Maritime Gum Drop Cake

 

This week I managed to bake my annual gum drop cakes.  These delicious cakes are very much a Maritime Province tradition. It may be a Canadian tradition for all I know, but I do know that here in the Maritime Provinces it would not be Christmas without at least one of these to cut up and share with your family and guests.

It is moist and delicious and perfect for those who do not enjoy fruit cake.  It is dense and buttery as well, with an almost pound-cake like consistency.

Another gumdrop cake that we like to bake during the holidays is my sister's Portuguese Gumdrop Cake.   We always called it rubber spatula cake because once when our mother was making it she lost a part of her plastic spatula in it which was never found, lol  

This was when my children were very young.  It was a complete mystery to us all as to where it ended up!  

In any case, gumdrop cake of one kind or another has long since been a family tradition.  This recipe I am sharing today makes two loaf sized cakes.  Perfect for gifting or freezing.  I usually keep one for myself and then gift the other one to a friend, or sometimes I will cut it into two halves and gift it to two people.

I hope you will be inspired to bake it and that you will enjoy it as much as we do!

 

WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE MARITIME GUM DROP CAKE

Other than the baking gums, some pretty simple store-cupboard baking ingredients!

• 1 1/2 cups (344g) butter, at room temperature
• 2 cups (400g) finely granulated sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• the finely grated zest of one lemon
• 3 cups (375g) unsifted all-purpose plain flour
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 3/4 cup (180ml) undiluted evaporated milk
• 2 1/2 cups (about 500g) baking gums tossed with an additional 1/4 cup (31g) plain flour (see note)

 

Usually when I am baking cakes and when I remember to do so, I try to make sure all of my ingredients are at room temperature.  This gives the best results when baking. Just take your eggs, butter, etc. out of the refrigerator about an hour or so before you plan to begin.

You don't have to use the lemon zest.  In the old days we used lemon extract.  About 1/2 tsp. 

Evaporated milk is milk which has been heat treated to remove some of the liquid and condense it. Normally you will need to add an equal amount of water to it in order to use it as milk.  Do NOT confuse it with sweetened condensed milk. They are not the same. Sweetened condenses milk is very thick and sweet with sugar.

I have left a link there so that you can see what I mean by baking gums. You can also use ordinary gum drops but will need to cut them up.  Do not use HARD gums. They are not the same thing. I also don't recommend using spiced gum drops.

HOW TO MAKE MARITIME GUMDROP CAKE

This delicious cake is a Maritime province tradition. It just wouldn't be Christmas without at least one of these tasty loaves in the house!

Preheat the oven to 300*F/150*C/ gas mark 3 (ish). Butter two 9 by 5 inch loaf tins and line with baking parchment.

Cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, Beat in the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.

Beat in the vanilla and lemon zest.

Sift together the flour and baking powder. Add to the creamed mixture alternately with the evaporated milk, beginning and ending in dry ingredients. (3 dry additions, 2 wet)

 

Toss the baking gums with the additional flour and fold in.

Divide the batter between the two prepared loaf tins, smoothing over the top.

Bake in the preheated oven for 1 hour to 1 hour and 30 minutes. (Start checking at 1 hour.) When done a toothpick inserted in the center will come out clean. Do not overbake.

Leave to cool in the pans for 10 to 15 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely. Store tightly covered and cut into slices to serve.

 

Notes

If you cannot get baking gums, which are smallish in size, you can use larger sugar-coated gumdrops. Cut them into 4th's or 6th's using a sharp pair of kitchen scissors. (Depending on how large they are.)

Do not use gumdrops that are overly hard or overly soft. They should be somewhere in between and spring back when lightly squeezed with your fingertips.

Do not use the black ones as they will bleed into the batter.

 

This is the perfect cake for Christmas. Everyone loves it. I reserved a loaf for gifting and could not resist tucking into the other loaf and enjoying it with a cup of orange spice tea.

This was the perfect way to enjoy some quiet time with nothing but the tea, cake and some nice Christmas music on the telly. Totally relaxing. We all need some time to catch our breath now and then, especially during the holiday rush!

 

Here are a few other cakes that we like to bake during the holiday season here in the English Kitchen. I promise you they are also delicious and are great for gifting!

GINGERBREAD CAKE - This bundt sized gingerbread cake is moist and delicious. It comes with an optional lemon cream for serving it with.  This fabulous Gingerbread Cake is one of my absolute favorites.  Why? Because it is easy to throw together and the end result is moist and delicious with a beautiful crumb.  Prepare to fall in love. Baked in a pretty bundt tin it makes a pretty impressive dessert!

WAR CAKE - It was not Christmas in our home when I was growing up until this cake was in the house!  It is an old, old recipe that goes way back to the days of rationing during the first world war. It is dense and fruity and delicious. We always loved it. There are no eggs or butter in this cake.

Yield: Makes two loaves

Author: Marie Rayner

Maritime Gum Drop Cake

Prep time: 15 MinCook time: 1 H & 30 MTotal time: 1 H & 45 M

This cake is moist and delicious and generously studded with sweet gumdrops. It is a Christmas tradition in the Maritime provinces. It would not be Christmas without at least one of these in the house. This recipe makes two loaves. One to enjoy and one to freeze or gift.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups (344g) butter, at room temperature
• 2 cups (400g) finely granulated sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• the finely grated zest of one lemon
• 3 cups (375g) unsifted all-purpose plain flour
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 3/4 cup (180ml) undiluted evaporated milk
• 2 1/2 cups (about 500g) baking gums tossed with an additional 1/4 cup (31g) plain flour (see note)

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 300*F/150*C/ gas mark 3 (ish). Butter two 9 by 5 inch loaf tins and line with baking parchment.
2. Cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, Beat in the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
3. Beat in the vanilla and lemon zest.
4. Sift together the flour and baking powder. Add to the creamed mixture alternately with the evaporated milk, beginning and ending in dry ingredients. (3 dry additions, 2 wet)
5. Toss the baking gums with the additional flour and fold in.
6. Divide the batter between the two prepared loaf tins, smoothing over the top.
7. Bake in the preheated oven for 1 hour to 1 hour and 30 minutes. (Start checking at 1 hour.) When done a toothpick inserted in the center will come out clean. Do not overbake.
8. Leave to cool in the pans for 10 to 15 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
9. Store tightly covered and cut into slices to serve.

Notes

If you cannot get baking gums, which are smallish in size, you can use larger sugar coated gumdrops. Cut them into 4th's or 6th's using a sharp pair of kitchen scissors. (Depending on how large they are.)

Do not use gumdrops that are overly hard or overly soft. They should be somewhere in between and spring back when lightly squeezed with your fingertips.

Do not use the black ones as they will bleed into the batter.

Did you make this recipe?

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