Christmas Loaf Recipes

LAST-MINUTE CHRISTMAS LOAF CAKE

Steps:

• Tip the fruit and peel into a bowl with the orange juice and zest and 150ml of the brandy. Stir well, then leave in a warm place for 2 hrs for the fruit to plump up.
• Heat oven to 170C/150C fan/gas 4. Brush a 900g loaf tin with the melted butter, then line with baking parchment. Beat the muscovado sugar and butter until light and fluffy, then add the eggs one at a time. Mix in the fruit and the rest of the ingredients except for the remaining brandy and icing sugar. Spoon the mixture into the loaf tin, put the tin in a deep tray and bake for 1 hr 15 mins-1 hr 30 mins or until a skewer prodded in comes out clean. Remove from the oven and immediately pour over the brandy (this makes it easier for the cake to soak it up). Leave to cool, then dust with icing sugar, if using.

CHRISTMAS GIFT LOAF

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a 9x5 inch loaf pan.
• In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each one. Combine the flour, baking soda, salt, 1 teaspoon of cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon of nutmeg, and ginger. Stir the dry ingredients into the sugar mixture alternately with the pumpkin puree, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Fold in the chocolate chips and 3/4 cup of the walnuts until evenly distributed. Spoon into the prepared loaf pan, and sprinkle the remaining walnuts over the top.
• Bake for 65 minutes in the preheated oven, or until a knife inserted into the crown of the loaf comes out clean. Cool, then remove from the pan, and drizzle with icing.
• To make the icing, stir together the confectioners' sugar and heavy cream with a pinch of cinnamon and nutmeg until smooth.

FRUIT CAKE LOAF

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350º Fahrenheit.
• Grease and line a 9" x 4" loaf pan with parchment paper. Set aside.
• In a small bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, salt and spices. Set aside.
• In a large bowl, combine the butter and brown sugar and beat until light and fluffy (about 2 minutes).
• Add the warm water, milk, vanilla and eggs. Beat until thoroughly combined.
• Add half of the flour mixture, mix just until combined, and then the remaining half and mix just until combined. Do not overmix.
• Fold in the candied peel and nuts, adding more or less as you'd like it to taste.
• Spread the mixture into the prepared loaf pan and bake for 40-50 minutes until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Allow the loaf to cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then remove it to a wire rack to cool completely.
• For the frosting, beat the cream cheese, vanilla and powdered icing sugar for 2 minutes until smooth and light. Adjust the consistency with more powdered sugar or cream to make it easy to spread.