Baking
Cake
250g raisins
250 g sultanas
75g chopped dates
75g glacé cherries, diced
75g mixed peel
75g chopped or sliced almonds
½ tsp nutmeg
1 tsp mixed spice
½ tsp cinnamon
½ tsp white pepper
½ tsp salt
Grated rind of 1 orange
½ c brandy, dark rum or whiskey
1 block (225g) Herbivore butter, at room temperature or slightly softened
250g dark brown or muscovado sugar
1 tsp vanilla essence
5 eggs
70g self-raising flour
250g plain flour
Approximately ½ cup extra brandy, dark rum or whiskey
Herbivore Icing
1 block (225g) Herbivore butter, at room temperature or slightly softened
500g icing sugar
1-2 tbsp plant-based milk
1 tsp almond or vanilla essence
1. Grease and line a deep sided, 20cm square cake tin with two layers of baking paper. Make sure the corners are as sharp as possible to ensure square not round edges.
2. In a large bowl, put the raisins, sultanas, dates, cherries, mixed peel, almonds, nutmeg, mixed spice, cinnamon, white pepper, salt, orange rind and brandy. Mix together well. Cover and leave at least overnight, or for up to three days, to macerate.
3. Beat the butter, sugar and vanilla essence until very light and creamy. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each egg is added.
4. Sift both flours on top of the creamed mixture then add the macerated fruit and mix gently, using your hands.
5. Pack the mixture firmly into the prepared cake tin and level off the top.
6. Wrap the outside of the tin (base and sides) with 6-8 layers of newspaper, folding where necessary. Secure with string.
7. Bake in the middle-lower part of the oven at 160℃ for 1-1 ½ hours until an inserted skewer comes out clean. Ovens vary, so keep an eye on it. Some cakes may take longer. If the cake starts to brown too quickly on top, cover with a sheet of baking paper and a thick covering of newspaper.
8. When cooked, remove from the oven and place on a board. Cover with a tea towel and leave to cool in the tin overnight.
9. Sprinkle a couple of tablespoons of brandy, whiskey or rum (whichever you choose to use) over the top of the cake, then remove from the tin. Leave it in the baking paper and wrap the cake in a layer of tinfoil.
10. Over the next month, continue to pour over a couple of tablespoons of brandy (or whiskey or rum) each week, rewrapping the cake well each time. Leave in the baking paper until ready to ice.
1. To make the icing, beat Herbivore for 5-10 minutes, until soft and fluffy.
2. Gradually beat in icing sugar and add sufficient milk to make a soft and spreadable icing.
3. Flavour with almond or vanilla essence if you wish.
4. Generously spread over the cake.
5. Store in an airtight container. Eat within one month after icing.
*You can double this recipe to make an impressively large Christmas cake. You will need a larger tin and cooking time will increase to 3 – 3 ½ hours.
