Mini Christmas Cakes Recipes

Steps:

• Heat oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4. Butter eight 150ml ramekins and line the bottoms with circles of non-stick baking paper. Divide the cake mix between the ramekins, transfer to a baking sheet and slide into the oven. Bake for 30 mins until springy and dark golden brown. Leave until cool enough to handle, then run a round-edged knife around the edge of the each cake. Turn out and cool completely on a rack.
• If the cakes have risen into peaks, make flat by slicing the tops off with a serrated knife. Melt the jam with 1 tbsp water and brush over the top of the cakes. Lightly knead the marzipan and shape eight golf ball-sized balls. (You will have some left over - wrap up well for another time.) Using a rolling pin, gently roll the balls into flat circles, approx 1cm thick and the same diameter as the cakes. Sit the marzipan on the jammy side of the cakes. Do the same with the icing, brushing the marzipan with a little cooled, boiled water to help it stick.
• Beat the egg white until just frothy and broken up. Spread the caster sugar over a plate. Dip the cranberries and rosemary in the egg white, shake off the excess and roll in the caster sugar to create a frosty effect. Leave to dry for 15 mins. Tip away all but 2 tsp of the egg white and mix with the icing sugar to create a thick paste. Use to fix two cranberries and a sprig of rosemary to the top of each cake. Decorate with gold ribbon. The cakes will keep in an airtight container for up to a week.

Steps:

• Combine currants, raisins, sultana raisins, and candied cherries in a plastic container with a lid. Pour brandy over dried fruit; stir in orange and lemon zest. Close container and set aside to soak for 2 to 3 days. Stir or shake container every few hours as you remember.
• Preheat oven to 275 degrees F (135 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with 24 cupcake cases or lightly grease 24 ramekins.
• Combine 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons butter and 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons brown sugar in a bowl and beat with an electric mixer until well combined. Add eggs and molasses and beat well. Stir in all-purpose flour, self-rising flour, almonds, and mixed spice until well combined. Fold in almonds and soaked fruit; mix well. Spoon mixture into the prepared cases or ramekins.
• Bake in the preheated oven on the center rack until a toothpick inserted in the middle of a cake comes out clean, about 90 minutes. Allow to cool in their cases.
• Store in airtight tins or wrap them tightly in greaseproof paper and aluminum foil for at least 10 days before decorating.
• Heat jam in the microwave for 10 seconds until warmed and brush onto each cake.
• Roll out marzipan between 2 sheets of plastic wrap. Cut out circles with a round cookie cutter or a glass with the same diameter as the cakes. Arrange marzipan circles on top of the jam on each mini fruitcake. Store fruitcakes in an airtight container before finishing the final decoration, 8 hours to overnight.
• Roll out white fondant between 2 sheets of plastic wrap and cut out circles with the same diameter as the cakes. Press a cookie stencil with a snowflake pattern onto the fondant circles. Color in the snowflake pattern with blue food coloring using a small brush and place on top of the marzipan layer. Repeat with remaining cakes.

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:

• Use apricot jam to glaze your mini cake. Cover using marzipan and 250g of the white ready-to-roll fondant icing.
• Roll out another 50g icing and cut out snowflakes or stars using cutters - you can spray them with gold or silver edible spray to make them look really dramatic. Stick them on top of the cake with a little runny icing, place an edible gold ball between the points and add the pretty ribbon.

Steps:

• Place mixed fruit into a very large basin.
• Add rum and mix well.
• Cover with plastic wrap and allow to stand overnight.
• The next day, preheat oven to 150°C (300°F) and arrange oven racks to accommodate muffin tins in the centre section of the oven.
• Place 2 muffin cases into each hole of 2 or 3, 12 hole muffin tins.
• One ingredient at a time, add the beaten eggs, grated apple, treacle and sugar to the fruit mixture, mixing well with a wooden spoon after each addition.
• Add cooled, melted butter and sifted flours and mix thoroughly.
• If you're making these instead of a Christmas cake, make sure to let every member of the family have a stir of the mixture while they make a Christmas wish.
• Spoon the mixture into the muffin cases, filling to almost full.
• Use the back of a spoon to smooth the top of each cake.
• Press a glace cherry into the centre of each cake and, around each cherry, press in 5 almonds to make ‘petals’- pointy end closest to the cherry.
• Bake, in batches if necessary, at 150°C (300°F) for about 40-45 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre of a cake comes out clean.
• When cooked, remove muffin tins from the oven, remove cakes in their papers from muffin tins and cool on racks.
• When cakes are completely cool, store in airtight tins and keep in a cool place or, if you're in a warm climate, store in the refrigerator.
• Alternatively, wrap each cake, still in its paper, tightly in plastic wrap, pack into plastic freezer bags and freeze.
• Cakes will keep for at least a month if stored correctly or longer if frozen.