A semi-finalist in last year’s Celebrity Masterchef, Kate says: “I absolutely loved making this cake. It’s a real showstopper and I think it’s a very welcome addition to any festive celebration.”
She is asking anyone who uses the recipe to make a donation to the work of The Children’s Society, who brought the Christingle tradition to the UK nearly 50 years ago.
WHAT YOU NEED
Orange sponge:
340g soft butter or margarine, plus extra to grease
340g self-raising flour, plus extra to dust
340g caster sugar
6 large free-range eggs
Zest of two large oranges
1 tsp vanilla extract
Frosting:
250g icing sugar
80g unsalted butter
20 ml milk
2 tablespoons marmalade
Orange icing:
500g of ready-to-roll orange icing
Christingle decorations:
Christingle candle
12cm square of tin foil
4 wooden skewers
4 x marshmallows
4 x fruity pastilles (or other sweets of similar size)
4 x dried apricots
30cm diameter cake board (optional)
Special equipment:
Electric whisk or freestanding electric mixer
Large hemisphere cake tin
Method
• Preheat the oven to 170°C/340°F. Grease the large hemisphere cake tin thoroughly and sprinkle with a light dusting of flour.
Beat the butter, sugar and orange zest together with an electric whisk or freestanding electric mixer until light and fluffy. Beat the six eggs together in a jug, then pour into the butter and sugar mixture bit by bit until well incorporated. Then fold in the flour and vanilla extract gently, using a spatula or large metal spoon until you have a smooth batter (be careful not to over-mix).
• Pour the mixture into the hemisphere cake tin, scraping the bowl with a spatula. (Balance the tin on a round cake tin for stability) and bake for around 60 minutes on the middle shelf of the oven. Leave in the tin until completely cool, then turn out onto a cooling rack.
• To make the frosting: Beat the butter until smooth and creamy and then add the icing sugar until roughly combined. Beat in the milk until the frosting is smooth. Whisk on a high speed for five minutes until light and fluffy and then add the marmalade and whisk for another two minutes.
• Place the cake on your cake board and, using a palette knife, cover the cake dome with the orange frosting. Roll out the orange icing until about 35cm diameter. Place onto the cake, gently smooth from the top downwards and trim away any excess icing from the bottom, so you are left with an orange dome for your Christingle.
• Now for the decorations! Wrap a red ribbon around the base of your orange cake. Place the square of foil on the top and push the candle into the centre of the cake, as you would do with a normal Christingle. Poke a marshmallow, pastille and apricot onto each skewer and then stick in each corner of the cake to resemble the cocktail sticks and fruits of a Christingle.
• Light the candle and admire your Christingle cake in all its glory before cutting and serving slices to your hungry congregation, family or community group. Enjoy!
