While doing some deep cleaning in the kitchen some weeks ago, I stumbled over some baking utensils and cook books. I wondered why I had left them for so long considering most of my childhood and teen life was about baking. In my guilt, I got the pans and other utensils washed properly and decided to use that opportunity to bake the family Christmas cake.
Usually, I bake my Christmas cakes 2 or 3 months before Christmas and my traditional recipe for the season is Fruit Cake. This is approximately 6 weeks to Christmas so I’m glad the cake still has time to mature. I usually soak my mixed fruits in good brandy for at least a week and I also prepare my caramel at home to achieve the distinct taste that brings so many memories.
After searching for cloves from these mallams that sell zobo and still couldn’t find them nearby, I reluctant went to SPAR and bought a bottle of cloves for 10 times the mallam price. How many times in a year do you get to bake a Christmas cake, right? Every other ingredient was readily available so last weekend, I went ahead and baked my fruit cake. I used that opportunity to make some cupcakes using this butter cake recipe for the kids and they helped to ‘tint them up’. They looked so appetizing especially in the re-useable silicon cupcake cases.
At the end of the day, we had our Christmas Cake baked and some cupcakes for the weekend. There is a great sense of achievement when you create something with your hands. I bet it will be more fun when we decorate some days before Christmas. Have you baked your Christmas cake yet? What is your favourite cake recipe for Christmas?