This Christmas, lets experiment with a few amazing Christmas cake recipes. When it comes to food, a large delicious cake is a delight not to be deprived of. Whether the cake is ordered or baked at home, the quality is never compromised. Making a cake is fun. When the whole family from the little ones to the grown ups get set to bake a cake, there is sure to be a lot of spilling, filling and ofcourse loads of giggling. Check out the recipes below and prepare yourselves to indulge in that delightful experience.- Traditional Christmas Cake Recipe
Ingredients:
12 oz plain flour, 1 tsp cinnamon,1 tsp mixed spice, A pinch of salt, 4 oz candied peel, 4 oz cherries, 2 lb dried fruits, 4 oz blanched almonds, 4 eggs, 4 tbsp sherry, Finely grated 1 lemon, 8 oz margarine, 8 oz sugar, 1 tbsp black treacle.
Method
Sieve together all the dry ingredients.Mix the peel, fruit, cherries, chopped almonds and lemon rind. Whisk the eggs and sherry together. Beat the margarine, sugar and black treacle until soft. Add the flour and egg mixtures alternately to the margarine little by little till it has a thick paste consistency. Stir in the fruit mixture. Put into an 8-9 inch tin, lined with greaseproof paper round the sides and at the bottom. Now, tie a double band of brown paper round the outside of the rim, standing well up above the top of it. Put in hot oven. Bake for 3 1/4-3 1/2 hours at gas mark 3 for the first 1 1/2 hours, and then decrease to gas mark 2 for the remainder. Cool the cake in the tin, then store in an airtight container. Can be served hot or cold with custard or double cream respectively.
Note - Ensure this cake is made 3 weeks before Christmas.
- Christmas Tree Cake
Ingredients:
1 package cake mix,1 1/4 cups water,1/3 cup vegetable oil, 3 eggs, 2 tubs Whipped fluffy white ready-to-spread frosting, Green colored sugar, 3 candy canes, broken to remove curved endsAssorted small gumdrops, if desired.
Method
Make cake as directed for 13x9x2-inch rectangular pan, using water, oil and eggs. Cool 10 minutes in pan. Remove from pan. Cool completely, about 1 hour.Freeze cake uncovered 1 hour for easier frosting. From the middle of one short side, make a diagonal cut to each corner on opposite side, making 3 triangular pieces. Make tree shape by arranging 2 outer pieces with straight 13-inch sides together on aluminum foil-covered tray or cutting board; frost top. Place remaining center piece on top. Frost sides and top of cake. Press candy cane pieces in end of tree to make trunk. Sprinkle with colored sugar to look like boughs. Arrange gumdrops on cake to look like lights or ornaments. Store loosely covered.
- Spiced Upside-Down Sweet Potato Cake Recipe
Ingredients:
1 20-oz. can sliced pineapple, 1 T. butter, 1/4 C. packed light brown sugar, 1 t. ground ginger,1/4 C. dried cranberries,1 18.25-oz. package spice cake mix, 3 eggs,1/3 C. apple sauce,1 1/2 C. peeled and grated sweet potatoes, Whipped cream, Drain pineapple, reserving 3 tablespoons and 1/2 cup juice. Set aside one whole pineapple slice; cut 6 slices in half.
Method
Preheat oven to 350° F. Put butter in a 9 x 2-inch springform cake pan and place in the oven until butter has melted; set aside. In a small bowl, combine brown sugar, ginger and 3 tablespoons pineapple juice. Pour mixture into pan with melted butter and tilt to evenly distribute. Place whole pineapple ring in the center of the pan; arrange half slices in crescents around the center. Fill in spaces with dried cranberries. In a bowl, combine cake mix (dry), eggs, apple sauce, sweet potato and 1/2 cup pineapple juice. Using a fork, stir vigorously about 2 minutes, scraping sides until well mixed. Spread over pineapple in pan. Bake 45 to 50 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 5 minutes. Invert onto platter, replacing any fruit that remains in the pan. Serve warm or at room temperature topped with a dollop of whipped cream.
- Almond Butter Cake
Ingredients:
3 cups cake flour sifted, 3tsp baking powder, ½ tsp salt, ¾ cup butter, 1 1/2 c sugar, 3 eggs, ½ cup finely chopped almonds, ½ cup finely cut raisins, 1 cup m, i tsp vanilla.
Method
Sift flour once, measure, add baking powder and salt, and sift together three times. Cream butter thoroughly, add sugar gradually, and cream together until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating thoroughly.Add nuts, raisins and beat well. Add flour, alternately with milk, a small amount at a time, beating after each addition until smooth. Add vanilla. Bake in two greased 9-incb layer pans in moderate oven (375 degrees F.) 25 minutes, or until done. Spread Boiled Frosting between layers and on top and sides of cake. Decorate top of cake with wreath of holly, using pieces of maraschino cherries or red cinnamon candies for berries, and slices of angelica or citron for leaves and stems. Or decorate with poinsettias made of candied cherries. Slice cherries in rings, cut rings in half, and arrange to form petals of poinsettias.
- Christmas Fruit Cake
Ingredients:
55gr dried apricots, 55gr figs, 55gr dates, 240gr sultanas, 240gr currants, 240gr raisins, 110gr mixed peel, 100gr pecans, plus a few for the top, 55gr cherries, ½ tsp perissian ess,5 eggs, 2 Tbs brandy or sherry or 4 1/2 Tbs rum, 250gr margarine, 1 cup brown sugar, 2 1/2 cups flour,1 tsp cinnamon,1 tsp nutmeg, 2 tsp honey, grated rind and juice of 1 lemon.
Method
In a huge bowl, marinade fruit in brandy, sherry or rum overnight, the apricots need chopping. Cream margarine and sugar well, add eggs one at a time, mix thoroughly, add honey. Add flour and fruit alternatively to the mixture, mixing by hand with a wooden spoon. Place in a well lined pan, that has about 3 layers of brown paper or some cardboard in the base and around the edges followed by baking paper.Bake at 180 degrees for about 3 1/3 hours, place brown paper on top of cake after it starts to brown.Cool on a cake cooling rack, wrap in baking paper and foil then cling wrap. Place in a tin in a cool dark place to mature.
Tip - Place a dish of water in the oven as well to stop it from drying out.
- Chocolate Eggnog Layer Cake
Ingredients
2 cups cake flour, 3/4 cup cocoa, plus 3 tablespoons extra for the pans, 2 teaspoons baking soda,1 teaspoon baking powder,1 teaspoon salt, 1 cup sugar,1/4 cup vegetable oil, 2 large eggs plus 2 large egg yolks, 4 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, melted and slightly cooled,1 cup strong brewed coffee, cooled, 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract, 1 cup dairy eggnog.
Method
Sift together the flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.Preheat oven to 350 degrees and set oven rack at upper middle level. Lightly grease 2 9-inch springform pans. Dust pans with the extra cocoa and shake out excess.Beat together sugar and oil. Add eggs and yolks, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in melted chocolate and coffee.Add vanilla extract to eggnog. Beat flour mixture and eggnog mixture into chocolate mixture a little at a time, alternately. Scrape down sides of bowl and beat again, briefly.Divide batter evenly between prepared pans and bake for 30-35 minutes, or until cake springs back when lightly pressed in the center or when Cake looks almost black and glossy.Remove pans from oven and allow to cool on wire racks for 15 to 20 minutes. Remove cake from pans and allow to cool completely before frosting:
Chocolate Eggnog Icing
Ingredients
2 cups unsweetened cocoa, 1 3/4 cups powdered sugar, 3/4 stick (6 tablespoons) unsalted butter, 1 8-ounce brick cream cheese, 2 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, melted and slightly cooled, 3/4 cup dairy eggnog, 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract.
Method
Sift together the cocoa and powdered sugar to avoid lumps. Set aside.Cream together all other ingredients. Add cocoa mixture a little at a time. Beat on highest mixer setting for several minutes, pausing to scrape down sides of bowl occasionally. Ice the cake and serve. Frosting is enough to generously frost 2 9-inch or 10-inch cake layer.
For more drop in at:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/database/christmascake_2359.shtml
http://www.christmasgiftideas.biz/christmas-cake/index.html
http://www.razzledazzlerecipes.com/christmas-desserts/christmas-cake-recipes.htm
