Cranberry Swirl Breakfast Cake

If you are like me you always get in more than you need for Christmas food. I can never calculate it just right. I always end up with far more veg than I really need, lots of leftover turkey, stuffing and ham . . . and more mincemeat and cranberry sauce than I could ever realistically use.



I suppose that it is my "better to have too much, than not to have enough" mentality that does it. I'm sure I am not alone in that way of thinking.



It does give me a great excuse and reason to come up with ways to use the leftovers after the holidays though, which is something I really enjoy!



I do so love to invent new ways to use ordinary ingredients in extraordinary ways. It's like a game to me . . . some people enjoy doing Sudoko . . . I enjoy creating new recipes.



Like this delicious cranberry swirled breakfast cake, which I threw together to help use up some of the leftover cranberry sauce . . .



Dense and rich, with a delightful swirl of cranberry running through the middle, and a layer of crunchy toasted walnuts on the bottom. Top that with a delicious almond sugar glaze and you have something that is quite, quite scrummy . . . if I don't say so myself!



You could also use mincemeat as the swirl layer if you wanted to, or even your favourite type of fruity jam . . . which would be equally as delicious . . . but today I used cranberry sauce, and it was quite simply . . . wonderful!



*Cranberry Swirl Breakfast Cake*makes 1 9-inch cake
Printable Recipe

This is a beautiful cake to make for a special breakfast or brunch. Dense and rich with a ribbon of cranberry throughout, drizzled with an almond glaze. Delicious!

5 ounces of butter, softened (1/2 cup)
7 ounces white sugar (1 cup)
2 large free range eggs
1 tsp baking powder
8 ounces of plain flour (2 cups)
1/2 tsp salt
250ml of sour cream (1 cup)
1 tsp almond extract
8 ounces of whole berry cranberry sauce (1 cup)
2 ounces chopped toasted walnuts (1/3 cup)

For the Glaze:
4.5 ounces icing sugar (1 cup)
3 TBS milk
1/2 tsp almond extract

Preheat the oven to 180*C/350*F/ gas mark 4. Butter and flour a 9-inch tube pan, tapping out any excess flour. Set aside.

Cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, one at a time. Whisk together the flour, salt and baking powder. Stir together the milk and almond extract. Stir in the dry ingredients, alternating with the milk mixture, mixing only just to combine.

Spoon 1/3 of the batter into the prepared pan. Top with 1/2 of the cranberry sauce, taking care not to let it touch the sides of the pan. Swirl it into the batter using a round bladed knife. Top with a further 1/3 of the batter. Repeat layering in the remainder of the cranberry sauce, again swirling it in with a round bladed knife. Top with the remainder of the batter, Smoothing it over all. Sprinkle the chopped walnuts over all.

Bake for 55 to 60 minutes, until firm to the touch and the top springs back when lightly touched. Allow to cool in the pan for about 5 to 10 minutes before inverting onto a serving plate. Whisk together the glaze ingredients until smooth. Drizzle over the warm cake and serve warm.



Over in The Cottage today I'm cooking a Festive Spiced Ham!

Spicy Gingerbread Muffins

It's that time of the month again, Visiting Teaching time. I just love visiting with the sisters in my care and helping them when and where I can.



I also never like to go empty handed. I usually have a handout to give to them that may or may not correlate with the month's message, and I usually bring a goodie to share. Today I had made them bookmarks to go with the newest handbook which we were given last month.



I also baked them some of these delicious Spicy Gingerbread Muffins. I don't know anyone that doesn't love themselves a bit of Gingerbread.



It just ain't human ya know! Ok, so maybe there are a few people who might not like Gingerbread . . . I just don't happen to know any.



These muffins are fabulous. They look really plain and simple . . . humble even, but it's the plain and simple things in life that are often the nicest things in life. You just have to dig a little deeper than the surface to find them.



These are moist and spicy and oh so scrummy.



Especially when slathered with fresh Lemon Curd. 'Nuff Said.



*Spicy Gingerbread Muffins*
Makes 12 large muffins
Printable Recipe

Huge and moist and chock full of the spicy gingerbread flavour that we all love so much!

170g of dark brown sugar (1 cup packed)
370g of plain flour (2 1/2 cups)
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp ground allspice
1/4 tsp ground cardamom
1/2 tsp salt
1 large free range egg
125ml of mild molasses ( 1/2 cup, or a mixture of dark and light treacle to make up the same)
250ml of buttermilk (1 cup)
4 ounces of butter (1/2 cup)

softened butter or lemon curd for spreading

Preheat the oven to 180*C/350*F/ gas mark 4. Butter a 12 cup large muffin tin, or line with paper liners. Set aside.

Place the butter and molasses into a small saucepan and heat over gentle heat until the butter has melted and the two are amalgamated. Set aside.

Sift the flour into a bowl. Whisk in the sugar, soda, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, allspice, cardamom and salt. Whisk the buttermilk and egg into the molasses mixture. Add this all at once to the dry ingredients. Fold together to just moisten. Spoon into the prepared muffin cups, filling about 3/4 full.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until well risen and the tops spring back when lightly touched or a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean. Let stand in the muffin cups for about 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack. Serve warm with butter or lemon curd for spreading.



My offering over in The Cottage today, Pork Chops Romano. Delicious!