Chocolate Christmas Cake Recipes

CHOCOLATE CHRISTMAS CELEBRATION CAKE

Steps:

• In 1-quart saucepan, mix 3/4 cup of the granulated sugar and 3/4 cup water. Heat to boiling over medium-high heat, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat; cool 5 minutes. In small bowl, place cranberries. Pour syrup over berries; stir to blend. Refrigerate, uncovered, 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
• Remove berries from refrigerator and drain; discard liquid. In small bowl, place remaining 1/2 cup granulated sugar. Working with a few berries at a time, roll one by one in the sugar to completely coat. Place on waxed paper-lined cookie sheet. Let stand at room temperature about 1 hour or until dry. Set aside.
• Meanwhile, heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pans). Spray bottoms and sides of three 8-inch round cake pans with cooking spray.
• In large bowl, beat Cake ingredients with electric mixer on medium speed 2 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. Pour 1 2/3 cups of the batter in each pan.
• Bake 20 to 24 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to cooling racks. Cool completely, about 1 hour.
• In large bowl, beat marshmallow creme, softened butter, vanilla and 1 tablespoon of the milk with electric mixer on medium speed until blended. Beat in powdered sugar until fluffy. If necessary, beat in more milk, a few drops at a time, until spreading consistency.
• Place one cake layer on serving plate. Spread 3/4 cup frosting on top; top with second cake layer. Spread 3/4 cup frosting on top; top with third cake layer. Frost sides with a thin layer of frosting so sides are covered but cake still shows through. Spread remaining frosting on top.
• Place sugared cranberries around base of cake, and press in slightly to adhere to frosting. Place remaining cranberries on top, mounding in center of cake; garnish with sprigs of rosemary. Loosely cover and refrigerate any remaining cake.

CHOCOLATE CHRISTMAS CAKE

Steps:

• Put the dried and candied fruit in a pan with the rum, orange zest and juice. Bring to the boil, then turn off the heat, cover and leave to soak overnight.
• Preheat the oven to 150°C (130°C fan) mark 2. Grease and line a 20.5cm (8in) cake tin with greaseproof paper. Put the sugar and butter in a large bowl and beat with a hand mixer for about 5min until fluffy.
• Add the eggs a little at a time, taking care the mixture doesn't curdle. If it looks as though it might, add a little of the flour. Gently fold the soaked fruit and the remaining ingredients into the mixture. Pour into the prepared tin and level the surface.
• Wrap a thick layer of brown paper around the tin to prevent the edges of the cake burning. Bake for 3-3½hr until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Leave to cool in the tin for 10min. Keeping it in its greaseproof paper, turn out on to a rack. When cool, wrap in clingfilm and then foil. Store in an airtight container.
• After two weeks of maturing, prick the cake all over with a skewer, pour 1tbsp dark rum on top, leave it to soak in, then rewrap as before. The cake will keep for up to three months.

CHOCOLATE FRUITCAKE

Steps:

• Put the butter, sugar, chocolate, brandy, vanilla and dried fruits into a large saucepan. Heat gently, stirring occasionally until everything has melted together. Remove from the heat.
• Heat oven to 150C/130C fan/gas 2. Line a deep cake tin, 20cm round or 18cm square, with a double layer of baking parchment. Wrap a few layers of newspaper around the outside and secure with string.
• Mix the flour, almonds, cocoa and spice together. Stir the eggs into the slightly cooled chocolate mixture in the saucepan, followed by the flour mixture. Scrape into your prepared tin and bake for 1½ hrs- 1 hr 45 mins or until a skewer poked in comes out clean. Cool in the tin, then decorate (see 'Goes well with', right, for decoration ideas). Greaseproof-wrapped cake will keep for 2 months in an airtight container.