I made this Christmas village cake for a very large family lunch. It’s a simple three-tier brownie cake, decorated with butter biscuits.
Every year we choose the day of the Christmas holidays when the most people can come. This time only three were missing and there were thirty-two of us. The cake was only just enough, so next time it will have to be bigger.
Ingredients for a three-tier Christmas village cake
Brownie
- 300 g chocolate
- 300 g butter
- 400 g sugar
- 300 g plain flour
- 1 ¼ tsp baking powder
- 5 eggs, beaten
Break the chocolate into a bowl with the butter and melt over a pan of simmering water or in the microwave. Mix well and add the eggs, the sugar and the flour sifted with the baking powder.
Divide the mixture between three round tins of 23, 18 and 12 cm, with the bases and sides lined with baking paper. Smooth the tops with a spatula.
Bake for 30 minutes in an oven preheated to 180°C. Test the centre with a cocktail stick to check they are done.
Leave to rest for ten minutes, turn out and cool on a wire rack.
Assembly
- 3 tbsp apricot jam
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
Bring the jam to the boil with the lemon juice and sieve it while hot.
Place the 23 cm brownie on the serving plate and brush it with the hot sieved jam. Put the 18 cm brownie on top and repeat with the 12 cm one.
Decoration
Butter biscuits
- 320 g plain flour
- 150 g butter
- 120 g sugar
- 1 small egg (50 g)
Beat the sugar with the softened butter, add the egg and keep beating until smooth.
Add the flour and knead until the dough comes together into a ball.
Divide the dough in half and roll out each half to about 4 mm thick.
Chill for half an hour, then cut out with house and tree cutters.
Make a card template for the church (the method is in the gingerbread house recipe, in Spanish). Place the biscuits on a baking tray lined with baking paper and bake at 180°C for 12–15 minutes.
Stick the biscuits on with melted chocolate, as shown in the photos.
