Lyle’s Christmas Cake: Make 3 Months Before Christmas. Hello friends. Today I am sharing a guest post from Lyle’s Golden Syrup and Tate & Lyle Sugars.
Lyle’s Christmas Cake:
Are you looking for a Christmas cake recipe anyone? If so I have the perfect recipe to share with you today.
You can make this one up to 3 months before Christmas if you wrap it in foil and keep adding Whiskey onto it.
How to make a Christmas cake step by step instructions:
Lyle’s Christmas Cake: Make 3 Months Before Christmas:
Rich and dark, this wonderful cake is not just for Christmas but is also excellent for a small wedding or christening cake, or indeed just to have as a cut-and-come-again cake.
How To Make A Lyle’s Christmas Cake:
Serves: 12-16
Prep time: 1½ hours
Cooking time: 3½ hours
For The Cake:
12 tbsp whisky or brandy
1 medium orange, juiced & zested
3 tsp vanilla extract
1 tbsp Lyle’s Golden Syrup
2 level tsp mixed spice
450g (1lb) raisins
225g (8oz) dried cranberries
110g (4oz) prunes, roughly chopped
50g (2oz) glacé cherries, halved, rinsed, dried & finely chopped
110g (4oz) chopped candied peel
50g (2oz) blanched almonds, roughly chopped
250g (9oz) unsalted butter, at room temperature
125g (4½oz) Lyle’s Golden Syrup
125g (4½oz) Tate & Lyle Fairtrade Dark Muscovado Cane Sugar
250g (9oz) self-raising flour
5 large eggs, at room temperature, lightly beaten
½ level tsp salt
For Feeding The Cake:
about 225ml (8floz) whisky or brandy
For The Decoration:
3 rounded tbsp smooth apricot jam
1 tbsp water
500g (1lb 2oz) white marzipan
Tate & Lyle Fairtrade Icing Cane Sugar, to dust
500g (1lb 2oz) white fondant icing
a few silver edible cake pearls
edible cake glue or Tate & Lyle Fairtrade Icing Cane Sugar & water
You will also need a 20cm (8”) round cake tin, greased and the base and sides lined with a double thickness of baking parchment, plus a double thick layer for covering the top, a 25.5cm (10”) round cake board, a 6cm (2½”) snowflake cutter, ribbon and glass-headed pins.
How To Make A Lyle’s Christmas Cake:
Step One:
Combine the whisky or brandy, the orange juice and zest, vanilla, 1 tablespoon of Lyle’s Golden Syrup and the mixed spice in a large saucepan, and shake to mix.
Add the raisins, cranberries, prunes, cherries, candied peel and nuts. Stir, bring to just under the boil, then reduce the heat down to a simmer and gently cook for 5 minutes, stirring once or twice, until all the liquid has been absorbed and the fruit has plumped up. Leave to cool.
Step Two:
Preheat the oven to 140°C/120° Fan, 275°F, Gas 1 with the shelf set on the middle.
In a large mixing bowl, using a wooden spoon, cream together the butter, Lyle’s Golden Syrup and the Tate & Lyle Dark Muscovado Sugar, then add the flour, eggs and salt and mix well until smooth.
Next, stir in the fruit mixture until well combined.
Step Three:
Spoon into the prepared cake tin, level the surface with the back of the spoon and make a gentle hollow in the middle which helps prevent the cake from peaking too much.
Bake for 3 hours then cover with the parchment paper. Bake the cake for a further 20-30 minutes or until the centre springs back when lightly touched.
Step Four:
Cool the cake in its tin for 30 minutes then turn out onto a wire rack to finish cooling and peel off the paper.
If you have the time you can feed the cake with whisky or brandy at intervals over a month to enrich it.
Poke holes in the cake with a fine skewer or cocktail stick and then drip about 2 tablespoons of the alcohol over the top each time.
Wrap in foil between feeding the cake and store in an airtight container where it will last for up to 3 months.
Step Five:
Transfer the cake to the board.
Step Six:
Heat the jam and water in a small pan for 2-3 minutes, stir to combine, then brush all over the cake.
Step Seven:
Roll out the marzipan on a surface dusted with Tate & Lyle Icing Sugar to slightly larger than the cake.
Cover the cake, cut away the excess and leave out to dry. One day later, repeat using the fondant.
Step Eight:
Thinly reroll the excess fondant – you should have about 95g (3½oz) left.
Stamp out 8 snowflakes with the cutter dipping it into a little Tate & Lyle Icing Sugar each time.
Use the edible ‘glue’ to stick the snowflakes around the edge of the cake. Alternatively, mix 1 tablespoon of Tate & Lyle Icing Sugar with a drop of water to make a ‘glue’ and use instead. Using the ‘glue’ stick the silver balls onto the snowflakes.
Leave to dry for a minimum of 2 hours before storing in an airtight container.
To Finish:
Wind the ribbon around the base of the cake, cut to fit and secure with pins and serve.
Lyle’s Christmas Cake: Make 3 Months Before Christmas:
How To Make A Lyle’s Christmas Cake: This recipe is courtesy of Lyle’s Golden Syrup. For more delicious recipe inspiration visit Lyles Golden Syrup.
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This looks so pretty and you just reminded me that I need to stock up on my favorite panettone before there aren’t any more!
The ingredients remind me of fruit cake we have during Christmas!! Thanks so much for linking up at the #UnlimitedMonthlyLinkParty 5. Shared.
Author
Thanks for stopping by Dee and all the lovely comments 🙂
I dont think the alcohol would make it into the cake, I would drink it first x
Author
Hehe, I love making cakes with alcohol in them 🙂
I haven't made my christmas cake for years……really ought to start making them again
Author
Thanks Kara 🙂
Wow lovely looking cake. Love the design.
Author
Thanks for stopping by Stella 🙂
oh this sounds amazing, I've never made my own christmas cake. x
Author
Thanks Stephanie 🙂
There's something so magical about making your own Christmas cake, especially with little ones. I might have a little go at your recipe this year!
Author
Thanks Sara-Jayne, my kids love helping out with all cakes for Christmas 🙂
Ohh this looks so nice, shame I'm not organised enough to make it in time! Alana x
Author
Hehe, I know what you mean Alana, baking does take up hours at once ..
I do love a nice, moist, boozy fruit cake. Might have to give this a go. Thanks for sharing.
Author
Thanks Vai 🙂
I think I got a little drunk just reading this recipe – but it does sound super delicious! MaryJingle Jangle Jungle
Author
Hehe, I love Christmas cakes with spirits in them 🙂