Ingredients

Cranberry Layer

• 24 oz/680 g fresh cranberries
• 1 1/2 cups/375 mL water
• 1 cup/250 mL sugar
• 1 tsp/5 mL Watkins Organic Ground Cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp/2.5 mL Watkins Organic Ground Nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp/1.25 mL Watkins Organic Ground Cloves
• 1 tsp/15 mL Watkins All Natural Original Gourmet Baking Vanilla®

Custard Layer

• 1 1/3 cups/330 mL sugar
• 3 tbsp/45 mL cornstarch
• 1/4 tsp/1.25 mL salt
• 4 1/2 cups/1,125 mL 2% milk
• 9 egg yolks
• 1 tbsp/15 mL Watkins All Natural Original Gourmet Baking Vanilla®
• 1 tbsp/15 mL butter

Plain Loaf Cake

From Watkins Cook Book, published 1936
The recipe makes two 8x4-inch/20x10-cm loaf cakes (You will need both for this recipe!)

• 3 1/2 cups/875 mL all-purpose flour
• 4 tsp/20 mL baking powder
• 1 cup/250 mL butter, softened
• 1 tsp/5 mL Watkins Mediterranean Sea Salt Grinder, freshly ground
• 2 cups/500 mL sugar
• 6 eggs
• 2 tsp/10 mL Watkins All Natural Original Gourmet Baking Vanilla®

Directions

Plain Loaf Cake
In a large bowl, mix together flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside. In an electric mixer, cream butter thoroughly. Add sugar to butter and beat until smooth. Add egg yolks one at the time and beat.

Reduce speed to slow and add Watkins All Natural Original Gourmet Baking Vanilla® and milk to mixture beat until smooth. Slowly add dry ingredients. Beat until smooth.

Lightly grease and flour two loaf pans. Pour half of the mixture in one pan and half in the second. Bake for 30 minutes in preheated 350°F/180°C oven. Check with a toothpick and bake until clean. Remove from oven and cool before cutting.

Cranberry Layer
Combine all cranberry layer ingredients in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and cook uncovered about 10 minutes. Cool completely before assembling the trifle (instructions below).

Custard
Combine sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a large saucepan. Whisk in milk. Stir over medium-high heat until mixture reaches a boil, let boil 2 minutes while stirring. Whisk egg yolks in a small bowl. Slowly add eggs to hot milk mixture while whisking. Stir over medium heat until thick and bubbly. Let boil 2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in butter and vanilla. Cool in the saucepan for 15-20 minutes stirring occasionally. Pour into a large bowl and place plastic wrap on the surface. Refrigerate until completely cooled before assembly.

Assembly
Use in Glass Trifle Dish or Large Glass Bowl Cut loaf cake into bite-sized cubes. Place half of the cake cubes on the bottom of a trifle bowl. Top cake cubes with half of the cranberry mixture and half of the custard. Repeat layers. Top with whipped cream, candied cranberries, and nuts.

Preheat the oven to 350°F/180°C
Two 8x4-inch/20x10-cm Loaf Pans – lightly greased
Glass Trifle Dish or large glass bowl