Midwinter Candle Cake Recipes

MIDWINTER CANDLE CAKE

Steps:

• Start with the fruit. Pour the apple juice into a saucepan and bring to a simmer. Add the butter, let it melt, then take off the heat and add the syrup and rum. Put the mixed fruit and cranberries into a large bowl, pour over the hot rum mix, then cover tightly with cling film and leave overnight.
• The next day, heat oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 3. Grease and double-line a 20cm round, deep cake tin with non-stick baking parchment. Beat the butter and sugar together until creamy and pale, then gradually beat in the eggs until light and fluffy. If the mix starts to split or look lumpy, add 1 tbsp of the flour and keep beating. Sift in the flour, spices and 1/4 tsp salt, and fold in using a large spoon. Fold in the orange zest, nuts, soaked fruit and soaking liquid.
• Spoon the batter into the tin, level the top, then make a slight dimple in the middle using the back of the spoon. Bake for 1 hr 30 mins, then reduce oven to 140C/120C fan/gas 1 and bake for a further 1 hr 45 mins or until it has risen, is a dark golden colour and a skewer inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean. Put the tin on a cooling rack and leave until warm.
• To feed the cake the first time, use a cocktail stick to poke all over the top of the warm cake. Stir together the rum and maple syrup, then slowly spoon over the cake. Cool completely, then remove the baking parchment, wrap loosely in clean baking parchment and store in an airtight tin. Feed the cake every week to 10 days until you decorate it.
• Now you're ready to cover and ice your cake. Sit the cake on a large flat plate or board and brush a thin layer of apricot jam over the top.
• Dust the work surface with icing sugar. Lightly knead the marzipan until pliable, then roll out in one direction, turning the marzipan 90 degrees every few rolls and keeping the pressure even. Keep it in a circular shape, reshaping it if needed as you go. When large enough (a 20cm circle to cover the top of the cake), lift onto the cake. Smooth the top with your palms and trim with a knife so flush with the cake. If you have time, leave to dry overnight.
• Clean the work surface and rolling pin. Using a pastry brush, lightly brush the marzipan with cooled boiled water or alcohol, then cover with the sugarpaste icing, rolling it in the same way. Lift onto the cake, then work your way gradually over the icing, smoothing out any folds with your palms to avoid wrinkles forming. Polish the icing with the palms of your hands (or a proper cake smoother) for a smooth finish. Trim with a sharp knife.
• Use a straight-sided glass or jar to rub around the icing to make it flush with the cake. If not quite big enough, rub the top with the flat of your hands to spread a little, then use the glass or jar to smooth it.
• Arrange the tea lights in a triangle on the top of the cake. Mark their positions by pressing down lightly into the icing, then cut out and remove three circles from the icing, going right down to the marzipan. Insert the candles.
• Loosely tie the ribbon around the middle of the cake, then drop a cinnamon stick at 12, 3, 6 and 9 o'clock between the ribbon and the cake. One by one, fill in the gaps with the remaining cinnamon sticks. When they are all upright, tighten and tie the ribbon in a knot - you may find a second pair of hands helpful for this bit.
• Separate the bay into 3-leaf sprigs, then insert into the icing (I find the leaves look best if they all swirl around in the same direction). Add the rosemary, bending the stems a little to help if you need to, then fill in any gaps with single bay leaves. (Make sure that no leaves hang over or near where the candle flames will be). When ready to show off your cake, light the candles. Don't leave the cake unattended.

MAGIC CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Grease an 8-inch baking dish.
• Beat egg whites in a large bowl with an electric mixer until stiff.
• Combine egg yolks and white sugar in another large bowl; beat with an electric mixer until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add butter and vanilla extract; beat until smooth, about 2 minutes. Fold in flour. Beat in milk slowly. Fold egg whites gently into the batter.
• Pour batter into the prepared baking dish.
• Bake in the preheated oven until top is golden, 45 to 70 minutes. Let cool, about 30 minutes. Dust top with confectioners' sugar.

MIDWINTER CAKE - LADYFINGER PUDDING COFFEECAKE

Steps:

• For filling, in a large saucepan, combine pudding mix, coffee crystals, and gelatin. Stir in milk. Cook and stir over medium heat until boiling. Remove from heat; add chocolate. Stir until chocolate is melted. Transfer to a large bowl. Cover with plastic wrap. Cool for 45 minutes.*.
• Meanwhile, line a 9x5x3-inch loaf pan with waxed paper or clear plastic wrap. Line bottom and sides with split ladyfingers.
• Stir filling until smooth. Cool filling. Fold in the whipped cream. Spoon half of the filling into the ladyfinger-lined loaf pan. Cover filling with a layer of ladyfingers. Repeat layers. Cover; chill at least 8 hours or up to 24 hours.
• To serve, uncover loaf and invert onto serving plate. Remove waxed paper or wrap. Garnish with additional whipped cream and slivered almonds, if you like. Slice into serving-size pieces.

MILLIONAIRE'S CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour one 9x13 inch pan.
• Drain pineapple. Put pineapple in a clean layered cheesecloth and wring out remaining juice. If pineapple is not well drained, it will make the filling runny.
• Mix and bake cake according to package instructions. Pour 1/2 of the batter into the prepared pan. Discard or find another use for the remaining half of the batter.
• Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 20 minutes or until done. Let cake cool in pan on a wire rack.
• Beat softened cream cheese until fluffy. Slowly add milk, combining thoroughly. Add instant pudding and beat until thick. Pudding mixture will thicken when refrigerated. When cake is cool and pudding mixture is thickened you can assemble the cake. Spread pudding mixture on top of the cooled cake. Sprinkle drained pineapple over pudding. Carefully spread thawed frozen whipped topping over all. Sprinkle chopped walnuts over all. Refrigerate. Enjoy!