This is a modern twist on the traditional Christmas cake, with this bundt cake flavoured with cider and the Christmasy spice blend of mixed spice. Not traditional in any way, but still seasonal and really delicious. If you accompany with a salted caramel sauce, this also makes an excellent dessert and is ideal for those looking for something lighter than a traditional Christmas pudding.
Prep time: 20 minutes/Cook time: 40 minutes/Makes: 1 cake
Ingredients:
For the cake:
250ml (1 cup) cider, preferably dry or at least not sweet
175ml (4/5 cup) sunflower oil, plus extra for greasing
100g (3½oz) soft dark brown sugar
300g (2/3 lb) black treacle (use an oiled 1-cup measure for ease)
3 large eggs
3cm (1¼in) piece (15g/½oz) fresh root ginger, peeled and finely grated
300g (2/3 lb) plain flour
2 tsp baking powder
¼ tsp bicarbonate of soda
½ tsp freshly-grated nutmeg
2½ tsp mixed spice
1½ tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground allspice
For the smoky salted caramel sauce:
75g (2½oz) unsalted butter
50g (1¾oz) soft light brown sugar
50g (1¾oz) caster sugar
50g (1¾oz) golden syrup
125ml (1/2 cup) double (heavy) cream
2 tsp smoked sea salt flakes, or to taste
Method:
Open the cider well beforehand so that it loses its fizz. Preheat your oven to 170C (150C Fan/340F/Gas Mark 3). Grease your bundt tin with non-stick cooking spray, or simply oil it, and leave the tin upside down on a piece of newspaper or baking parchment while you prepare the batter.
Measure out the oil, brown sugar and black treacle into a bowl (whether you’re weighing it or going for volume and using a cup measure, always lightly oil the receptacle for the treacle first and it will slide out easily). Pour in the cider and crack in the eggs, then add the ginger and beat till smooth.
In another bowl measure out the flour, baking powder, bicarb, nutmeg, five-spice and cinnamon, and fork through to combine.
Gently tip the dry ingredients into the wet treacly mixture, beating as you go to make a smooth batter. Scrape the sides and the bottom of the bowl well to make sure there aren’t any pockets of flour.
Pour the dark and aromatic batter into the prepared tin: it will be very runny, but don’t be alarmed. Transfer to the centre of your pre-heated oven and bake for 45–50 minutes, but start checking after 40 minutes. When the cake’s ready, it will start to come away from the sides of the tin and a cake tester or skewer inserted into the centre should come out clean; that’s to say, not wet, but with some crumbs adhering to it.
Transfer the bundt tin to a wire rack for about 30 minutes, then use your fingers to help prise the cake away from the edges of the tin, most particularly around the funnel, and turn out. Leave to cool completely before wrapping, first in parchment and then foil, as it tastes best if eaten the next day.
For the sauce, melt the butter, sugars and syrup in a small, heavy-based pan and let it simmer for 3 minutes, swirling the pan every now and then.
Add the cream and the smoked salt and swirl again, then give it a stir with a wooden spoon, and taste. Go cautiously so that you don’t burn your tongue, and see if you want to add more salt, before letting it cook for another minute. Let it cool a little then drizzle over the cake and pour any remaining sauce into a jug to serve.
