Luxury Christmas Cake Recipes

CHRISTMAS TREE CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Gather the ingredients.
• Preheat the oven to 350 F and line a standard 12-cup muffin tin with cupcake liners.
• Add the brown sugar, granulated sugar, and unsalted butter to a large bowl and cream together using a hand or stand mixer.
• Beat in the vanilla, eggs, sour cream and buttermilk.
• In a separate bowl, stir together the all-purpose flour, unsweetened cocoa, instant coffee, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
• Add the dry ingredients into the wet and stir just to combine.
• Divide the batter evenly in the prepared muffin cups and bake for 18 to 20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool completely before frosting.
• In a small bowl, stir together the vanilla frosting and green food coloring. Start with about 5 drops of green food coloring, stir, and see if you like the shade or if you want to add a few more drops to get a deeper green color.
• Spoon the colored frosting into a piping bag fitted with a star tip. Start by piping a center star and then work your way around the top of the cupcake, moving slowly in as you go, to form a triangular shape, like a tree.
• Top with your favorite holiday sprinkles and dust with the confectioner's sugar for a snowy effect.
• Serve and enjoy!

LUXURY CHRISTMAS CAKE

Steps:

• Mix together the dried fruits and mixed peel with 150ml (1⁄4 pint) brandy. Cover and leave in a cool place to soak and soften overnight, stirring occasionally.
• Add the carrots, apples and nuts to the soaked fruits and stir well. In a large bowl or food mixer, cream together the butter, sugar and lemon rind until pale and fluffy. Gradually beat in the eggs, a little at a time, beating well between each addition. Stir in the treacle, then fold in the sifted flour, mixed spice, cinnamon and soaked fruit mixture.
• Spoon the cake mixture into a greased, lined 25.5cm (10in) round, deep cake tin. Tie a double-thick band of brown paper round the outside of the tin. Level the surface of the mixture, then make a slight hollow in the middle.
• Bake at 150°C (130°C fan) mark 2 for 3-31⁄2hr or until a skewer inserted in the centre of the cake comes out clean. (Cover the top with dry greaseproof paper if the cake browns too quickly during cooking.)
• Leave the cake in the tin until cool enough to handle. When cool, spear holes over the top of the cake with a skewer and pour over 90ml (6tbsp) brandy. Leave for a few hours so the brandy soaks in, cover the cake with a layer of greaseproof paper, then wrap in foil. It's important to wrap the cake tightly so it doesn't dry out. Store in a cool, dry place for at least two weeks or up to three months. Every now and then, spear the cake with a skewer and spoon some extra brandy over the top. (This is called 'feeding' - it keeps the cake moist as well as enriching the flavour.) Cover the cake with 900g (2lb) almond paste and decorate.
• To cover the cake: To cover a 25.5cm (10in) round fruit cake in almond paste, use 900g (2lb) home-made or bought almond paste. On a worksurface dusted with icing sugar, roll out half the paste to fit the top of the cake. Brush the top of the cake with 135ml (9tbsp) melted honey or sieved apricot jam. Place the rolled-out paste on top of the cake, then smooth over. Cut pieces of string measuring the height and circumference of the cake. Using the string as a guide, roll out the remaining almond paste to a rectangular strip and trim to size. Brush the sides of the cake with melted honey or jam. Roll up the paste strip, place one end against the side of the cake and unroll to cover it. Use a palette knife to smooth sides and joins. Flatten top lightly with a rolling pin. Leave cake in a cool, dry place for at least two to three days before icing (allow an extra day for home-made paste). Like this? You'll love... The best supermarket Christmas cakes The best Christmas cake recipes How to make a Christmas cake video Chocolate cherry Christmas cake

LUXURY CHRISTMAS CAKE

Steps:

• Place all of the dried fruits into a large mixing bowl or pot (I use my jam pan), and mix in brandy or dark rum. Cover with a clean cloth and leave to stand for at least 24 hours, stirring every few hours so the fruit plumps up.
• Mix together the zest, almonds, flour and spices in a bowl.
• In a separate bowl, cream the butter, sugar and treacle until light. Beat in the eggs one at a time, adding a little flour with each. Finally, gently fold in the dry ingredients.
• Tip the creamed mixture into the fruit. You can be polite and use a wooden spoon if you like but I find it easier to role my sleeves up and use my hands. If you have a spare 10 year old with clean hands, you will find they love this bit! Make sure the fruit is evenly distributed.
• repare a 23-25cm (9-10 in) cake tin: Double-line the inside of the tin with baking parchment, greasing it first. Allow the parchment to come about 1cm (1/2 in) above the top of the tin which should be in the region of 8cm (3 1/2 in) deep. Cut a double circle of parchment with a diameter approximately 5cm (2 in) bigger than the tin. Fold and cut a hole in the centre about 4cm (1 1/2 in) across.
• Pour the mixture into the lined tin. Even the top and make a slight indentation in the centre with the back of a spoon. Put into the middle of a preheated oven (150 C / Gas mark 2) and carefully balance the circular disk of parchment on top of the tin - this stops the top of the cake over-browning and drying out. It's easier not to use the fan in a fan oven as it tends to blow the covering parchment off.
• Bake for 3 hours and 45 minutes. Place on a rack and allow to go cold in the tin (overnight). Remove from tin and take off the side parchment, leaving the bottom intact. Pierce all over with a skewer and carefully spoon over 5 tablespoons brandy or dark rum. Wrap carefully in a double layer of parchment then in two layers of foil. The cake must be completely enclosed by both.
• Age in a cool, dark place in an airtight tin for at least 4 months. 'Feed' monthly with four additional tablespoons of brandy or rum. Rewrap carefully each time.
• Two weeks before required, cover with marzipan. Allow to dry for 5 days. Ice with fondant or royal icing, and decorate as desired.

COCONUT ANGEL FOOD CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees, with rack in the lower third of oven. Sift together flour and 3/4 cup sugar 4 times.
• Beat egg whites and warm water with a mixer on low speed until foamy, about 3 minutes. Add cream of tartar, vanilla, salt, and coconut extract. Raise speed to medium, and beat until soft peaks form, about 3 minutes. With machine running, add remaining 3/4 cup sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time. Raise speed to high, and beat until peaks are stiff and glossy, but not dry, about 2 minutes.
• Working in 3 batches, sift flour mixture over egg-white mixture, gently folding in each addition with a rubber spatula, being careful not to deflate egg whites.
• Slowly pour batter into a 10-inch angel food cake pan. Gently run a knife through center of batter to release any air bubbles, and smooth using an offset spatula. Bake until cake is golden brown and springs back when touched, 40 to 45 minutes.
• Invert pan onto a wire rack. Let cake cool in pan, about 1 hour. Carefully run a knife around sides of cake to loosen, and turn out onto a large plate or cake stand.
• Pour coconut glaze onto cake, and spread evenly using an offset spatula to cover completely. Gently press coconut onto cake. Let stand until set, about 1 hour. Garnish with lollipops.

MAKE & MATURE CHRISTMAS CAKE

Steps:

• Put 1kg mixed dried fruit, the zest and juice of 1 orange and 1 lemon, 150ml brandy or other alcohol, 250g softened butter and 200g light, soft brown sugar in a large pan set over a medium heat.
• Bring to the boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 5 mins. Tip the fruit mixture into a large bowl and leave to cool for 30 mins.
• Heat oven to 150C/130C fan/gas 2. Line a deep 20cm cake tin with a double layer of baking parchment, then wrap a double layer of newspaper around the outside - tie with string to secure.
• Add 175g plain flour, 100g ground almonds, ½ tsp baking powder, 2 tsp mixed spice, 1 tsp ground cinnamon, ¼ tsp ground cloves, 100g flaked almonds, 4 large eggs and 1 tsp vanilla extract to the fruit mixture and stir well, making sure there are no pockets of flour.
• Tip into your prepared tin, level the top with a spatula and bake in the centre of the oven for 2 hrs.
• Remove the cake from the oven, poke holes in it with a skewer and spoon over 2 tbsp of your chosen alcohol. Leave the cake to cool completely in the tin.
• To store, peel off the baking parchment, then wrap well in cling film. Feed the cake with 1-2 tbsp alcohol every fortnight, until you ice it.
• Don't feed the cake for the final week to give the surface a chance to dry before icing.