PHOTO UPDATE FV celebration cake

**forestdale** · 12-21-2004, 12:38 AM

okay, so this afternoon I made my Christmas cake. I've had the dried sultanas and raisins, glaced peaches, cherries, pears, pineapple and apricots soaking in brandy for two weeks. Boy, are they pumped!! All plump fruity containers of brandy and juicy goodness waiting to jump into the rest of the ingredients. I put in a handfull of nuts - brazils, macadamia and almonds, four eggs from my own special girls and I made the butter from local cream. The flour is the lovely spelt flour I get from the organic shop and I mixed it with cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg. I also added zest from two organic oranges and two spoons full of english marmalade. I'm dying to see how it turns out. The baking will take 3.5 hours. I am not a patient woman so it's driving me crazy knowing it's going to take so long.

While I was mixing this splendid concoction I thought about how I used to help my mum and grandma with the christmas puddings and cakes when I was little. I think that's where I found a love of cooking that has stayed with me all these years.

It also occured to me during the measuring and mixing that this cake is like Frugal Village. I had ingredients like interesting fruit (sara, darlene, chriss, kimmee, Debbie Bush and kim); wholesome goodness eggs and butter - (Debbie (hmsclmom), Heather (calico) CJ, Dixie, Lucie, dolphin, carolyn (karlisangel) and dee; added to the spicy brandy, ginger and cinnamon - chelle, melody, missy, michele, michelle (mom23boys), karen, robyn, angie, roxy, kathy, i.m.cheap and couponchic; I added nuts - gabe and jerry (sorry boys but I had to have you in here somewhere); my zesty organic oranges are Pat and Lisa (paelthom and PrairieRose) my two spoonfulls of english marmalade will be played by Julia and margery, but she won't know unless she reads this in a few month's time; and flour - I am the flour because I hold the rest of you together in my mind.

There are lots of other people who provide the impetus for this cake - FV members who although they remain nameless here do not go un-noticed or un-involved with our special cake. It's just my brain is fried now from all that mixing and to recall everyone is just beyond my simple mind.

So, what do I get from this strange assortment of intruiging ingredients? I get a delicious, rich, sweet cake that will satisfy everyone who tastes it and is made for celebrating. I will post pictures of the Frugual Village celebration cake tomorrow. :sagrin:

**Julia Kimber** · 12-21-2004, 07:20 AM

I like the sound of being English marmalade!

Sounds really, really yummy Rhonda!
Julia

**Darlene** · 12-21-2004, 07:23 AM

I'm an interesting fruit!

Your cake sounds lovely, filled with all good things. Thanks for filling our lives with many good things too Rhonda!

Ps~You were mentioning your brain might be fried from all that mixing...just a thought, maybe the brandy fumes were getting to you...just a wee bit.

**QuilterMom** · 12-21-2004, 08:31 AM

It sounds divine! I can't wait to see pics!!!!!

**simplemom** · 12-21-2004, 08:31 AM

Ah...Rhonda...

**paelthom** · 12-21-2004, 08:45 AM

Cake sounds wonderful - thanks for letting us be ingredients.

**DaisyLady** · 12-21-2004, 10:20 AM

Fruit eh!

Rhonda that is wonderful imagery and very appropriate. Can't wait to see the pictures!

What a wonderful village we have

**guest2** · 12-21-2004, 10:30 AM

I'm the wholesome Eggs and Butter!!!! Woohoo! I was just sure you'd put me in the "nuts" category!

I can't wait to see a picture of your bread. I can almost taste it!

**kimmee** · 12-21-2004, 10:30 AM

I am a fruit , I am a fruit - at least I'm not a fruitcake!!
Your cake sounds fab - I have had a fruitcake resting in rum since november!! I still love fruitcakes and christmas puddings despite the bad rap they get - guess you and I just know how to make them! with thoughts of friends and lots of love and gooey goodness!!

**forestdale** · 12-21-2004, 02:23 PM

COMING SOON TO A THREAD NEAR YOU - THE FRUGAL VILLAGE CELEBRATION CAKE PHOTO - DON'T MISS IT.

**Darlene** · 12-21-2004, 02:28 PM

Originally posted by forestdale
COMING SOON TO A THREAD NEAR YOU - THE FRUGAL VILLAGE CELEBRATION CAKE PHOTO - DON'T MISS IT.

can't wait!

**Mom23boys** · 12-21-2004, 02:37 PM

This cake sounds divine. I can't wait to see a pic of how it turned out.

I am spicy brandy, ginger and cinnamon.

I love it....spicy and sweet! LOL!!

**forestdale** · 12-21-2004, 06:53 PM

Here it is! I just finished decorating it. It's standing on an antique American cutglass cake stand, very appropriate, I think. I thought about me and my mum again last night and I remembered that when I was cooking with her and her mum, it was the tradition for them to tell family christmas stories while we stirred the batters - no kitchenaids or hand beaters for them, it was all wooden spoon work.

My grandma had some stories to tell too. She inherited the gift of the gab from our Irish great-grandmothers. They were good times.

Anyhow, here she is!! ... the FV celebration cake.

**forestdale** · 12-21-2004, 06:56 PM

get closer and sniff. It smells of peaches and brandy.

**kimmee** · 12-21-2004, 06:58 PM

Oh - Rhonda - Now that is a fruit cake!! It is beautiful and you should be proud - I am sure your mum and her mum are!! - Man, I can smell it and taste it - and the brandied fruit, yum!