Well, I thought I would be good and post this before Christmas all ready for Christmas Eve baking ….. as with many GF recipes it is best eaten within a day or two so plenty of time to get the ingredients ready 🙂 It is the same one that I share each year but figure better to have it in your face than searching for it!
Themselves have been super busy, in and out of activities over the past month: combinations of activities, lessons, competitions (both Judo and sailing), broken collar bones (himself), holidays and a tummy bug (herself) has meant the time has flown by and it is hard to believe that the end of the year is so close. This year we are hanging close to home which will be the first time in a while … have to say I’m looking forward to not having to travel! The excitement is building for themselves though and while they have decorated the letterbox for a neighbourhood search, Christmas Eve is the big night when we get the tree up and the decorations out proper. Another Christmas Eve highlight each year is to drive around the area looking at all the Christmas lights ….. though this does mean a tight schedule for Santa to arrive 🙂 Now all we need is for the weather to improve as it still doesn’t really feel like Summer is properly here with all the muggy, overcast days and rain we have been having.
This recipe is pretty easy and great for us as it means the vegans amongst us still have a taste of ‘traditional’ Christmas fare. I have halved the original recipe so that it fitted into my bread loaf tin which also meant that it was consumed in a timely manner (it is best eaten within 2 days). Sadly, I can’t remember which book I got the recipe from all those years ago and I have altered it quite a bit over the few of times I have baked it so if you recognize it please let me know so I can credit the original correctly.
As you’ll know if you’ve been reading my blogs for a while I like simple and quick recipes. This one is a little out of the norm for me as it required cooking and mashing some kumara prior to mixing everything in one pot …. thankfully I survived the ordeal as it wasn’t quite as daunting as it seemed when I first read it 🙂  I figure one extra dish for some yummy Christmas cake was worth the effort ….. at least once a year that is. The almond essence and decoration definitely gave it that Christmassy look and taste while using the vanilla essence instead, and flagging the decoration, produced a good fruit cake for any occasion.
So here is it for you to play around with and enjoy over this festive season and beyond ….
A Merry Vegan Christmas Cake
1 Tb maple syrup
250 gm of raisins or sultanas
1 Cup of water
1 small apple (peeled and grated)
62 gms chopped almonds – or in my case bashed almondsÂ
1/2 cup of mashed kumara (doesn’t matter if it is cold or warm)
1.5 Tb olive oil
1 tsp almond essence (vanilla also works fine if you just want a fruit cake)
3/4 Cup rice flour
3/4 Cup buckwheat flour
1.5 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp mixed spice
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp cinnamon
extra almonds to decorate – optional
- Bring maple syrup, fruit and water to the boil in a large pot then remove from the heat.
- Add apple, bashed almonds, kumara, essence along with oil and mix well.
- Sift in the dry ingredients and mix well again.
- Pour into a baking paper lined tin and gently press in extra almonds to decorate.
- Bake at 160 C for 45 mins and then leave to cool in the oven for the next 15-20 mins before placing on a cooling rack.
- Store in an airtight container and enjoy.
Hope this finds you surrounded by those you love and who love you, enjoying each other.
Arohanui
Y
Becoming Healthy 