As the holiday season approaches, many people find joy in baking and sharing homemade Christmas cakes with their loved ones. Whether you are an experienced baker or a novice in the kitchen, creating a delectable Christmas cake can be a delightful and rewarding experience. From classic fruitcakes and rich chocolate cakes to moist sponge cakes and decadent cheesecakes, there is a wide array of recipes available to cater to every taste and preference. This article will guide you through the process of selecting the best recipe for your homemade Christmas cake, considering factors such as dietary restrictions, flavor profiles, and presentation. With careful preparation and a touch of creativity, you can create a stunning and delicious Christmas cake that will be the highlight of your holiday gatherings.
Let's cook with our recipes!
CHRISTMAS CAKE - EASY MOIST FRUIT CAKE
Recipe video above. This is an easy Christmas Cake that requires no overnight fruit soaking. It's a fruit cake that's incredibly easy to make, with a rich, velvety texture that's full flavoured and so moist it can be eaten plain. (But no one turns away a slosh of custard!) Just as good made on the day - or weeks later.
Provided by Nagi
Categories Dessert
Time 4h45m
Number Of Ingredients 24
Steps:
- Place dried fruit and juice/brandy in a large microwavable container. Microwave 1 1/2 minutes on high or until hot.
- Stir to coat all fruit in liquid. Cover then set aside for 1 hour (to plump up/soak and cool).
- Preheat oven to 160°C / 320°F (140°C fan). Grease and line a 21 - 22 cm / 8 - 9" round cake pan with baking paper (parchment paper) (7 cm / 2.75" tall).
- Using an electric beater, beat butter and sugar until smooth and creamy (about 1 minute on speed 5).
- Add oil and molasses, beat until combined.
- Add salt, spices and baking powder - beat until incorporated.
- Add eggs, one at a time, beating until just incorporated
- Stir in the flour.
- When mostly incorporated, stir in the fruit mix (including all the extra liquid in bowl) and walnuts (if using).
- Pour into cake pan, cover with foil and bake for 3 hours 15 minutes, removing foil the last 45 minutes. Skewer inserted into middle should come out clean with no batter on it.
- Remove from oven and cool for 20 minutes before transferring to cooling rack. Cool completely before serving.
- Cake is moist and so full flavoured, it can be eaten plain. But see below for decorating and serving ideas (traditionally served with pouring custard).
- Cutting: Either cut into thin wedges, or cut cake into thin strips (2cm / 0.75" or so), then cut those strips into serving size pieces.
- Traditional White Christmas Cake (pictured in post) - Marzipan and fondant, see Decorating Note.
- Simple - pile top with fresh cherries or other fruit, dust with icing sugar (powdered sugar). Wrap a ribbon around the cake for extra touch!
- Drippy white glaze - use the glaze in this Lemon Cake recipe, but leave out the lemon juice (ie make a plain sweet white glaze). Flip cake upside down for flat surface then glaze per that recipe.
- Serving - serve with custard for a traditional experience! Either homemade custard or store bought pouring custard (jazz it up by mixing in vanilla seed paste!).
Nutrition Facts : Calories 388 kcal, Carbohydrate 64 g, Protein 4 g, Fat 15 g, SaturatedFat 9 g, Cholesterol 38 mg, Sodium 127 mg, Fiber 3 g, Sugar 37 g, ServingSize 1 serving
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!
Nutrition Facts : Calories 340 kcal, Carbohydrate 51 g, Cholesterol 42 mg, Fiber 1 g, Protein 3 g, SaturatedFat 7 g, Sodium 254 mg, Sugar 40 g, Fat 14 g, ServingSize 12 Servings, UnsaturatedFat 0 g
COCONUT ANGEL FOOD CAKE
Snow angels make an appearance on the dessert table with a light-as-air angel food cake covered with drifts of fluffy coconut and topped with angel-shaped lollipops.
Provided by Martha Stewart
Categories Cake Recipes
Yield Makes one 10-inch cake
Number Of Ingredients 11
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.
TRADITIONAL CHRISTMAS CAKE
This traditional Christmas cake pulls out all the stops - if you have the time, feed it with brandy in the run up to Christmas.
Provided by urbanite001
Time 3h
Yield Serves 8
Number Of Ingredients 0
Steps:
- Heat the oven to 150C/300F/Gas2. Grease a 20cm/8inch round or an 18cm/7inch square cake tin and line the bottom and sides with baking parchment.
- Sieve the flour, salt, mixed spice and cinnamon into a bowl.
- Cream the butter and the sugar in a large mixing bowl and then mix in the sugar, treacle, marmalade and vanilla essence until light and fluffy.
- Mix the eggs a little at a time into the mixture adding a tablespoon of flour mixture with the last amount.
- Fold in the remaining flour mixture until well mixed and then mix in the dried fruit, mixed peel, glace cherries and the almonds.
- Turn the mixture into the prepared tin and make a slight hollow in the centre.
- Bake in the oven for 3 hours and then test with a skewer. If not ready bake for up to another hour testing every 20 minutes until the skewer comes out clean.
- Remove from the oven and leave to cool in the tin for 15 minutes.
- Turn out on to a wire rack and leave to cool.
- Once cool, make a few holes in the cake with a skewer and pour over 3-4 tbspof brandy. Let the brandy soak into the cake.
CHRISTMAS CAKE
Steps:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- In a mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Mix in the vanilla, lime juice, and lime zest. Add the eggs 1 at a time, and incorporate well. Combine bread crumbs, flour, all the spices, baking powder, and salt. Combine rum and port. Add flour mixture alternately with rum/port mixture into the batter. Fold in the chopped marinated fruit.
- Prepare 1 (9-inch) cake pan or 2 spring form pans by lining bottom and sides with parchment paper. Fill the pan 3/4 of the way and bake until a skewer comes out of the center of the cake clean, about 1 hour and 10 minutes.
- Put raisins, prunes, cinnamon sticks, and vanilla beans in a glass jar and cover with mixture of equal parts Jamaican white rum, Jamaican spiced rum, and Port. Cover with a tight fitting lid, label, and date the jar. Put in a cool, dry cupboard. From time to time, check the fruits to see if more liquor is needed, as the fruits will plump and soak up the liquid.
- Keep the fruit covered in liquor. It is best to allow the fruit to marinate for at least 1 month for best flavor.
CRANBERRY CHRISTMAS CAKE
It's the sweet-tart holiday dessert that'll find it's way onto your holiday sideboard again and again.
Provided by Pam Lolley
Categories Cakes
Time 2h
Number Of Ingredients 23
Steps:
- Prepare the Cake Layers: Preheat oven to 350°F with racks in center and lower third positions. Beat butter with a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment on medium speed until creamy, about 30 seconds. Gradually add sugar, beating until light and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating just until combined after each addition. Beat in orange zest just until combined, about 30 seconds. Set aside.
- Whisk together flour, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, and baking soda in a medium bowl until well combined. Add flour mixture to butter mixture alternately with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour mixture, beating on low speed just until combined after each addition. Fold in cranberries and vanilla using a rubber spatula until just combined.
- Coat 3 (9-inch) round cake pans with baking spray. Line bottom of pans with parchment paper, and lightly coat with baking spray. Divide batter evenly among prepared pans. Bake 2 pans on center rack and 1 pan on lower rack in preheated oven until a wooden pick inserted in centers of cake layers comes out clean, 20 to 22 minutes. Let cool in pans on wire racks 10 minutes. Remove from pans, and let cool completely on wire racks, about 1 hour.
- Prepare the Orange Buttercream: Beat butter, cream cheese, and salt with a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment on medium speed until creamy, 1 to 2 minutes. Gradually add powdered sugar alternately with orange juice, beating on low speed until combined and smooth after each addition. Beat in vanilla. If desired, beat in milk, 1 teaspoon at a time, until Orange Buttercream reaches desired consistency.
- Assemble the cake: Place 1 cake layer on a platter or cake stand; spread top with about 1 cup Orange Buttercream. Add second cake layer; spread top with about 1 cup Orange Buttercream. Top with third cake layer; frost top and sides with remaining Orange Buttercream. Decorate with desired garnishes.
Tips:
- Prep ahead: For best results, marzipan and Christmas cake batter should be prepared at least a day in advance. This allows the marzipan to firm up and the cake batter to mature, resulting in a more flavorful and moist cake.
- Use good quality dried fruits: The quality of dried fruits can greatly impact the taste of your cake. Opt for plump and moist fruits, avoiding those that are dry or hard.
- Soak your dried fruits: Soaking your dried fruits in alcohol, tea, or juice can plump them up and enhance their flavor. This step is optional, but it's highly recommended for a more decadent cake.
- Use a quality cake tin: A good quality cake tin will ensure that your cake bakes evenly and doesn't stick. Look for a tin that is heavy-duty and has a tight-fitting lid.
- Don't over-mix the batter: Over-mixing the batter can result in a tough and dense cake. Mix just until the ingredients are well combined.
- Bake the cake at a low temperature: A low baking temperature will help prevent the cake from drying out. Aim for a temperature of 300-325°F (150-165°C).
- Wrap the cake well: Once the cake is baked, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and then in aluminum foil. This will help to keep the cake moist and prevent it from drying out.
- Mature the cake: Allow the cake to mature for at least a week before serving. This will allow the flavors to develop and mellow.
Conclusion:
With careful preparation and attention to detail, you can create a delicious and festive Christmas cake that will be enjoyed by all. Remember to use high-quality ingredients, prep ahead, and bake the cake at a low temperature. With a little patience, you can create a truly special cake that will make your holiday season extra special.
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