Embracing the Festive Spirit: A Christmas Prep Tale

Let your Christmas preparation journey start with:

Deck the halls with a symphony of decorations

Christmas is a time for family, friends and good food and with a beautifully decorated table, it can elevate the festive atmosphere and make the occasion even more special. Here are some ideas for table setting:

• Ornamental trees: Nothing screams Christmas more than a slew of festive and colourful trees arranged as a centrepiece of a table. You could easily turn it into a do-it-yourself project by hot gluing ornaments in various sizes to silver or glass candlesticks.
• A shiny, eye-catching centrepiece: A centrepiece that comes together in seconds, create a two-tiered table arrangement by using a footed tureen on a platter and add your favourite vintage ornaments on both dishes.
• A red-and white Peppermint Twist Table Setting: Using candy canes and peppermint candies as a table setting is highly recommended this holiday season. Get creative and let your inner child lead you with a colourful and festive table setting. Add a few sprigs of green and berries to elevate your decor and you will surely impress friends and family alike.

A culinary adventure: Baking the Perfect Christmas Cake

Baking a Christmas cake with ingredients sourced from no other than Good Foodz can be a timeless tradition this season. Let your kitchen come to life with the warm scents of spices and sweet delights. Baking a cake need not be stressful. Here is a simple Speedy Christmas Cake recipe just for you. You can easily pick up the ingredients under one roof at Good Foodz and maybe sneak in a snack or two for you to enjoy while you bake this delectable, festive cake for friends and family.

- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour

- 1 cup mixed dried fruits (such as raisins, currants, and chopped apricots)

- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened

- ½ cup brown sugar

- 3 large eggs

- 1 teaspoon baking powder

- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg

- ¼ teaspoon salt

- ¼ cup milk

- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

- ½ cup chopped nuts (such as almonds or walnuts) - optional

- 2 tablespoons rum or orange juice (for soaking the dried fruits)

- Icing sugar for dusting (optional)

Prepare the Fruits:

- Place the mixed dried fruits in a bowl and soak them in rum or orange juice. Let them soak for at least 1 hour to plump up.

Preheat the Oven:

- Preheat your oven to 160°C (325°F). Grease and line a 7-inch round cake tin with parchment paper.

Prepare the Batter:

- In a bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt.

Cream the Butter and Sugar:

- In another large bowl, cream together the softened butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy.

Add Eggs and Vanilla:

- Beat in the eggs, one at a time, and add the vanilla extract. Mix until well combined.

Combine Dry Ingredients:

- Gradually add the sifted dry ingredients to the wet mixture, alternating with the milk. Mix until just combined.

Fold in Fruits and Nuts:

- Gently fold in the soaked dried fruits and chopped nuts (if using) into the batter until evenly distributed.

Bake the Cake:

- Pour the batter into the prepared cake tin and smooth the top with a spatula. Bake in the preheated oven for 1 to 1.5 hours, or until a toothpick inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean.

Cool and Serve:

- Allow the cake to cool in the tin for 10 minutes, then transfer it to a wire rack to cool completely. Once cooled, you can dust the top with icing sugar for a festive touch.

- Your easy Christmas cake is ready to be enjoyed! Slice it and share the joy with your family and friends.

Gourmet delights and fine wine to get the party started

Now we’ve got the decor down and the cake ready for Christmas, how about we start preparing the main course and the boozy celebration ahead of time so there is a reason to start dining and drinking with family and friends around your gorgeously decorated table. Place your orders for the best meats at 1888 Certified where their meats are sustainably sourced – from paddock to plate and into your belly. Dubbed the Best Boutique Butcher in Australia by Australian Traveller Magazine in 2017, 1888 Certified does not skimp on quality and you deserve the most exquisite cuts of meat this holiday season! Now to the wine selection and we know you look forward to unwinding this festive season. Dan Murphy’s offers their special Dan Picked Discovery Boxes which are packed with six bottles of a specially curated wine selection of five-guaranteed crowd pleasers and a Wildcard to excite your senses. The Wildcard will be a hidden gem selected by their wine experts and the Discovery Boxes can also be delivered free to your doorstep. There is no better way to start preparing Christmas gifts ahead of time and Dan Murphy’s Gifting Hub can help you get cracking with their premium selection of gifts with a personal touch.