BOOZY MARZIPAN LOAF CAKE

If last week was coffee week, it really does look like the theme of this week that’s just passed is booze. Or maybe the four glasses of complimentary mulled wine I got given at the hairdresser’s today are making me talk nonsense. Either way, this is a very delicious moist almond-y marzipan-y loaf cake that is soaked in lovely spiced rum from a pretty bottle. Why not, “It’s Christmas” after all (?).

BOOZY MARZIPAN LOAF CAKE

60ml (1/4 cup) coconut oil, melted

165ml (2/3 cup) soya milk

juice of 1 orange

70g (1/2 cup) soft brown sugar

70g (1/3 cup) caster sugar

1 teaspoon cider vinegar

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

¼ teaspoon almond extract

250g (2 cups) plain flour

100g (2/3 cup) ground almonds

1 teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda

½ teaspoon salt

110g (4oz) marzipan, chopped

60ml (1/4 cup) spiced rum

Preheat the oven to 175°C (350°F) and lightly grease a loaf tin. In a mixing bowl, whisk together oil, milk, orange juice, sugars, vanilla and almond extracts and vinegar, and leave aside for a few minutes to curdle. In a separate bowl, mix together flour, ground almonds, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and salt. Add the chopped marzipan and mix thoroughly until the pieces are evenly coated with the flour mixture and there are no clumps. Pour the liquid ingredients into the dry mixture and quickly mix with a spoon until just combined. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 40 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean. As soon as you take it out of the oven, prick the surface of the cake with a skewer or fork, then pour the rum all over. Place the tin on a rack and leave to cool. Once completely cool wrap the tin tightly in cling film and ideally wait 12 hours (and up to 5 days) before serving, so the rum can soak in and distribute properly. Then cheers, arr.