Christmas Loaf Cake
I can’t tell you how long I’ve yearned for a Christmas loaf cake, nor why I’ve come up with one only now. But I won’t waste my time or yours by lamenting the lost years without it; I’d rather concentrate on the happiness that it’s in my life now. I certainly don’t disavow all my traditionally shaped round Christmas cakes but I’ve always felt that a loaf of fruit cake would cut into the perfect slices, especially pleasing when eaten with cheese (Kirkham’s Lancashire or a good Wensleydale for choice) and this is, indeed, the case – emphatically so. Form alone would not be enough, though: flavour is what food is about, and this little beauty certainly rewards on that front; boosted by brandy and warmly infused with ginger, every slice is a seasonal taste sensation. I’m not saying you couldn’t make it with rum or whisky but, on the basis of my testing and retesting, I came to the conclusion that it was only brandy that gave it the flavour I wanted; ginger needs a partner sprightly enough to stand up to it! While the recipe below is for a 2lb/900g loaf tin I’ve also used the mixture to make two little 1lb/450g loaves very successfully. (And do see Additional Notes, below.) In theory, I see no reason why you couldn’t halve the mixture to make just one 1lb loaf, but even if you want just one little cake yourself, it feels more in the Christmas spirit to give the other one away as a present.
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