Three Citrus Christmas Fruit Cake

Three Citrus Christmas Fruit Cake

I made this delicious, tangy, spicy fruit cake for Christmas this year.

Three Citrus Christmas Fruit Cake
A rich fruity tangy traditional Christmas fruit cake.
Write a review
Print
Prep Time
45 min
Cook Time
2 hr
Prep Time
45 min
Cook Time
2 hr
Ingredients
  1. Juice of 1 lemon
  2. Juice of 1 orange
  3. Juice of 1 grapefruit
  4. Peel of half a lemon, diced
  5. Peel of half an orange, diced
  6. Peel of half a grapefruit, diced
  7. 500g mixed dried fruit (currants, sultanas, raisins, figs, apricots)
  8. 200g sultanas
  9. 75ml fruit juice
  10. 75ml red wine
  11. 250g margarine
  12. 200g brown sugar
  13. 100g ground almonds
  14. 2 tsp cinnamon
  15. 2 tsp ginger
  16. 2 tsp allspice
  17. 1/2 tsp ground cloves
  18. 175g plain flour
  19. 1 tsp vanilla
  20. 1 tsp baking powder
  21. 4 large eggs
Icing
  1. 2x 250g packets white fondant
  2. 1 vial of almond essence
Instructions
  1. Mix the fruits, peels, juices, sugar, margarine and spices in a large pot. Bring it to boil and simmer for 10 minutes so all the peel is soft and the fruit is well mixed. Pour the fruit mixture into a large bowl and allow it to cool. Preheat the oven to 150ºC.
  2. Slowly add the flour, baking powder, vanilla and eggs, with constant mixing.
  3. Pour the batter into a baking tin lined with a double layer of baking paper. Bake for two hours. Remove from the oven. Poke several holes with a skewer throughout the cake and splash extra wine (about 1 tablespoon) around the holes. Repeat this every few days until a week before the cake will be served.
Icing
  1. Add the almond essence to one packet of fondant and thoroughly knead it. Roll each layer of fondant thin enough so that the sheet covers the whole cake. Decorate with cake decorating coloring and glazes.
Notes
  1. This made a 20cm square cake. The cake does not rise much when cooking, so bake it in a smaller, deeper tin for a taller cake.
Adapted from James Martin, BBC goodfood
Yet another Murray Family website https://openi.biz/
Three Citrus Christmas Fruit Cake

Three Citrus Christmas Fruit Cake

Snowman (icing)

Snowman detail

Cheater’s Hot Cross Buns

You cannot buy hot cross buns from our local bakery in Turkey (even in the Easter season), but you can buy the dough that they use for baking normal bread. You can also buy amazing dried fruit here. Mixed together with a little sugar and spice, these ingredients make very tasty hot cross buns.

Cheater's Hot Cross Buns
Yields 16
Super easy way to make hot cross buns
Write a review
Print
Prep Time
15 min
Cook Time
20 min
Prep Time
15 min
Cook Time
20 min
Ingredients
  1. 600g dough
  2. 300g fruit mix (currants, orange peel, dried apricot, dried fig, raisins)
  3. 50g sugar
  4. 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  5. 1/2 teaspoon allspice
Instructions
  1. Get fresh dough from the bakery. Knead in the mixed fruit, sugar and spices. Form into balls. Cut crosses into the buns. Bake for 20 minutes at 180 C. Glaze with melted butter.
Yet another Murray Family website https://openi.biz/

Never-fail Chocolate Cake

From Raewyn’s recipes

Never-fail Chocolate Cake
Write a review
Print
Cook Time
45 min
Cook Time
45 min
Ingredients
  1. 2 cups coffee
  2. 2 cups milk
  3. good dash of vinegar
  4. 4 cups flour
  5. 4 tsp soda
  6. 2 tsp salt
  7. 2 tsp baking powder
  8. 1 cup cocoa
  9. 3½ cups sugar
  10. 4 beaten eggs
  11. 1 cup oil
  12. 2 tsp vanilla essence
Instructions
  1. Make two cups of coffee and let them cool. Add the vinegar to the milk to sour it. In a very large mixing bowl, sift together flour, soda, salt, baking powder and cocoa. Beat the eggs. Add the beaten eggs, sugar, cold coffee, soured milk, oil and essence to the flour mixture and mix. Beat everything until smooth and runny. Bake at 150º for about 45 minutes ( or until a skewer poked into the centre comes out clean). Make chocolate icing or leave uniced.
Notes
  1. This is a great sharing cake as it can be cut in quarters and given away. Much enjoyed!
Yet another Murray Family website https://openi.biz/

Special Birthday Cake

From Raewyn’s recipes

Special Birthday Cake
Write a review
Print
Cook Time
45 min
Cook Time
45 min
Ingredients
  1. 8-10 10c pieces tightly wrapped in foil
  2. 3 cups flour
  3. ½ tsp salt
  4. 1½ tsp baking soda
  5. ½ tsp baking powder
  6. 1½ cups cocoa
  7. 2½ cups boiling water
  8. 1¼ cups margarine / butter (275 grams)
  9. 3 cups sugar
  10. 5 eggs
  11. 2 tsps vanilla
  12. ½ tsp peppermint
Peppermint Frosting
  1. ½ cup margarine/ butter
  2. 3½ cups icing sugar
  3. ¼ cup water (approx)
  4. ½ tsp vanilla
  5. ½ tsp peppermint
Instructions
  1. Measure and put flour, salt, soda, and baking powder in sifter. Cream margarine / butter & adding sugar gradually. Then eggs one at a time. Add vanilla & peppermint. Mix cocoa in boiling water and leave to cool. On low speed add the flour mixture until all mixed in well, along with the cocoa liquid. Pour ¼ of mixture into prepared tin, add some coins then more mixture, etc. Bake at 160ºC (325ºF) for about 30-45 minutes or until cooked. Remove from oven, invert & leave to cool before removing from tin. Slice into 3 layers and spread with peppermint frosting between layers and on top & sides.
Peppermint Frosting
  1. Mix together and apply to cake as above.
Notes
  1. (Use a large tin with removable bottom)
Yet another Murray Family website https://openi.biz/

Favourite Chocolate Cake

From Raewyn’s recipes

Favourite Chocolate Cake
Write a review
Print
Cook Time
30 min
Cook Time
30 min
Ingredients
  1. 1 cup flour
  2. 1 cup castor sugar
  3. 2 Tbs cocoa
  4. 3 eggs
  5. 75 grams melted butter
  6. 3 Tbs milk
  7. 2 tsp baking powder
Instructions
  1. Place sifted flour, sugar, cocoa, melted butter, milk and eggs in a bowl. Beat for 3 minutes. Then add baking powder. Bake in two lined 20cm tins for 25-30 minutes at 190º C
Yet another Murray Family website https://openi.biz/

Anchor Chocoholic Cake

From Raewyn’s recipes

Anchor Chocoholic Cake
Write a review
Print
Cook Time
45 min
Cook Time
45 min
Ingredients
  1. 125 g softened butter
  2. ¾ cup castor sugar
  3. 2 eggs
  4. 1 tsp vanilla
  5. ½ cup raspberry jam
  6. 1¼ cups flour
  7. 1 tsp Baking Powder
  8. ½ cup cocoa
  9. 1 tsp baking soda
  10. 1 cup warm milk
  11. ½ cup chocolate chips
Instructions
  1. Cream butter & sugar, beat in eggs one at a time. Beat in vanilla & jam. Sift flour baking powder & cocoa. Dissolve soda in milk. Fold dry ingredients alternately with milk into butter mixture, then fold in choc. chips. Spoon into greased, lined tin. Bake 180ºC (350ºF) for 45 minutes. Ice with chocolate icing when cold.
Yet another Murray Family website https://openi.biz/

Easy Chocolate Cake

From Raewyn’s recipes

Easy Chocolate Cake
Write a review
Print
Cook Time
20 min
Cook Time
20 min
Ingredients
  1. 3 eggs
  2. 2Tbs milk
  3. 125 g flour (4 oz)
  4. 1 Tbs cocoa
  5. 2 tsp Baking Powder
  6. 185 g sugar
  7. 90 g melted butter (3oz)
Instructions
  1. Put all ingredients in a bowl and beat 5 minutes. Pour into greased sponge tins & bake 15-20 minutes, moderate oven.
Yet another Murray Family website https://openi.biz/

Crunchy Apple Cake

From Raewyn’s recipes

Crunchy Apple Cake
Write a review
Print
Cook Time
30 min
Cook Time
30 min
Cake
  1. 125 g butter melted
  2. 2 tsp mixed spice
  3. ½ tsp cloves
  4. ½ tsp salt
  5. 1 cup brown sugar
  6. 1 egg
  7. 2 apples
  8. 1½ cups flour (white or wholemeal)
  9. 1 tsp baking soda
Topping
  1. 25 g butter
  2. ½ cup rolled oats
  3. ¼ cup brown sugar
  4. 1 tsp cinnamon
  5. 1 tsp allspice
Instructions
  1. Grate apples. Mix butter, mixed spice, cloves, salt, brown sugar and egg together. Add apples, flour & soda. Place the mixture in a microwave ring mould dish. Make topping by mixing butter, rolled oats, brown sugar, cinnamon and allspice. sprinkle topping over it. Microwave on medium high (50%) for 25-30 minutes.
Yet another Murray Family website https://openi.biz/

Cream Cheese Icing

From Raewyn’s recipes

Cream Cheese Icing
Write a review
Print
Ingredients
  1. 60 grams cream cheese
  2. 185 grams butter
  3. 1½ cups icing sugar
  4. 1 Tbs orange juice
  5. Rind of orange
Instructions
  1. Beat until creamy.
Notes
  1. Great on Carrot Cake
Yet another Murray Family website https://openi.biz/

Carrot Cake

From Raewyn’s recipes

Carrot Cake
Write a review
Print
Cook Time
50 min
Cook Time
50 min
Ingredients
  1. 3 heaped cups grated carrot
  2. 1 sm. tin crushed pineapple (drained)
  3. 2 heaped cups self raising flour
  4. 1tsp cinnamon
  5. 4 eggs
  6. 1 cup brown sugar
  7. 1 tsp baking soda
  8. 1½ cups vegetable oil
Instructions
  1. Mix together carrots pineapple, flour & cinnamon. Put eggs, sugar & soda in food processor. With motor running, add oil slowly. When well mixed fold in flour mixture. Bake in a large tin (6 cup) 180ºC (350ºF) for 45-50 minutes
Yet another Murray Family website https://openi.biz/