Cake

 Cake! Cake! Cake! Cake! Cake!

Imagine yourself in a quiet place taking a welcome reprise from all the hustles and bustles of the Festive Season, relaxing with a glass of fine Old Tawny Port or two, listening to Beautiful Music (Se Al Labbro Mio Non Credi) and dreaming of conjuring something delicious and reflective of Festive meanderings.  Try this to bring the aroma of traditional Festive Spices warming through the house and pervading every room to bring comfort to the Soul . . . and let them eat Cake !!!

A.

500 g dried mix fruits

350 mL port or equal half of port and brandy

250 g butter or 240 mL vegetable oil

250 g dark palm sugar or dark Muscovado sugar

Zest and Juice of 1 large orange

1 cup chopped almond

1 cup chopped pecan

150 g chopped pitted prunes

2 tbsp cocoa powder

1 tbsp honey

1 tbsp golden syrup

1 ½ tsp ground nutmeg

1 ½ tsp ground cinnamon

B.

1 ½ cup plain flour

½ cup fine semolina

2 tsp baking powder

3 eggs – lightly beaten

Method:

1. Preheat oven 150^oC
2. Combined A into a large deep pot and put on low heat.  Keep folding and stir gently until all sugar dissolved.  Remove from heat and leave to cool for 30 minutes.
3. Greased and lined a 10 inch spring form tin with baking parchment.  The height of the baking parchment must be twice the height of the tin.  This will prevent the top of the cake from burning.
4. Sieved the flour, semolina and baking powder together and set aside.
5. After mixture A cool down, first add in the eggs and mixed well.  Divide the flour mixture into 3 lots.  Then slowly fold them in until the batter is well combined.
6. Placed the tin on a baking tray add a layer of support and heat distribution.  Pour the batter into the lined baking tin.  If you do wish to decorate the cake with nuts and glazed cherries, then let your creativity guide you through the process.
7. Bake the cake for 2 hours.
8. Leave out to cool completely before taking out off the tin.

Let us just enjoy this delightful delight.  Merry Christmas to you all and may your spiritual journey be Joyous and Blessed for the coming New Year 2012 ! !

Yours Sincerely,

Kenny Law