Decadently Rich Port And Chocolate Christmas Cake Recipes

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.

Steps:

• Chop dates into small pieces and place in a pan with the water.
• Bring to the boil and simmer over a low heat for approimately 10 minutes until the dates are soft.
• Cool the date mixture.
• Process or beat together the date mixture, oil, ground almonds, spice, eggs and flours until they are well blended.
• Stir in the dried fruit and mix well by hand.
• Place into a lined and greased 6"- 8" cake tin and bake at Gas Mark 3, 330 oF, 170 oC for approximately 30 minutes, then lower the temperature to Gas Mark 1, 290 oF, 145 oC for a further 45 minutes.
• Allow the cake to cool for 10 minutes in the tin, then turn out onto a wire tray.
• Remove the lining paper and allow to cool.
• Store in the fridge and eat within 2 weeks, or freeze (in slices).

Steps:

• Set oven to 350 degrees.
• Cut parchment paper circles to fit three 9 inch cake pans, or 2 larger cake pans (depending on the size and style of cake you want to create).
• Alternatively, this recipe will make about 3 1/2 dozen cupcakes, using muffins tins lined with cupcake papers.
• Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
• Set aside.
• Whisk the cocoa and coffee together until smooth (no lumps).
• Set aside.
• In a large mixer bowl, cream butter (about 1 minute), add oil, beat for one minute.
• Add sugars, beat for 10 minutes.
• Add eggs, beat 5 minutes.
• Add vanilla, beat until blended.
• Alternately add coffee and cocoa mixture and dry ingredients into butter mixture, mixing after each addition, making sure to scrape the sides of the bowl often.
• Pour into prepared pans.
• Bake for about 25 minutes, or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
• If making cupcakes, bake for about 20 minutes.
• Spread frosting over layers, and frost entire cake.
• Another delicious idea is to melt jam until it's syrup consistency (if using raspberry jam, make sure you strain it!) and brush the tops of the layers with the melted jam before frosting them.

Steps:

• Put the mixed dried fruit, sultanas, rind and juice and treacle into a saucepan with the port and bring to the boil.
• Remove from the heat, cover and leave to get cold.
• Meanwhile, set the oven to 150C/300/gas mark 2 and line a 20cm/8 inch square tin or four 10cm/4 inch round tins with greaseproof paper.
• Sift the flours with the spices on to a plate.
• Cream the butter and sugar until very light, then alternately beat in the fruit, eggs and flour.
• Finally stir in the cherries and almonds.
• Spoon the mixture into the tins or tins, hollowing out the centre very slightly so that the surface will be flat.
• Bake the large cake for 2-3 hours and the small ones for 1 1/2 -1 3/4 hours, or until a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean.
• Leave to cool in the tin(s).

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. Grease a 10-in. springform pan and wrap bottom of pan with heavy-duty foil; set aside., In a large saucepan, combine chips, butter, cream and sugar; cook over low heat until chocolate is melted, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat; stir until smooth. Pour into a large bowl; cool., In another large bowl, beat eggs on high 3 minutes or until light and fluffy. Beat into chocolate mixture, a third at a time, until well blended. Stir in vanilla., Pour into prepared pan; place on a baking sheet. Bake 45-50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with moist crumbs (top will crack). Cool on a wire rack (cake will settle). Cover and chill 1 hour. Run a knife around edge of pan before removing sides., For glaze, in a large saucepan, combine chips, cream, butter and corn syrup; cook over low heat until chocolate is melted; stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat; stir until smooth., Spread enough of the glaze over top and sides of cake to cover. Chill 10 minutes. Repeat with remaining glaze. Chill overnight. Serve with raspberries and mint if desired. Refrigerate leftovers.,

Steps:

• Heat oven to 325.
• Dump cranberry sauce into an ungreased 9 x 13" pan and spread around the pan as well as you can.
• Dump Apple Pie filling into pan. Spread mixture evenly over cranberry sauce then "sift" dry cake mix on top.
• Cut up butter and dot top of cake.
• Sprinkle nuts or granola on top of cake.
• Bake 1 hour 15 minutes.
• Cool 10 minutes, then cut into squares.
• Serve with Cool Whip or ice cream.