Mrs Beeton's Christmas & Celebration Cake!

Fancy a slice of Miss Windsor's Celebration Cake?

​Hello, darlings!
 
Eat cake, sip champagne, and be merry!
 
Come and join the revelry, as I crank up the volume to "Happy Birthday" by America's very own soul/pop/R&B/funk/jazz sensation -  the one and only Stevie Wonder! One, two, three - now altogether, “Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday” – Oh, what a classic!

​​“So, what’s all the fuss about?” I hear you squawk? Well, obviously it's Miss Windsor's birthday today and to mark such a joyous occasion, one has recreated an age-old recipe from one's trusty, 1906 edition of Mrs Beeton’s Book of Household Management – with a bit of a Miss Windsor twist, of course!

Recipe for Christmas Cake: 1906 edition - Mrs Beeton's Book of Household Management.

Darlings, now, believe it or not, Miss Windsor’s Celebration Cake started life as plain old Christmas cake - well, I never! Yet, to one's utter dismay, the original recipe appeared to lack one or two essential Christmassy ingredients such as ALCOHOL – How shocking!
 
In fact, my oh so generous Mrs Beeton provided three rather bland recipes to choose from - none of which recommended any form of liquor at all. And so, I opted to recreate the slightly more interesting version that requires only two eggs and a "teacupful" of cream – Oh, how exciting!

Freshly baked: Miss Windsor's Celebration Cake!

Now eager to cast my delectable spin on such recipe, I decided to explore my jolly old pantry - Oh, I say! and so discovered a Tupperware vessel full to the brim of chopped mixed fruit - How fabulous! 
 
So, darlings, as I gingerly peeled off the lid, my nasal passages were greeted by the delightful aroma of ye-olde dark Lambs Navy Rum. Well, thank goodness for savviness, as one had clearly stowed away for a rainy day, the remainder of last year’s Christmas pudding ingredients – I say, isn't Miss Windsor quite the culinary marvel! 

Miss Windsor's pantry favourites! - McDougalls Flour, Lambs Navy Rum and Lyle's Black Treacle!

Darlings, following a further rummage around my wondrous pantry I endeavoured to "jazz up" the mixture just a tad more. Therefore, I added a few dollops of cinnamon and mixed spice, zest of a lemon and orange, followed by a generous handful of chopped almonds – Oh, plus a few glugs of rum!
 
I must say, due to the added extras, and my impeccable culinary skills (of course!) I successfully transformed this so-called festive number; into a terribly versatile corker of a celebration cake!

Darlings - care to join me for a cup of Miles West-Country Original Blend Tea?

Rich, rummy, spicy, velvety moist, and almost russet brown in colour. You’ll find this delightfully toothsome baked goodie an excellent choice for any occasion of the celebratory kind – Christmas, weddings, birthdays, christenings, anniversaries – to name, but a few!

​Or to be thoroughly enjoyed as part of an afternoon pageantry, accompanied by a steaming hot cup of Miles West-Country Original Blend Tea - to be prepared using a Brown Betty teapot, of course! ​

Miss Windsor's Celebration Cake - ready to be served!

Oh, and Miss Windsor’s Celebration Cake is best served "naked", “Naughty naughty, Miss Windsor!” I hear you shriek with a touch of excitement! Now calm down darlings, I mean to be presented without any form of edible attire, however, I must say it does scrub up rather well just sporting a natural layer of marzipan, followed by a silky sheet of royal icing! 
 
Enjoy with oodles of gusto! 

​ALL PHOTOGRAPHY BY MISS WINDSOR

​Fancy more cake? If the answer is YES, then may I recommend the following delectable delight! 

MRS BEETON'S SERIOUSLY SCRUMPTIOUS LEMON & COCONUT CAKE! 

Mrs Beeton's Lemon & Coconut Cake!

Miss Windsor's Celebration Cake

Preparation time: 40 mins
Cooking time: 55 mins.
Serves: 8-10 delightful guests! 

Ingredients

• bottle of any dark rum - for soaking the fruit (Miss Windsor prefers Lambs Navy Rum!)
• 220g (1 & 1/4 cups) finely chopped, dried mixed fruit 
• 280g (2 heaped cups) self-raising flour
• 80g (1/2 cup) dark brown sugar
• 120 ml (1/2 cup) black treacle
• 120ml (1/2 cup) double cream
• 2 well-whisked eggs
• 60g (1/3 cup) nearly melted butter
• 25g (1/3 cup) chopped almonds
• grated zest - 1 lemon & 1 orange
• 1 heaped teaspoon of cinnamon
• 1 heaped teaspoon of mixed spice
• 1 heaped teaspoon of ginger
• 2-3 tablespoons of any dark rum
• juice of half an orange

Equipage

• round cake tin – 20 cm / 8 inches
• 4 sheets of newspaper & string 

​Method

1. First off, roughly chop all the dried fruit and soak in any dark rum. This can be prepared weeks in advance – or if pushed for time a few days will suffice.
2. Darlings – now let’s prepare to celebrate.  So, run along now and wash your grubby little "jazz hands" – much obliged!
3. Preheat your oven to 180*C / 160* Fan / 350*F / gas mark 4.
4. First off, well-grease your cake tin with butter, then line the base and sides with greaseproof paper. Darlings, please make sure the paper stands at least 2.5 cm (1 inch) above the top of the tin, as this will help to prevent it from browning too quickly.
5. In a pan or with the aid of a modern-day appliance, "nearly" melt the butter - do not allow it to reduce to oil. 
6. To your mixing bowl: add the flour (sieved 3 or 4 times) sugar, spice, zest of a lemon and orange, chopped almonds, and rum soaked fruit. Thoroughly mix together with a wooden spoon.
7. Stir in the butter, cream, treacle and well-whisked eggs. Then give the mixture a good ol’ beating with a wooden spoon, or please do so with the aid of a modern-day appliance. Beat until sufficiently blended.
8. Add  2-3 tablespoons of dark rum, and the juice of half an orange. Mix well. The mixture should easily slide off the spoon when ready - if not then add a tad more rum!
9. For this step, one must steady their jazz hands! and carefully pour the cake mixture into your prepared tin.
10. Now fold the sheets of newspaper (two at a time) until they stand a little above the greaseproof paper. Wrap them around the tin, then tie tightly with string.
11. Place on the middle shelf of your oven and bake for approximately 55 minutes. Your culinary masterpiece is ready when browned, and a skewer when inserted comes out clean.
12. When completely cool enwreathe with marzipan followed by a silky sheet of white royal icing. Or present as stark naked – Oh, I say! and enjoy with a drop or two of double cream.
13. Oh, and darlings, if you've made this in good time, then prick your cake all over with a skewer and spoon feed with dark rum. Then wrap in foil and pop it into a Tupperware vessel until you're ready to ice.    
14. Darlings - enjoy each slice with oodles of gusto!