In a separate bowl mix together the almond flour, cocoa, baking powder, salt and spices. Add to the cake batter and stir in well. Add the chopped golden berries and mix. Pour the mixture into the baking tin. Cook for 30 – 45 minutes until a knife put into the centre of the cake comes out clean. (If the edges start to brown/dry out, cover the top of the cake with foil. Leave in the tin for 5-10 minutes then turn out onto a wire rack to cool.
Icing Mix the cream cheese, sweetener, vanilla paste and orange essence together well. Add the melted butter and stir in thoroughly. Pop in the fridge for 15-20 minutes to cool. Spread on the cake once the cake is completely cooled. Store in the fridge. Posted in:
