| Servings: 10 people | Recipe course: Desserts | Total time (min.): 105 |
The cake
200g unsalted butter (softened and diced)
300g soft brown sugar
3 large eggs
350g self-raising flour
200ml soured milk
50g ground almonds
1 tbsp lemon juice
3 tsp ground ginger
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
2 tbsp black treacle
6 pieces stem ginger in syrup (finely chopped)
The coffee syrup
3 tbsp instant coffee
75g caster sugar
The icing
250g soft unsalted butter
1 tsp ground ginger
500g icing sugar (sifted)
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 tbsp stem ginger syrup from the jar
1 x 280g tub full fat soft cheese, at room temperature
The Christmas trees
200g green Candy Melts
15 milk chocolate twigs
Assorted sprinkles
1 x silver edible glitter spray
Coconut flakes and desiccated coconut
1- Preheat oven to 180°C, Fan assisted 160°C, Gas mark 4.
2- Grease and line with baking parchment 2 x 20cm dia. cake tins.
3- Add the lemon juice to the milk and set aside to thicken.
4- Into the mixing bowl of your Kenwood Chef sift the flour, ginger, cinnamon and cloves, baking powder and salt. Then mix slowly the sugar and ground almonds using the K-beater.
5- Add the diced butter and mix on a medium speed until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then add the black treacle, soured milk, and chopped stem ginger.
6- Transfer the mixture equally into the 2 cake tins, and bake for approx. 45 minutes until risen, and the top of the cakes feel springy.
7- To make the coffee syrup dissolve the coffee and sugar in 5-6 tablespoons of boiling water, and drizzle over both cakes. Then leave the cakes to cool in their tins.
8- For the icing, using the K-beater on a medium speed, mix the butter and ground ginger until a soft and creamy texture. Then turn the speed down and slowly mixing add the icing sugar, a quarter at a time.
9- Once mixed, add in the vanilla extract and ginger syrup, then the soft cheese and mix again until smooth. Chill in the fridge.
10- For the Christmas tree decorations, put 200g of green Candy Melts in a bowl and melt in the microwave for 30 seconds. Stir and repeat the process until fully melted. Put the finished icing into a piping bag
11- Place different lengths of chocolate twigs on baking trays, lined with baking parchment, and space out allowing enough space for the piping. Cut a small hole in the end of the piping bag, and working in a zigzag movement from the top down, forming a Christmas tree shape.
12- Add sprinkles and edible glitter before the Chocolate sets and then allow to set at room temperature
13- Slice each cake equally into two, creating four thinner layers. Use the buttercream to sandwich all 4 layers in a stack and then spread a thin layer of it all over the sides and top of the cake to contain the crumbs.
14- Chill the cake and remaining buttercream for 30 minutes until it has hardened.
15- With the rest of the buttercream coat a thick layer all over, smooth off, then finish with a rough pattern and peaks.
16- Decorate with desiccated and flakes of coconut and chill for half an hour. Add the Christmas trees and serve at room temperature.