Brazilian Christmas Cake

 I wanted to try something a bit different from the usual rich dark fruit cake this year, so if you fancy a change, try this boozy version of a carrot cake, inspired by my trip to Brazil. Many people find a traditional christmas cake a bit too much on top of all the seasonal excess anyway. Not that you could describe this cake as abstemious or frugal in any way, but a nice change of flavour.

If you don't have any Cachaca (and why would you really?) you can use rum instead.

For an 8" round cake tin you will need -

4 oz raisins

4oz sultanas

2oz chopped ready to eat prunes

4 oz natural colour glace cherries

2oz mixed peel

soaked in -

2 fl oz brandy

2fl oz sherry or port

2 fl oz Cachaca (or rum)

1 teasp Angostura bitters

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

zest and juice of 3 limes and 1 lemon

either in the fridge for a few days, or overnight in the kitchen for the flavours to be absorbed.

When you're ready to make the cake, measure out -

12 oz plain flour

2 teasp ground cinnamon

1 teasp freshly grated nutmeg

2 teasp bicarbonate of soda

into a bowl and set aside.

In your Kitchenaid/Kenwood or with your very strong arm, beat together -

half a pint of sunflower oil

6 oz caster sugar

6oz soft brown sugar

4 eggs

until smooth and creamy

Sieve your flour mix in gently.

Then add

12 oz peeled and finely grated carrot

4 oz dessicated coconut

4 oz chopped walnuts or pecans

all the contents of the pre soaking bowl

It's a bit of a squash in my mixer but mix on a slow speed to incorporate everything.

Then turn into a lined 8" tin and bake in a slow oven about gas 2 until a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean.  Should be around the hour and a half mark. It's a bit less in my Aga, maybe more in some ovens. If it looks to be browning too much cover it with a piece of foil towards the end.

While it's baking make up a syrup by warming gently together until melted -

4 oz chopped Rapadura Caipira (this is a Brazilian sweet basically just a solid block of cane sugar but you could easily substitute light brown sugar)

zest and juice of 4 limes

zest and juice of 2 oranges

Cool and stir in

2 or 3 fl oz Cachaca (or rum)

When the cake is cooked, stab it with a skewer and pour the syrup over while the cake is still hot.

Leave it in the tin to cool and absorb the syrup.

I would normally store a christmas cake in the larder, but I think I will keep this one in the freezer until I'm ready to decorate it just before Christmas, just to be on the safe side. It will easily keep for a couple of weeks though, in an airtight tin if you want to make it anytime before Christmas. I will give it a coat of good quality marzipan and fondant icing in the week before Christmas.