The Cake of the Year: Christmas Cake. A suitcase of money! Could it be a $1,000,000?
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The Cake of the Year
A suitcase of Money
Could it be a Million Dollars?
When a great thing Happens
It’s Icing on the Cake
Relative Visit
Two Desires
What a magic Journey! What a magic View!
One Million Dollars
She was Gifted
Death
Benediction
What is Cake Icing?
How easy it is!
Marmalade Christmas Cake AKA
‘Frank’s Famous Marmalade Cake’
Ingredients
Method
Baking
Feeding you Masterpiece
Fourteen Masterpieces in one year
Why Christmas Cake?
A Little History
The Cake of the Year: - Christmas Cake.
A suitcase of money! Could it be a $1,000,000?
If a great thing happens, then another great thing happens on top of it, the second thing is known as the icing on the cake. "Wow! Icing on the cake!" We all love to eat delicious cake, and sometimes the cake has an extra sweet layer of icing on the top; that is the icing on the cake. Example: "We won the case, and they are going to pay our legal expenses." "That's the Icing on the Cake." "I've been accepted by the university, and they've offered me a position on the basketball team!" Answer: "That's wonderful! Icing on the Cake."
Some years ago my sister notified us, that she was coming to see us in Sydney. She had been ill and in hospital and now she was feeling and getting better. That was just ‘Icing on the Cake.’ She stayed with us for 11 weeks. She had two desires: -
(1) She wanted to climb the Sydney Harbor Bridge. So Val and Big Sis (but not me.) went into some serious training. Walking, climbing the stairs at the railways stations and more walking. This went on for five weeks. The big day arrived early November and their Journey eventuated. Had to have a breath test first, at 8.00 AM in the morning. The view was exemplary and definitely worth the Effort as was related by Val and Big Sister, when I picked them up at the end of the journey.
(2) The next item on her agenda was to literally ice the most magnificent cake that she had ever iced. She was gifted at icing cakes. Two of her friends had combined with her to doing best icing of cake as their swan song. The three of them were looking for the most incredible idea for icing their cake. They belonged to some Cake Icing Club in Auckland. We spent a lot of nights peering at the internet, to get some ideas. There were lots of great ones and the one that won the day was ‘The Million Dollars in Suitcase of Money.’ What a great idea. This cake was not going to be made in Sydney but in New Zealand. Obviously the Icing on the Cake would take place there.
Alas my Sister died within 2 months of arriving back in New Zealand. Her trip to Australia the land of her birth was her Swan Song to Life. I never heard another thing about the Cake or the ‘Suitcase of Money.’ I did not know her two friends, so I could not find out any information. The Icing on the Cake was magnificent, even if it was only a dream and probably died with her.
“They who speak to us do not know that our hearts are full with your unspoken words.
Those who crowd our paths do not know that we walk alone with you.
They who love us do not know their love brings you closer to our hearts.”
Literally what does Icing the cake mean?
Sugar paste piping, plaques, fondant and trellis: when did icing become so complicated? No wonder most of us avoid it, commissioning bespoke wedding or birthday cakes instead of decorating their own. Well, it’s time someone demystifies the most unpopular iceing techniques.
Royal or Fondant Iceing!
To the beginner, the difference is barely noticeable. Pick up a packet of either in your supermarket and you’ll be able to roll out a smooth layer of icing for your cake. But there are some subtle differences. Fondant icing is an all-purpose icing, usually made with glucose and icing sugar. Its thick consistency makes it perfect for shaping models, or rolling out to cover cakes, but it’s often made more thinly and poured or spread on cakes. Fondant icing hardens as it dries, but not to a completely hard set. For that you’ll need Royal icing – traditionally made with raw egg whites, and available ready-to-roll. This sets absolutely hard, and is often used on Christmas or wedding cakes.
Making Your Own Fondant Iceing
To every 1lb of iceing sugar, add 1 whisked egg white and 2oz liquid (use half liquid glucose to give a more flexible set – make up the rest with colouring or flavouring).
Making Your Own Royal Icing
For Royal iceing, blend 1lb icing sugar (choose Royal Icing sugar if possible) with 2 whisked egg whites, and add 1tsp of liquid. If you’re planning to roll the icing, add more sugar until it reaches a kneadable consistency.
Sugar paste
There’s a word to strike terror into your heart. Sugar paste is a mouldable iceing paste used to make intricate roses, veined leaves and other decorations for your cake. It sets hard so it’s ideal for 3D decorations. Sugar paste is traditionally the domain of experienced cake decorators, but it needn’t be! If you’re uncertain about your artistic skills in this department, why not enlist the children… 5-year-olds can get away with wonky eyes and big noses far better than you or I!
There I told you I would make it easy for you to understand. In four paragraphs you have become an Ice Caking Professional. My sister made it sound easy. I made our Favourite Fruit Cake and she iced it magnificently. She took the recipe back to New Zealand with her to put under her great Icing of the Cake.
It’s Iceing on the Cake!
Marmalade Christmas Cake
Ingredients
250 Grams Pitted Dates
250 Grams Dried Apricots
250 Grams Glace Pineapple
200 Grams Walnuts
All the above must be chopped
250 Grams Sultanas
200 Grams Currants
1 Cup Fresh Orange Juice
2 Cups Marmalade (Obviously ‘Frank’s Famous Farmalade’)
Combine all fruit, walnuts, orange juice and marmalade in a bowl and stand overnight in the refrigerator.
500 Grams Butter
2 Cups Brown Sugar (loosely packed)
8 Large eggs
2 Cups Flour
3 Tsps Baking Powder
4 Tsps Ground Cinnamon
1 Tsps Ground Ginger
Method: -
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Turn oven to 150d C (300d F)
Cream the butter and the sugar with an electric beater until light and fluffy.
Add the eggs one at a time. Beating well.
Stir this mixture into your fruit bowl and add all the sifted dry ingredients slowly, stirring all the time.
Spread into you prelined baking dish.
Cover over the top of the Cake mix with newspaper, resting on the cardboard sides
Bake in a slow oven for 3.1/2 - 4 hours.
Bake in the oven for 3 hours and then test with a skewer. If not ready bake for up to another hour testing every 20 minutes until the skewer comes out clean.
Turn out on to a wire rack and leave to cool.
Once cool, make a few holes in the cake with a skewer and pour over 3-4 tbsp of brandy. Let the brandy soak into the cake.
Listen for any humming sound issuing from your masterpiece, before taking out of the oven, to rest and cool in your baking dish.
To test if your cake is done, lightly press the centre of the cake with your little finger – it should spring back and not leave an impression. The cracks, by the way, will close up as the cake cools. Allow the cake to cool in the tin for 30 minutes then remove it to a wire rack to finish cooling.
Several times before Christmas you can 'feed' your cake – make small holes in the top and base of the cake with a cocktail stick or small skewer, then spoon over a few teaspoons of brandy. If your household is non alcoholic, freshly squeezed orange juice can be substituted for the alcohol in the recipe. Wrap the cake in a double layer of silicone paper, then in double foil, before storing it in an airtight container.
Frequent feeding, this cake will last for 11 months before you need to ice.
One year we made 14 cakes and ate the last one for Xmas Day. You could call that ‘The Icing on the Cake. It tasted so good, we kept getting tested internally.
Why Christmas Cake?
Christmas Cake is sometimes called the Twelfth Night Cake. This is a holiday in some branches of Christianity marking the coming of the Epiphany, concluding the Twelve Days of Christmas, and is defined by the Oxford English Dictionary as "the evening of the fifth of January, preceding Twelfth Day, the eve of the Epiphany, formerly the last day of the Christmas festivities and observed as a time of merrymaking".
The celebration of Epiphany, the adoration of the Magi, is marked in some cultures by the exchange of gifts, and Twelfth Night, as the eve or vigil of Epiphany, takes on a similar significance to Christmas Eve.
In some traditions it is taken to mean the evening of the Twelfth Day itself, the sixth of January. This apparent difference has arisen probably because in modern times people are less aware of the old custom of treating sunset as the beginning of the following day, and perceive Twelfth Night to mean the night of the Twelfth Day.
Twelfth Night Cake (aka Rosca de Reyes, Gateau des Rois, King Cake) honors the Three Wise Men who visited the baby Jesus on the 12th day after his birth. This Christian holiday is called Epiphany, Twelfth Night, and Three Kings Day.
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Comments
Thank you for sharing this touching story. I can hardly think of a better way to honor someone you've loved than to tell the memories through the foods you loved together. My father's mother was a fantastic cook, and when I make biscuits, I like to share the story of how she taught me to make them when I was a young girl.
Perhaps you will make a million-dollar suitcase icing some day?
Mr.M you always have such wonderful stories to tell and in such a pleasant way. Am so glad to her SIS did all the things she wanted be- fore going "HOME" to her final resting place and that YOU helped make it possible... says so much...a truly caring and loving soul you are...Lucky Val...G-Ma :o) hugs
Paraglider
I sincerely trust that one day you will take the opportunity to visit and perhaps go through the Alcohol test and climbing that beautiful bridge. Allow 3 hours. You go up half of one side, cross over above the traffic and then walk down the other side. When my hip and legs gets more mobility, even I will walk it.
Thank you
Sally,
Soon I am going to publish a book on all the fruit cakes of the World.
Have you or in your Mum's treasure,s a beautiful Christmas cake you would like to contribute. I promise I will make it before I write about it. and give you all the honour.
Thank you
Ma,
You have the ability to express the nicest of words.
Tell me do you know how to ice a cake. You could put a Hub together on Iceing the cake. That Would be the Iceing on the Cake.
I like that idea.
If not I would settle for your best fruit cake
Thanks in anticipation
Dear MrM,
Alas! We have no christmas cakes in our family recipes. But we do have Christmas venison stew.
We get the deer in the autumn and freeze it for an extravaganza on Christmas day. However, the recipe is off the cuff, so to speak. We all get together and talk about what might go into the pot. Usually, there's rich red wine involved, and mushrooms, and winter vegetables such as parsnips. Plus dried herbs from the summer garden and whatever creativity a family member wants to contribute. It's never the same from year to year, except that it's venison, it always has potatoes and onions and garlic, and it's always delicious. So, I don't think I can write a recipe for this dish...maybe it will be a Hub one day. For us, it's all about being together and "teaming up" to find the right ingredients and cooking methods for the day.
I want to make your Christmas cake. As you might imagine, "fruit cake" does not have a big appeal in the US, as it is mostly commercially bought, and almost never home-made. So I really need to know, how do I get ‘Frank’s Famous Farmalade’?
Your fan, Sally
MrM -
What a delightful and touching Hub. Truly "icing on the cake":-) I love that you have shared this wonderful story about your sister and her dreams that she was able to live - now that is really the icing on the cake for any of us to be able to accomplish.
tMDg
LdsNana-AskMormon
Nana,
Can you give me any knowledge on Iceing the Cake, please?
That is away for me to go. I have to learn so I can put Big Sis on the map.
Incidentally do you have a favourite Christmas or fruit cake in your secret books of recipes please?
I desire to publish a book on Christmas cakes in the near future.
Are you able to help me please?
Sally,
You have given me enough of an idea. I will have it on the table for Xmas.
I am use to adhoc cooking. It may not be as good as yours, I will keep on until perfection.
As to your Question, send a P.O. Box number or some address. 200 gms will be at your place with in the month.
Thanks for all your help
Dear MrM -
As Sally mentioned, fruit cake or Christmas cakes are not really popular in the U.S. I have absolutely no experience that would be of service to you in this department. I feel that I have failed you:-) I hope we can still be friends. LOL
tDMg
LdsNana-AskMormon
This is something I have never thought of.
I never knew that fruit cakes were not the rage in USA.
There has been no failure on your part. May be one day you could be tempted to stray from no fruit cake to just trying one. If made with Frank's Famous Farmalade. Well worth being tempted. you never know you may be the new trend setter.
Hope so!
Thank you
Looks good I think I'd eat the suitcase and then spend the money
cheers
Rowan
Too much of that icing will lead to diabetes.
Then you would say. "That was not the Icing on the Cake."
Thank you
I have been kooking for that stray Million dollars
great hub. i will tell you how to put the icing on the cake one day
Please hurry, I might need it.
Hello MrMarmalade,
I wanted to express my thanks for the great cake recipe. It turned out so beautifully; color, style, and design, thank you so much for sharing it.
Well, I too have a cake related hub page as well. Just click on my picture to check it out when you have time or go to http://freecakebook.com to get my free cake book
Happy Baking!
Vondre
Hi Mr.Marmalade, may we continue to appreciate the cake and the icings on it as often as we can. Thank you for your special story. That was truly touching. :)
The Rhyme of Time.
I had arrived at my Emails and literally saw your name just after it appeared. (5 mins)
What perfect timing. Thank you
Wow! Merry Christmas Mr. M!
I have long been a fan All the best for Dec 25th and 2009
Frank
I'm originally from Atlanta Ga USA and it was always a tradition in my family to give a fruit cake as a gift. My grandfather used to make homemade fruitcake that was exquisite. We all loved his fuitcake, but as a joke there was always a Claxton fruitcakes passed around from year to year among the family members. You could always tell what it was inside the wrapping paper- that desctinctive brick shape.
BTW- I love the icing on the cake that's a suitcase of money. Very cool!
viralmusicvideos says
I love the icing on the cake that's a suitcase of money. Very cool!
I am continually amazed how many people use that phrase.
Thank you for being so cool
How would you like to find a copy for me and send it to me
uanditogether@gmail.com
Please?
Nice hub! though I like choc on the cake.
Jim ,
Please endeavour to make one and be hapier still. You will love the chocolate even more
Great hub - icing on the cake, both literally and metaphorically - I appreciate your wit and writing style. thanks for sharing!
alittlebitcrazy
With such a great comment how could anyone say your name and mean it.
Thank you please come back
Paraglider says:
15 months ago
Hi Mr M - enjoyed the Sydney Harbour Bridge story. I'd no idea it was so high you'd have to train in order to climb it. In UK, Australian cake decoration is one of the more popular night classes. I've never tried it though.