Brandy Moist Cake Food

BRANDY SIMPLE SYRUP

Steps:

• In a saucepan, combine water, sugar and lemon zest. Bring mixture to a boil and continue boiling for 5 minutes. Strain into a sealable container, removing the lemon zest. Allow to cool, then cover and store in refrigerator.
• When ready to use, mix in brandy. Brush onto cake layers before frosting.

RICH BRANDY CHRISTMAS FRUITCAKE

Steps:

• The night before you cook this place all the fruit fruit peel and nuts into a bowl and soak for 12 hours in the brandy and orange juice; Stir every time you go into the kitchen!
• pre-heat oven to 275ºF/140ºC.
• Grease and line with greaseproof paper an 8 inch/20cm round cake tin.
• Sift the flour salt and spices into a large mixing bowl.
• In a separate bowl cream the butter and sugar together until the mixtures fluffy.
• Beat the eggs and add them a little at a time.
• Fold in the flour and spices.
• Stir in the fruit that has been soaking along with any excess liquid.
• Mix in the treacle.
• Spoon into the cake tin and spread out evenly.
• Cover the cake with a double square of greaseproof paper with a small hole in the top.
• Bake the cake on the lower shelf for 4& 1/4- 3/4 hours.
• When the cake is cold wrap in double greaseproof paper and store in an airtight tin.
• Feed the cake every two days for the first 2 weeks with a spoonful of brandy and/or orange juice and/or glacè cherry syrup.
• First poke little holes in the cake with a knitting needle or a skewer.
• Come Christmas you will have a very very rich fruit cake.
• Use royal icing to ice it or almond paste and royal icing, I don't like almond paste!

MAKE & MATURE CHRISTMAS CAKE

Steps:

• Put 1kg mixed dried fruit, the zest and juice of 1 orange and 1 lemon, 150ml brandy or other alcohol, 250g softened butter and 200g light, soft brown sugar in a large pan set over a medium heat.
• Bring to the boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 5 mins. Tip the fruit mixture into a large bowl and leave to cool for 30 mins.
• Heat oven to 150C/130C fan/gas 2. Line a deep 20cm cake tin with a double layer of baking parchment, then wrap a double layer of newspaper around the outside - tie with string to secure.
• Add 175g plain flour, 100g ground almonds, ½ tsp baking powder, 2 tsp mixed spice, 1 tsp ground cinnamon, ¼ tsp ground cloves, 100g flaked almonds, 4 large eggs and 1 tsp vanilla extract to the fruit mixture and stir well, making sure there are no pockets of flour.
• Tip into your prepared tin, level the top with a spatula and bake in the centre of the oven for 2 hrs.
• Remove the cake from the oven, poke holes in it with a skewer and spoon over 2 tbsp of your chosen alcohol. Leave the cake to cool completely in the tin.
• To store, peel off the baking parchment, then wrap well in cling film. Feed the cake with 1-2 tbsp alcohol every fortnight, until you ice it.
• Don't feed the cake for the final week to give the surface a chance to dry before icing.

MY FRESH APPLE BRANDY CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
• Beat the oil and sugars together.
• Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each one.
• Sift the flour, cinnamon, salt and baking soda together.
• Add half of the flour mixture gradually to the egg mixture, mixing well.
• Add the apple brandy, vanilla and the coconut, mixing well.
• Dredge the apples, raisins and nuts in the remaining flour, coating well.
• Gradually stir into the cake mixture, mixing thoroughly.
• Pour into a well-greased and floured 10 inch tube cake pan.
• Bake for 1 hour and 20 minutes (or until a knife blade comes out clean when inserted into the cake.).

BRANDY MOIST CAKE

Steps:

• Cream margarine; gradually add the sugar, beating well with electric mixer set at medium.
• Add egg whites 2 at a time, beating well after each addition.
• Combine yogurt, brandy and vanilla; stir well. Add to creamed mixture beating well.
• Combine flour, soda, and salt; gradually add to yogurt mixture.
• Beat and additional minute.
• Pour batter into a baking pan with high sides or a Bundt pan coated in cooking spray.
• Bake at 350 degrees for 55 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted in cake.
• Yield 16 serves.

BEST CHRISTMAS BRANDY CAKE

Steps:

• Combine fruits and brandy, dredge with half of the flour, and allow to stand 2 hours or overnight.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C).
• In a large bowl, cream butter, sugar, lemon zest till fluffy.
• Add beaten eggs slowly and whip to form peaks.
• Now add the rest of the flour and mix well.
• Fold in the brandy-fruit mixture.
• Turn into a greased cake tin and bake at 180C (350F) for 1 1/2 hours, or until cake tests done with a toothpick.

PLUM CAKE WITH BRANDY CREAM FILLING

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 300*F. In a medium bowl, combine the sugar, salt, nutmeg, cinnamon, ginger, baking soda and flour and set aside.
• In another larger bowl, beat the eggs until pale coloured, then add the peanut oil and buttermilk. Mix in the dried plums and nuts.
• Gradually add the flour mixture to the egg mixture, mixing well.
• Pour the batter into a buttered 8 by 8 inch square baking pan and bake for 1 hour, or until a tester inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean.
• Let the cake cool for an hour before filling.
• To make the brandy cream filling combine the cream, sugar, vanilla and gelatin in a medium saucepan. Heat over medium heat until the mixture is steamy and hot, but not boiling.
• In a large bowl whisk the egg yolks; pour the hot cream mixture over the yolks while whisking. Strain back into the saucepan and cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until the mixture thickens.
• Remove from the heat and add the brandy. Let cool for 10 minutes.
• Whisk in the softened butter and chill. Refrigerate until ready to use.
• Split the cake by cutting horizontally and fill with the chilled brandy cream. Return the cake to the fridge for at least an hour before serving. You can dust the top with icing sugar before serving if you wish.
• Note: to oven dry Italian plums, split them in half lengthwise and remove the pit. Place skin side down on a sheet of baking parchment or foil on a baking pan and place in a 200*F oven for 10 to 12 hours or overnight.

MOIST AND BOOZY FRUITCAKE WITH RUM AND PORT (A.K.A. DARK BROWN CAKE)

Steps:

• At least 2 weeks before you plan to bake the cakes, place prunes, raisins, currants, cherries, citrus peel, candied ginger, rum, and port in a large container with a lid. Stir fruit once a day.
• When ready to bake the cakes, preheat oven to 250 degrees. Butter and flour two 9-by-5-by-3-inch loaf pans and two 8-by-2-inch round cake pans and line with parchment; butter parchment and set aside.
• In the bowl of a food processor or the jar of a heavy-duty blender, grind almonds to a coarse meal. Stir ground almonds into the fruit mixture until well combined. Working in batches, transfer almond-fruit mixture to the bowl of a food processor or jar of a blender and pulse until a chunky paste forms. Transfer paste to a large bowl or a rimmed baking sheet.
• In a small bowl, whisk together boiling water and cocoa powder until smooth; set aside.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream together butter and brown sugar. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, add vanilla, and beat in eggs, one at a time. Transfer to a very large bowl or stock pot.
• In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and baking soda. Using a spatula, fold flour mixture into butter mixture. Add cocoa powder mixture and molasses and fold to combine; stir in fruit.
• Divide batter evenly between prepared pans and bake until cakes are firm on top and a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean, about 3 hours. Remove from oven and immediately brush tops of cakes with rum. Let cakes cool completely.
• Invert cooled cakes to unmold and brush with additional rum. Wrap cakes in cheesecloth, a clean dish towel, or sturdy paper towels, and then in aluminum foil. Let stand at room temperature at least 3 days before serving, and up to 1 month. Serve cakes dusted with confectioners' sugar or frosted with royal icing.