Two cakes for special gatherings

The two cakes I have chosen this week have lots of elements to them, but if you read both recipes really carefully and take your time the effort will be well worth it and the result will be delicious. Both cakes would be wonderful at Easter or a special family gathering like First Communion or Confirmation.

Orange Marmalade & Cranberry Cake

5oz Dried Cranberries

250ml Orange Flavoured Liqueur or Brandy

6oz Butter, softened

3 Eggs

4oz Ground Almonds

8oz Self Raising Flour

Marmalade

1 Orange, halved and cut into 8 wedges

250ml Water

12oz Castor Sugar

Glace Icing

1lb Icing Sugar

60ml Cranberry Juice

Place the cranberries into a small bowl along with the liqueur and leave to soak overnight. In a separate bowl place the orange, (all the orange) and water and leave to soak overnight. The following day place the orange mixture into a saucepan and bring to the boil, reduce the heat, cover the saucepan and simmer for 40 minutes, stirring occasionally. Next add the sugar to the pan and allow the sugar to dissolve, bring to the boil and continue to boil for about 20 minutes uncovered until it resembles marmalade. Strain the marmalade through a sieve into a small bowl, keep the syrup separate and the orange skin and pith in another bowl. Allow to cool. Preheat the oven to 150° and grease an 8inch fluted spring back tin then sprinkle with flour and discard the excess. Beat the butter and the syrup from the marmalade in a mixing bowl, next beat in the eggs one at a time, this mix will crack but it will come back together with the flour. Fold in the almonds, flour, cranberry mix and the orange rind, combine well. Transfer to the greased tin and bake for 1¼ hours. Make the glaze by adding the cranberry juice to the icing sugar. Place the cake on a nice large round plate and drizzle with the glace icing.

Buttery Light Fruit Cake with Almond Crumble

6oz Sultanas

6oz Raisins

6oz Glace Cherries

4oz Mixed Peel

125ml Orange Flavoured Liqueur or Brandy

6oz Butter

8oz Sugar

2tsp Vanilla Extract

2 Eggs

½ cup Greek Yogurt

3oz Ground Almonds

6oz Self Raising Flour

Almond Crumble

2½oz Plain Flour

2oz Butter

1oz Brown Sugar

3oz Marzipan or Fresh Almond Paste

1oz Flaked Almonds

Combine the fruit and brandy and leave to soak overnight. Preheat the oven 150° and grease and 8” round high sided cake tin and line with a double sheet of baking parchment. Beat the butter and sugar and vanilla extract in a mixing bowl, next beat in the eggs one at a time, and add the Greek yogurt, fold in the fruit mixture, the ground almonds and the flour. Place the mixture into the greased and lined tin.

To make the almond crumble: in a bowl rub the flour and butter until crumbly then stir in the sugar and add in the grated marzipan and almonds.

Spoon the crumble on top of the cake and press down lightly and bake for 1½. Check that the cake is cooked, if not put back into the oven for another 10 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool.