Monday Bake - Cranberry and Orange Loaf Cake

We have had a very christmassy weekend.   On Saturday we went to the Christmas Tree Festival at the local church.  We have been going since Minibakebakegirl was a baby, her baby group entered a tree with hand print decorations that year.  This year her school had decorated a tree with origami decorations.  It is lovely to walk round looking at the trees while the choir sing carols.  One of my favourites again this year was the knitted one - which this year was The Twelve Days of Christmas. Then we came home and put up our tree. 

 

On Sunday Minibakebakegirl was singing in the Market Square with her newly formed school choir at the Winter Gala Day.  They sang four songs and did a really good job. 
We also saw Granny Turismo.  I'm not actually sure how to describe them but they were very entertaining.  SisterInLaw and TheInLaws came to watch too, afterwards we went for a much needed coffee to warm up!

Two weeks today will be Christmas Eve!  Following on from my Christmas Cake post last week as not everybody likes christmas cake, some people find it too heavy.  So here is a recipe for a Christmas Loaf Cake which is a much lighter fruit cake.

Ingredients:
100g margarine
150g caster sugar
1 large egg
1 tsp cinnamon
125g dried cranberries
125g raisins
Zest of 1 orange
240ml fresh orange juice
350g plain flour
2 tsp baking powder

Method:
Preheat the oven to 180c/Fan 160c/GasMark4
Line a 2lb loaf tin with a loaf tin liner (I use Lakeland)
Place the margarine and sugar in a large bowl. Cream together with an electric whisk until light and creamy.
Add the egg, beat in well.

Roll the cranberries and raisins in the cinnamon and then add to the bowl along with the orange zest. Add the orange juice and mix again.
Stir in the flour and the baking powder.
Spoon into the tin and cook for about 1hour 15minutes.

Check it after an hour if the top is browning too quickly, cover with some foil.
Check the cake is cooked (when an inserted skewer comes out clean - if it doesn't pop
the cake back in the oven for another 5 minutes - then check again - repeat as necessary) The top will crack - this is fine.

Leave to cool in the tin. 

This is quite a big loaf cake and I find it easiest to cut this cake into thick slices and then once on a plate cut the piece in half down the middle - if needed!  Due to the fruit I find it I can't slice it thinly.

Do you like my new plate?  I thought the little birds were very sweet.

Bakebakegirl

Todays Top Three Christmas songs:

1. Christmas Wrapping - The Waitresses
2. White Christmas - Bing Crosby
3. Fairytale of New York - The Pogues and Kirsty MacColl