Sorry I have been missing for a day or two,I rather overdid things on Friday and the resulting exhaustion kept me in bed yesterday. Today I feel rested and am allowed up and more important allowed access to my net book,on the understanding that I refrain from checking my mail...I hear and obey oh Mighty One.(My son of course.)
There are few children who enjoy the traditional heavily fruited cake customarily served at Christmas and so as this is to be a children’s party we shall act accordingly and cater to their tastes.
In the past I have made teddy shaped cakes,railway engines and even the Starship Enterprise, fine if one has lots of time but who ,at Christmas has such a luxury. This recipe is perfect,it has loads of creamy white icing on which Santas, fir trees or whatever decopration takes your fancy can be displayed. Better still it contains the sort of ingredients commonly to be found in the store cupboard at the festive season.
The size of the cake will depend on the number of guests,this recipe will serve 8-10.
6 oz butter
6 oz caster sugar
6 oz self raising flour
1 teaspoon of baking powder
3 eggs
1 medium sized carrot finely grated
2 oz glace cherries chopped
1oz angelica chopped
2oz walnuts chopped
1 heaped teaspoon of poppy seeds
2 oz sultanas chopped
two tablespoons of milk
FOR THE ICING
6oz butter
10 oz icing sugar
rind of a lemon
1 teaspoon of lemon juice
Grease and line an 8” cake tin,set oven temperature to 160oC
Place the butter into a large mixing bowl and beat until soft ,add the sugar four,baking powder and eggs and beat well until the mixture is smooth add one or two tablespoon of milk if the mixture seems dry. Fold in the remaining ingredients and pour the mixture in to the prepared tin.
Place in the oven and bake for 35-40 minutes.
While the cake is baking place the butter in to a bowl and beat until pale and creamy. Add icing sugar, lemon juice and rind and beat again until the butter cream is very pale.
When the cake has cooked remove from the oven and turn out on to a wire cooling rack,leave to cool. When the cake has cooled place it on a plate or a cake stand and cover with the icing.
Decorate with holly and ribbons or reindeer and fir trees penguins or even a polar bear on a skateboard,what ever your children will enjoy. Sprinkle with a little edible silver cake dust , and that,as they say is that.
CHEATS CHEESE STRAWS
These are so simple yet having recently seen a box of 8 selling at £1.99 I think it is well worth a mention.
1 packet of ready rolled puff pastry
3 oz finely grated Cheddar,Gruyère, Parmigiana... whatever hard cheese you have to hand.
1 teaspoon of made Dijon mustard stirred in to 3 tablespoons of milk
Make sure that the party is chilled. Open the pack and unroll then with a sharp knife slice widthways,each slice should measure about half and inch wide.
Twist each slice and place on to a greased baking sheet then brush with the milk and mustard mix and sprinkle with the e grated cheese.
Bake at 200oC for about 20 minutes or until golden brown.
Cool on a wire rack and store in an air tight container.
For variety try brushing with egg white and sprinkling with sesame seeds,poppy seeds or brush with Marmite!
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