Let's bake 'Grace Wilsons' Christmas Cake 🎄

  I love a Christmas cake with a self-deciding recipe!

In other words, you decide what fruit makes up the 1kg recipe content.
It is a godsend for those who think peel is the worst food invention ever!
This is a super easy Christmas cake recipe that has been in my family forever.

Well almost - my mother received this recipe from Grace 
(a work friend) in 1969.
And 'Grace Wilson's Christmas cake' is simply the best.

Because it is moist, and it's full of your favourite fruit.
I chose dried cranberries, apricots and sultanas for this years cake.

Once baked  and cooled, 
leave cake in a sealed container for two days before icing.

This lets the flavours develop.

Then cover the cake with a thin layer of warmed apricot jam.

Cover with pre-rolled white icing.

I used Royalty brand white Icing for the top of the cake, green for the holly leaves and red for the berries.

Use a holly leaf cutter (available at online cake stores or your local cake decorating store) to cut leaves from green icing.

Then roll little red berries from red icing.

I also rolled these berry balls in red sugar sprinkles.

Use a little apricot jam to hold the leaves and berries in place.

Wrap two layers of pretty ribbon around the cake

Pin in place.

Plate and serve.
This cake keeps well in a sealed cake container in the pantry.

Grace Wilson's Christmas Cake

Preheat oven to 130 Celcius (266 F)

In a bowl mix 3 lb(1360 grams) mixed fruit in 1 cup of Sherry with 1 tablespoon of Golden Syrup.

Mix well and leave covered with film wrap or a teatowel overnight to soak.

Beat 1/2 lb (226 grams) softened butter with 1 and 1/2 cups of fine caster sugar.

Gradually beat in 6 eggs and 1 teaspoon vanilla essence

Add 1 lb (3 and 1/3 cups) white flour, 1/4 teaspoon salt,

and 1 teaspoon baking powder.

Line a square tin 24 x 24cm or a round tin, with two layers of baking paper and place the mixture inside.

Bake for 3 hours.

Test, the skewer should come out clean once cooked.

When baking, place a piece of cardboard on top of the cake once crusted to stop the top from browning too much.

Leave in the tin until completely cold before placing in a sealed container.

Store at least two days before icing it.

Spread a layer of warmed apricot jam between the cake and the white royal icing layer.

Decorate as desired.

You'll find the recipe HERE.

For more Christmas ideas visit HERE.

   

For the latest posts JOIN  :) 

#christmas #cake #cakedecorating #vintage #recipe

Beautiful Ladybird Christmas Ornaments

 One day I just happened upon a beautiful ladybird and captured wonderful photographs as it meandered across a textured pot.

Through The Looking Glass

These images were manipulated using old-school digital technology many years ago well before the appearance of AI. 

With the assistance of 'Fine Art America', I've created a collection of contemporary 'Ladybird Christmas Ornaments'.

The oval ornaments are half an inch thick and about 4 inches tall made from wood. 

They come with a hanger and with a magnet on the back.

Links to each design are below the pictures.

Through The Looking Glass #2

 

    Ladybird Flower Blur #1               Ladybird Flower Blur #2

    

   

      Ladybird Flower Blur #3                  Ladybird Pair

  

  

  Ladybird Abstract Swirl                Ladybird Fish Eye View

These designs are also available on coffee mugs, journals, tote bags,  and other gift products HERE.

#christmasdecorationsonline #onlinegifts

#ladybird #ladybirds

Let's Craft A DIY 'Christmas In A Mug'

Add a cute festive touch to your decor with 'Christmas In A Mug'. 

This project is very easy to create.

I chose white and green as my colours, but you can choose whatever colour way you like.

Let those festive Christmas vibes flow.

What I have created is a guide for you.

This project takes half an hour to DIY.

You Will Need:

A plain white coffee mug

Polystyrene (or dry florist foam)

An assortment of Christmas picks - pine, pinecones and berries.

A small ornament for the focal point

2 green and white striped pipe cleaners

Wire cutters

Hot glue gun

To Make:

Cut your polystyrene to fit the inside of the mug.

It should sit just below the lip of the mug.

Start at the back of the mug and poke the first

 Christmas pick in place.

Continue placing the pine picks as shown.

                               Add some pinecones.

I used wired bunches that I could pull apart and cut the wires with wire cutters to the length required.

This is what it should look like at this stage.

Next, add a focal ornament.

And a striped pipe cleaner around the cup.

Shape the second pipe cleaner into a heart shape.

Cut the extra length off and bend the end to make a hook.

Hook it over the pipe cleaner around the mug, and bend the heart to sit nicely.

I added a small pearl to the top of the Christmas tree ornament to hide the wire hanging loop, and a small crystal ball to the top of the tallest pine pick.

I used hot glue to do this.

Place in your Christmas decor.

Here in New Zealand, it is Summer and very hot during the festive season.

But it's on my bucket list to experience a Northern Hemisphere snowy Christmas. 

:)

You'll find more Christmas crafts, DIY, free printables and recipes HERE.

For the latest posts JOIN  :) 

#christmascrafts #diychristmas #christmasdecorideas

 #homemade