Food NEWS
A Lighter Take on a Christmas Cake
Catherine Lawson
Personally, I could eat a traditional Christmas fruit cake any time, any place, but not everyone feels the same; it seems it’s no longer the hotly anticipated favourite it once was. Where thick slices of dense fruit sponge laced with booze and blanketed with extra layers of sugar were once the epitome of Christmas, lighter options which aren’t quite so sweet are increasingly in demand.
As cakes go it’s hard to think of any which are more loaded with sugar than the traditional Christmas variety, delightful as it is. It’s not that we can’t allow ourselves a slice or two over the season (everything in balance, right?) but the problem we face is that unless we’re having a gathering which could make a dent in the number of portions an average rich fruit cake yields, we’re at risk of tucking in for weeks after the actual event. On our own. That’s a lot of sugar on top of all the other treats we consume at that time.
With this in mind, developing an alternative which is lower in sugar, plant-based and still unapologetically festive became one of my many food missions during the bakery days. The result is this utterly delicious marzipan, pear and ginger cake which fast became a best seller in the bakery and a firm favourite with family and friends.
This cake sings Christmas to me, bringing many of my favourite flavours together in one sweet, harmonious bite. Marzipan (that rich golden gift of the Gods), pear (we all know where the partridge lives) and ginger (again – any time, any place) when combined together, deliver a flavour profile which is a true celebration of the season. The beauty of this cake is in its simplicity which lets each of the flavours shine. Sweet bursts of fresh pear, toasty little nuggets of melted marzipan and an occasional nudge from a much-loved fiery spice makes this a joyous addition to any Christmas table.
Marzipan, pear and ginger cake (vegan)
Yields 8 ‘go for it’ slices – 12 ‘just a little bit please’ pieces
Wet mix
250ml unsweetened almond milk
125ml light olive oil
150g golden caster sugar (plus 1 extra tbsp for finishing)
3 x flax eggs (*see below)
2 x tbsps white wine vinegar
1 x tsp vanilla essence
Dry mix
250g plain flour
3 x tsps baking powder
1½ x tsps baking soda
2 x tsps ground ginger
Pinch salt
Additional ingredients
4 x large pears peeled, cored and chopped into small bitesize pieces
120g golden marzipan cut and rolled into blueberry sized nuggets (roughly – they don’t have to be perfect)
Dusting of icing sugar
To make:
- Grease and line a 9” springform tin and set aside. Pre-heat oven to 180C
- Combine the wet mix ingredients together, stirring well
- Sift in the dry ingredients and beat together using a wooden spoon, making sure everything is well combined. The mixture should have a light, creamy texture as the vinegar and the bicarbonate of soda start to work their magic.
- Stir 2/3 of the chopped pear through the batter and pour into the prepared tin.
- Scatter the remaining pear pieces evenly over the top along with the marzipan nuggets and finish with a sprinkling of golden caster sugar
- Bake at 180C for approximately 55 mins or until a skewer comes out clean when inserted in the middle
- Once cooled, remove from the tin and dust with icing sugar
Keeps fresh for up to 4 days in an airtight container, stored in a cool place.
*Flax eggs are made using ground flaxseed and water (I recommend P H Foods Ground Golden Flaxseed). To make one flax egg mix 1 tbsp flaxseed with 3 tbsps cold water and leave to set for 5 minutes before using. Multiply as required for the recipe.
