Dean Parker Executive Chef of Monroe’s Restaurant at The Gower Hotel, shares a recipe with us. It’s far removed from a traditional Christmas cake and is much lighter – and since it contains fresh fruit maybe it could be part of your 5 a day
Monroe’s Christmas Cake
INGREDIENTS
3 eggs
256g castor sugar
96g softened butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
256g plain flour
12 oz fresh red currants or cranberries
INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
With a mixer, beat the eggs with the sugar until slightly thickened and light in colour, about 5-7 minutes.
The mixture should almost double in size.
The eggs work as your raising agent in this recipe.
This mixture should form a ribbon when you lift the beaters out of the bowl.
Add the butter and vanilla; mix for two more minutes.
Fold in the flour until just combined. Add the berries and fold in carefully.
Spread in a buttered 9”x 13” baking tin.
Bake for 40-50 minutes, or until very lightly browned and a toothpick inserted near the centre of the cake comes out clean.
Let cool completely before cutting into small slices.