Nessie's Great Great Grandmother Shar's Christmas Cake (and her story).

For over a century this cake was made at Christmas at my maternal family’s farm, Oakview. This year, three generations of daughters got to make it together for the first time, here at Moorfield.

Nessie takes in the delicious smell of her Great Great Grandmother’s Christmas Cake recipe on this first occasion she has ever made it with my mother and I.

My Great Grandmother Shar, Nessie’s Great Great Grandmother has many stories told about her, many of these stories centre around food, she was a fabulous cook, my mum has always told me. She was also a lifetime member of the CWI (New Zealand’s CWA - Country Women’s Association) where, if you are from Australia or New Zealand you will know, their baking excellence became that for which they are best known, though the Country Women’s Institute and Association were responsible for so much more than just their aptitude for biscuits and cakes in their local communities and beyond. Though mum will insist there was no better Victoria Sponge than that which was made by Shar. I will share that recipe too, one day.