Christmas Spice cake

Now if you haven't had the time to soak fruits for your Christmas cake, or if you don't like fruit cake at all but still want a festive cake, don't worry I got ya. This spiced cake is very Christmasy, full of holiday flavour and a good option if you're not into the whole fruit cake tradition, or even if you just want to try something different. Although fruitless, it still is very much Christmas on a plate.


The water in the cake makes it light and airy, the spices give an interesting flavour and the cake is sticky and moist as well. Very simple to make, this batter takes hardly any time to whip up, considering it doesn't need any butter, but just a mix of egg and oil with the usual ingredients or suspects shall I say.


I'm keeping this post really short, considering I'm in the middle of making kuswar, baking cakes and getting geared up for the holidays. Can't wait to be home with family, soaking up in that lovely Mangalorean comfort and enjoying mum's food. Such a special time indeed.

You can bake this cake in a large loaf tin or a 9 inch round tin, or bundt pan. Don't be put off by the list of ingredients, it's just a little bit of everything really and all you got to do is measure and mix.

Spiced Christmas Cake :

Ingredients:
4 large eggs, separated, plus 2 extra egg whites
100 gm caster sugar
125 ml oil
125 ml water
2 tbsp honey
200 gm brown sugar
180 gm flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
a pinch of salt
1 tsp of cinnamon
1/2 tsp all spice
zest of one orange

Preheat the oven to a 180 C.

1. In a bowl, beat the egg whites still soft peaks form and then add the sugar gradually. Leave this aside and get to mixing all the other ingredients.
2. In another large bowl, start with whisking the yolks and oil and don't worry if it looks split, it will, especially coz we aren't making mayonnaise.
3. Add the water, honey and all the other ingredients, gently folding in the flour.
4. Fold in the egg whites and gently pour the batter into a greased cake tin. Bake for about 45 - 50 mins or till a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.  
5. Let the cake cool for about 20 mins before you take it out of the tin.