In this recipe series, we bring you recipes by Julia Toon, culinary motivator and author of the book ‘Good Eating: A Taste of Qatar’. New recipes every week, 
straight from Jules of the Kitchen.
Last Minute Festive Cake
I always find the last week before our Festive season truly begins a PANIC can often set in, and this could be due to the fact that time has run away and you have not yet made the traditional Festive cake. Well do not panic, this recipe I share today is so quick and easy to make, you will have it baked before you know it. The final touch is just a very easy decoration of a bright red ribbon and bow, whilst sitting on a pretty plate and voila, all done. Time to move on to another job!
Makes 1 20cm square cake
Preparation time: 20 – 30 minutes
Cooking time: 2 ½ – 3 hours
Ingredients
250g unsalted butter – softened
200g soft brown sugar
5 eggs – lightly beaten
1 tbsp molasses – or black treacle
125 mls cold black tea
125 mls orange juice
1 orange – grated zest
1 lemon – grated zest
1 kg dried fruit – mix of raisins, currants and sultanas
250g dried apricots – chopped
250g plain flour – sieved
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
Natural almond flakes – scattering on top
Decoration
Festive ribbon
Decorative plate
Instructions
Prepare baking tin
Line base and sides of a deep, 20cm square cake tin with greaseproof or non-stick paper.
Make cake
Combine all dried fruits in a large saucepan. Add butter, sugar, orange juice and cold tea. Stir over a low heat until butter is melted and sugar dissolved. Gently simmer 10 minutes. Cool to room temperature.
Stir in orange and lemon rind. Add sugar cane syrup and eggs.
Sift all dry ingredients and add to mixture.
Mix altogether gently and pour into prepared lined tin.
Scatter a handful of natural almond flakes over the top and cover with a double thickness non-stick paper lid.
Cook
Bake slowly for 2 ½ – 3 hours.
When cake is baked remove from oven and cover with clean tea-towels and leave to cool in the pan. When cold remove from the tin, keeping well wrapped in the original lining and store until required or decorate and serve immediately if you are running late for Christmas!
Decorate
Unwrap cake and place on a decorative plate. Scatter with extra almond flakes and tie with an attractive ribbon. Enjoy with friends!
Jules’ tips Always top the cake with a square lid of double non-stick paper with a hole in the centre – this allows the steam to escape during baking, enhance even cooking and prevent burning. If you have time to store the cake I always recommend wrapping when cold in the original lining plus extra non-stick paper and several thick layers of newspaper. I prefer newspaper to foil, as this allows the cake to breathe whilst maturing and preventing ‘sweating’ which would end in a soggy wet cake. Store in a cool, dark place until required. Cake will keep a couple of weeks like this. Finally play around with different types of dried fruit – if you want to put in dates or figs go ahead, just as long as the total weight of dried fruit is the same.
Contributed by: Julia Toon, Jules of the Kitchen
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