STOLEN YOUTH QUICK XMAS CAKE

QUICK CHRISTMAS CAKE IF YOU’VE FORGOTTEN TO MAKE OR BUY A CHRISTMAS CAKE, FEAR NOT. A BOILED FRUIT CAKE DOES MONTHS OF MATURING FOR YOU – IN A DAY. THIS CAKE IS READY TO EAT THE NEXT DAY AND CAN BE MARZIPAN’D AND ICED IF REQUIRED – OR JUST DECORATE QUICKLY WITH WHATEVER YOU HAVE TO HAND. THE EXTRA HIT OF THE WONDERFULLY WARMING, SLIGHTLY WOODY NOTES OF THE SMOOTH WARDINGTON’S ORIGINAL STOLEN YOUTH ENGLISH SPIRIT GIVE THIS CAKE IT’S EXTRA SPECIAL CHRISTMASSY TASTE. IF YOU DON’T TELL ANYONE YOU HAVEN’T BEEN LOVINGLY TENDING THIS CAKE FOR MONTHS, THEY’LL NEVER KNOW AND WE’LL NEVER TELL…. MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Ingredients for the cake

450g mixed dried fruit

200g brown sugar

115g baking spread (Stork or similar)

½ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda

1 tablespoon marmalade (optional, only if you have some)

1 tablespoon ground mixed spice

100ml water

100ml Wardington’s Original Stolen Youth

2 Eggs

115g whole meal plain flour (see note below)

115g self raising flour (you can use 230g self raising if required)

50g chopped glacé cherries (or dried cranberries for extra Christmassy feel)

1 x 18cm round tin, greased and lined with baking/greaseproof paper

Oven pre-heated to 160°C/Gas Mark 3/4

METHOD

• In a large saucepan place dried fruit, sugar, baking spread, bicarbonate of soda, marmalade if using, spice, water and Stolen Youth. Bring to the boil and then simmer for 5-6 minutes. Allow to cool.
• Beat in the eggs , stir in the flour(s), glacé cherries/fruit, mixing well.
• Spoon the mixture into the greased and lined cake tin. Smooth over the top.
• Bake for between 1 3/4 to 2 hours until a skewer inserted into the cake comes out clean (check from about 1½ hours onwards). If the top is browning too quickly and mixture requires further cooking, cover with foil.
• Leave in tin for 15-20 minutes before placing on wire rack to cool completely.
• Glaze top of cake with warmed honey..
• This cake is ready to eat immediately but will keep quite happily in a cake tin, wrapped in foil, for up to a month.

Merry Christmas!