Spiced Lemon Cake
Preparation 20 Minutes
Cook 45 Minutes
Serves 12-16
Method
Pre-heat oven to 180°C (160°C fan-forced).
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Place butter and sugar into the bowl of an electric mixer, beat until pale and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time until well incorporated.
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Fold in the sifted flour, almond meal, baking powder and spice alternately with the sour cream, mixing until well combined. Add lemon juice and rind, mixing well.
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Spoon batter into a greased and lined 20cm square cake pan. Sprinkle the pine nuts and currants over the top and bake for 40- 45 minutes, or until an inserted skewer comes out clean.
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For the syrup: Place sugar, lemon juice and cinnamon in a saucepan. Bring to the boil, reduce heat and simmer until reduced, thick and syrupy. Remove cinnamon stick.
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Drizzle the syrup evenly over the cake, allowing it to be absorbed. Allow to cool in the pan for 1 hour. Serve cake pieces with a dollop of thick cream or yoghurt.
Ingredients
175g butter, diced and softened
1¼ cups caster sugar
3 extra large eggs
1 ½ cups plain flour
½ cup SUNBEAM Almond Meal
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp mixed spice
½ cup sour cream
¼ cup lemon juice
1 tbsp finely grated lemon rind
¼ cup SUNBEAM Currants
¼ cup SUNBEAM Pine Nuts
Spiced Syrup
¼ cup caster sugar
juice of 1 lemon (approx. 60ml)
1 cinnamon stick
Recipe Collection
Sunbeam Spiced Christmas Cake
In a large bowl, combine mixed fruit, cherries, nuts, apple, golden syrup and liquor. Mix well, cover and allow to stand overnight (or up to 24 hours for amazing flavour).
Preheat oven to 150ºC (130ºC fan forced). Very generously grease the bundt tin, ensuring butter is in all creases.
Add sugar and butter to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a beater attachment. Beat until fluffy and pale. With the motor running, add eggs one at a time, beating until incorporated before adding the next.
Add flour and spices, beat on low until just combined. Add orange zest and soaked fruit mixture and beat until just combined.
In a small bowl mix together orange juice and bicarbonate of soda, add to the cake batter and beat until just incorporated.
Spoon batter into the prepared bundt tin, using a spatula to press mixture into any crevices and flatten the surface.
Bake for 2 ¼ to 2 ½ hours or until the cake springs back when gently pressed in the centre. Allow cake to cool in the tin for an hour then invert onto a baking rack to remove and allow to cool completely.
Sticky Date Christmas Pudding with Salted Caramel Sauce
TO MAKE THE PUDDING
1. Combine dates, mixed fruit, 280ml water, sugars, salt and butter in large saucepan. Bring to the boil then reduce heat and allow to simmer for 8 mins.
2. Add bicarbonate of soda, stir well and allow to cool completely (preferably overnight).
3. Once completely cool, add eggs, flours, spices and rum. Mix well.
4. Generously grease inside the pudding bowl. Pour the mixture into tin then cover with a layer of baking paper and a layer of foil and secure tightly with kitchen string.
5. Place a small cooling rack or an upturned oven-safe dish into the base of a large saucepan. Place pudding bowl on top so that it is not directly touching the bottom of the pan. Fill saucepan with boiling water to come half way up the sides of the pudding bowl. Bring water to the boil then reduce heat to low, cover and allow to simmer for 3 hours. Remove pudding from water, allow to cool completely before removing pudding from tin.
TO MAKE SAUCE
1. Combine cream, butter and sugar in a saucepan. Stir over a low heat until all ingredients combined.
2. Stir in salt.
Chocolate Bark Variations
Place the chocolate in a large heat-proof bowl over a pot of gently simmering water. Cook until the chocolate is almost entirely melted, stirring frequently.
Cover a large, rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Use a silicone or rubber spatula to spread chocolate evenly over the centre area of the baking sheet—aim for about ¼″ thickness
Sprinkle the nuts, seeds & fruit evenly over the chocolate. Lightly use your palms to press the toppings into the chocolate.
Place the pan on a flat surface in the refrigerator to set.
Once the chocolate is completely hardened, use your hands to break it into about 25 pieces. Serve immediately, or cover and store at room temperature for up to 1 week.
Sunbeam Fathers Day Nut Mix
Preheat oven to 160°C
Line a large rimmed tray with baking paper so the maple syrup doesn’t get stuck to the pan.
Pour the Sunbeam natural almonds, raw cashews and pepitas onto the tray and set it aside.
In a small bowl, combine the maple syrup, melted butter, salt, rosemary, and cayenne. Stir till blended.
Pour the mixture over the nuts on the prepared baking sheet. Stir well, until all of the nuts are lightly coated. Then spread the mixture in a single layer across the tray.
Bake in oven, stirring after the first 10 minutes and then every 5 minutes thereafter, until almost no maple syrup remains on the parchment paper and the nuts are golden, approx 20 minutes.
Remove tray from the oven and stir the nuts one more time, spreading them into an even layer & let them cool. Once cool store in a airtight jar and gift to dad on Fathers Day!
Baked Sweet Potatoes with Toasted Hazelnuts
- Pre-heat oven to 180°C (160°C fan-forced). Line an oven tray with baking paper.
- Rub sweet potatoes in half the olive oil and place onto baking tray. Roast for approx. 45 minutes or until just cooked all the way through.
- Heat remaining oil in a small fryingpan. Add hazelnuts and cook for 3-4 minutes or until golden. Add sesame seeds, cumin and thyme. Cook a further 1-2 minutes, remove from heat and stir in the lemon rind, season well.
- For serving, cut down the centre of each sweet potato and push out to make a small cavity. Top each with the hazelnut mixture, crumble over the feta and drizzle with lemon juice, additional oil and the harissa.
Christmas Cake Gift Jar
As a gift idea
- Place flour in bottom of jar and add spices and bicarbonate of soda
- Pour in fruit and push down lightly
- Next place brown sugar and finish with slivered almonds.
- Attach a gift card with the following instructions:
YOU WILL NEED
250g butter, melted
3 eggs, lightly beaten
¼ cup brandy
METHOD
- Preheat oven 150°C. Double line a 20cm round tin with baking paper
- Combine gift jar contents, butter, eggs and brandy and stir until combined
- Spoon into prepared tin and bake for 1 hour or until skewer inserted comes out clean.
