A bake that takes the cake

THE catchy cumulative carol The Twelve Days of Christmas, popularised by English composer Frederic Austin in 1909, is one of those festive tunes that gets people in Christmas cheer with each familiar refrain.

Structured like a playful countdown, the song presents gifts one by one – from a partridge in a pear tree to two turtle doves, three French hens, four calling birds, five golden rings, six geese a-laying, seven swans a-swimming, eight maids a-milking, nine ladies dancing, 10 lords a-leaping, 11 pipers piping and, finally, 12 drummers drumming.

While there are many stories about its origins, the Catholic News Agency reported that the song, which carries specific meanings behind each verse, was written between 1558 and 1829 for catechism classes for young Catholics.

Ingredients for the Twelfth Cake.

An easy-to-remember countdown to the Feast of Epiphany on Jan 6, the song takes a bow as Christmas draws to a close.

And as with any feast worth celebrating, food lies at the heart of the occasion.

In France, Epiphany −also known as Twelfth Night − is marked with the delightful Galette des Rois or King Cake.

This golden puff pastry, filled with creamy almond paste known as frangipane, is meant to be shared and savoured while anticipation builds around who will uncover the hidden surprise within.

The fruit-filled rich fruit cake is the perfect way to close off the Christmas season.

Yes, baked discreetly into the cake is a feve – an inedible bean, adding an element of whimsy to the celebration as the lucky recipient is crowned “king (or queen) for the day”.

The custom is believed to trace its roots to the Roman festival of Saturnalia, where a bean was used to randomly select a “king for a day”.

[DONT USE] Fruits cake—LOW BOON TAT / The Star

In Christian tradition, Twelfth Night commemorates the visit of the Three Kings (the Magi) to the infant Jesus 12 days after his birth.

Hence, the Twelfth Cake, King Cake or Three King Cake is made to celebrate this day.

In Belgium, a similar tradition lives on through the Drie Koningen Taart, a frangipane tart with a hidden token inside.

According to the British Food History website, a rich, brandy-laced fruit cake crowned with royal icing and concealing a dried bean or pea is how the search to anoint a “king for the day” is celebrated in the United Kingdom.

The custom often includes finishing off the presentation with a crown made from either pastry, fondant, royal icing or a cardboard cutout to give it a regal touch.

While Christians in South-East Asia dedicate time to making rich fruit cakes for Christmas, few would think of preparing another indulgent bake to welcome Epiphany.

StarTV executive producer Ian Lau, who came across this charming tradition when browsing the Internet, thought it would be a delightful custom to share with our readers.

Place the baked fruit cake onto a cake board before transferring it to the cake stand.

Staying true to local tastes, however, we opted for a rich fruit cake rather than the traditional pastry as our Epiphany centrepiece.

As for the customary dried bean? It was thoughtfully left out – a practical decision to ensure the only surprise was the cake itself, not an unexpected trip to the dentist.

Twelfth Cake

Ingredients

250g butter

225g brown sugar

1 tbsp black molasses

225g all-purpose flour

2 tsp mixed spice

5 medium eggs or 4 large eggs

225g golden raisins

225g currants

225g sultanas

50g chopped mixed peel

50g glace cherries, halved

50g ground almonds

1 tbsp brandy

Directions

Preheat the oven to 160°C.

Cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, then pour in the molasses.

Lightly whisk the eggs with a fork and beat them gently into the creamed butter-and- sugar mixture.

Sift flour, spice and salt together and introduce to the mixing bowl.

When thoroughly mixed, stir in the fruits, nuts and brandy.

Transfer the cake batter to a parchment-lined 20cm (8inch) round baking tray.

Place in the centre of the oven. Bake for approximately 1½ hours, then reduce the temperature to 120°C and bake for a further one hour or until the cake is golden brown and firm to the touch.

To be sure, insert a skewer into the centre and it should come out clean.

Leave the cake to cool in the tin, covered with a clean cloth.

Turn out when completely cold, which can take about five hours.

Sprinkle with dusting sugar or decorate with royal icing or fondant. In keeping with the festive theme, place a crown to dazzle guests.