Has anyone got a good recipe for Christmas cake?

Answer 1

These are all tried & true yummy christmas cakes passed down to me from family.

Christmas Cherry spice cake

INGREDIENTS
1 1/2 cups canned cherry pie filling
1/2 cup butter, softened
2 cups white sugar
2 eggs
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
1 cup butter, softened
3 tablespoons milk
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
8 cups sifted confectioners' sugar


DIRECTIONS
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour three 9 inch round cake pans. Place the cherry pie filling into the container of a food processor. Pulse until roughly chopped.
In a large bowl, mix butter and white sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each one. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves and allspice. Alternate stirring in the dry ingredients and cherry pie filling. Stir just until blended. Divide the batter evenly between the three pans.
Bake for 30 to 35 minutes in the preheated oven, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Cool in the pans on a wire rack. When the cakes have cooled enough to handle, tap them out of the pans and allow them to cool completely on the wire rack.
To make the frosting, combine the cream cheese, 1 cup butter, milk and vanilla in a large mixing bowl. Beat with an electric mixer until blended. Gradually mix in the sugar, stirring until smooth. Spread frosting between the layers and onto the sides and top of the cake.

Chocolate holiday cake

INGREDIENTS
CAKE:
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup vegetable oil
3 (1 ounce) squares unsweetened chocolate
1 cup water
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 cups sugar
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup sour milk*
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
FILLING:
1 (5 ounce) can evaporated milk
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup chopped seedless raisins
1/2 cup chopped dates
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup chopped pecans
CHOCOLATE ICING:
1 (6 ounce) package semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup sour cream
Dash salt
Whipped cream


DIRECTIONS
In a small saucepan, combine butter, oil and chocolate. Cook over low heat, stirring until chocolate melts. Add water; cool 15 minutes. In another bowl, combine remaining cake ingredients and beat well (*To sour milk, add 1-1/2 teaspoons vinegar to milk; let stand 5 minutes.) Fold chocolate mixture into batter. Pour into two greased and floured 8-in. cake pans. Bake at 350 degrees F for 30-35 minutes or until cakes test done. Cool in pans 5 minutes. Meanwhile, for filling, combine milk, sugar and water in a small saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring to dissolve sugar. Add raisins and dates. Cook until thickened, stirring constantly, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat; add vanilla and nuts. Cool. For frosting, melt chips in top of a double boiler over hot water. Remove from heat; add vanilla and nuts. Cool. For frosting, melt chips in top of double boiler over hot water. Remove from heat. Stir in sour cream and salt; beat with a spoon until smooth. Cool 5 minutes or until frosting is of spreading consistency. Place one cake layer, upside down, on a plate. Spread filling on top and place other layer over. Frost entire cake. Chill 1 hour before serving. Serve with a dollop of whipped cream if desired.

Chocolate Plum christmas pudding

INGREDIENTS
2/3 cup raisins
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup whole wheat flour
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
3/4 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cups white sugar
3 eggs
2 cups applesauce
1/2 cup coarsely chopped walnuts


DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Place raisins in a small saucepan, and cover with boiling water. Soak for 5 minutes, then drain. Grease and flour a 9 inch tube pan.
Sift together the all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, cocoa, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Set aside.
In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Blend in the eggs, then the applesauce. Beat in the flour mixture. Stir in raisins and walnuts. Spread batter evenly into prepared tube pan.
Bake in preheated oven for 80 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of cake comes out clean. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack and cool completely; chill.

Christmas nut cake

INGREDIENTS
1 1/2 pounds blanched whole almonds
1 pound Brazil nuts
1/2 pound walnut halves
1/2 pound pecan halves
1 1/2 pounds pitted dates
1/3 pound red candied cherries
1/3 pound green candied cherries
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
4 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract


DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 275 degrees F (135 degrees C). Line two 5x9 inch loaf pans with greased parchment paper.
Combine the almonds, Brazil nuts, walnuts, pecans, dates, red and green cherries; mix well.
Sift together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Combine with nut mixture and mix well.
Beat eggs and vanilla, add to nut and flour mixture and mix well.
Press into 2 lined loaf pans and bake for 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Set aside for 5 minutes and remove from pans. Completely cool on wire rack.

Answer 2

Can't get better than Delia Smith's recipe.

The Classic Christmas Cake

This, with no apologies, is a Christmas cake that has been in print since 1978, has been made and loved by thousands and is, along with the Traditional Christmas Pudding, one of the most popular recipes I've produced. It is rich, dark and quite moist, so will not suit those who like a crumblier texture. Recently we took some of these cakes along to book-signing sessions up and down the country and were quite amazed to see so many people take a mouthful and then buy a book!


Ingredients
1 lb (450 g) currants


6 oz (175 g) sultanas


6 oz (175 g) raisins


2 oz (50 g) glacé cherries, rinsed, dried and finely chopped


2 oz (50 g) mixed candied peel, finely chopped


3 tablespoons brandy, plus extra for 'feeding'


8 oz (225 g) plain flour


½ level teaspoon salt


¼ level teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg


½ level teaspoon ground mixed spice


8 oz (225 g) unsalted butter


8 oz (225 g) soft brown sugar


4 large eggs


2 oz (50 g) almonds, chopped (the skins can be left on)


1 level dessertspoon black treacle


grated zest 1 lemon


grated zest 1 orange


4 oz (110 g) whole blanched almonds (only if you don't intend to ice the cake)


You will also need an 8 inch (20 cm) round cake tin or a 7 inch (18 cm) square tin, greased and lined with silicone paper (baking parchment). Tie a band of brown paper round the outside of the tin for extra protection.

Click here for Mermaid cake tins


You need to begin this cake the night before you want to bake it. All you do is weigh out the dried fruit and mixed peel, place it in a mixing bowl and mix in the brandy as evenly and thoroughly as possible. Cover the bowl with a clean tea cloth and leave the fruit aside to absorb the brandy for 12 hours.

Next day pre-heat the oven to gas mark 1, 275°F (140°C). (For important information about cooking at gas mark 1, click here)Then measure out all the rest of the ingredients, ticking them off to make quite sure they're all there. The treacle will be easier to measure if you remove the lid and place the tin in a small pan of barely simmering water.

Now begin the cake by sifting the flour, salt and spices into a large mixing bowl, lifting the sieve up high to give the flour a good airing. Next, in a separate large mixing bowl, whisk the butter and sugar together until it's light, pale and fluffy. Now beat the eggs in a separate bowl and add them to the creamed mixture a tablespoonful at a time; keep the whisk running until all the egg is incorporated. If you add the eggs slowly by degrees like this the mixture won't curdle. If it does, don't worry, any cake full of such beautiful things can't fail to taste good! When all the egg has been added, fold in the flour and spices, using gentle, folding movements and not beating at all (this is to keep all that precious air in). Now fold in the fruit, peel, chopped nuts and treacle and finally the grated lemon and orange zests.

Next, using a large kitchen spoon, transfer the cake mixture into the prepared tin, spread it out evenly with the back of a spoon and, if you don't intend to ice the cake, lightly drop the whole blanched almonds in circles or squares all over the surface. Finally cover the top of the cake with a double square of silicone paper with a 50p-size hole in the centre (this gives extra protection during the long slow cooking). Bake the cake on the lowest shelf of the oven for 4½-4¾ hours. Sometimes it can take up to ½-¾ hour longer than this, but in any case don't look till at least 4 hours have passed.

Cool the cake for 30 minutes in the tin, then remove it to a wire rack to finish cooling. When it's cold 'feed' it – make small holes in the top and base of the cake with a cocktail stick or small skewer, then spoon over a few teaspoons of brandy, wrap it in double silicone paper secured with an elastic band and either wrap again in foil or store in an airtight container. You can now feed it at odd intervals until you need to ice or eat it.

Answer 3

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups (12oz) raisins
2 cups (1lb) currants
1 1/2 cups (12oz) sultanas
1/2 cup (4oz) almonds
3/4 cup (6oz) mixed peel
1/2 cup (4oz) glace/candied cherries
grated rind of half a lemon and the juice of 1 lemon
1 1/2 cups (12oz) unsalted butter
1 3/4 cups (12oz) moist brown sugar
6 eggs
3 cups (12oz) plain flour
1/2 level teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 level teaspoon nutmeg
1 level teaspoon mixed spice
1 level tablespoon black treacle
at least 2 tablespoons brandy, rum or sherry as preferred plus extra to "feed" cake when baked.

Method

- Grease a 9-10 inch tin.
- Cream butter, sugar and grated lemon rind until light and fluffy.
- Beat in eggs, one at a time.
- Mix dry ingredients together well.
- Add to creamed butter etc.
- Combine thoroughly.
- Mix in the chosen alcohol and lemon juice (add a little extra if the mixture seems too stiff) to form a dropping consistency.
- Turn into lined tin, ensure there are no pockets of air and the surface of the mixture is flat.
- Tie a double band of brown paper around the tin - approximately 3 inches above the rim of the tin.
- Place in oven one rung below the middle at 160 degrees centigrade
- Bake for 2 hours and then reduce heat to 150 degrees centigrade for a further 1 1/2 - 2 hours.
- Leave the cake to cool in the tin.
- Remove paper and turn cake upside down and make holes with a steel knitting needle or cocktail stick.
- Pour in extra spirit and leave cake upside down until the spirit has been absorbed.
- Wrap the cake in fresh grease proof paper and leave for at least 48 hours before icing.
- Before icing, the cake can be stored for up to 2 months wrapped in foil.
- Keep "feeding" the cake with alcohol until you are ready to put almond icing and then royal icing onto it.

Answer 4

Delicious fruit cake
Chef: Jen Whittington


This recipe is taken from 4 Ingredients: over 340 quick, easy and delicious recipes using 4 or less ingredients by Kim McCosker and Rachael Bermingham - used with permission

Degree of difficulty: Low

You need:
1kg mixed fruit
2 cups fruit juice/cold organic tea of choice
1 tablespoon sherry or similar
2 cups organic self-raising flour

Method:
Preheat oven to 125C. Soak fruits in juice/tea and sherry for two hours. Stir flour into soaked fruit and mix well. Put into large lined baking tin. Bake for 1 1/2 hours in the bottom of your oven on 130C. Remove and leave to cool. Put into a container and wrap in foil. Keep for 2-3 days before cutting.

Answer 5

Pistachio Christmas Cake--nancyskitchen.com
1 pkg. white Duncan Hines cake mix
3 eggs
1 c. Wesson oil
1 c. 7-Up
2 oz. chopped walnut tidbits
2 pkgs. Royal Pistachio pudding mix
Mix cake and 1 package pudding together. Bake in bundt pan at 350 degrees for 40 to 45 minutes, don't over bake. Cool cake before tipping upside down.
FROSTING:1 pkg. pistachio pudding
1/2 pt. whipping cream
1 c. milk
Mix together and frost cake. Add cut cherries (red and green) to make wreaths on top of cake. .

Answer 6

I make Poppyseed cakes all the time for Xmas and all I do is follow the instructions on the inside label. you can substitute milk and little extra sugar for evaporated/condensed milk. Then I either make cupcakes out of it or a large bundt. You can choose. I will decorate the tops with icing or powdered sugar! People love my poppyseed treats!

Answer 7

Creole Christmas Fruit Cake w/ Whisky Sauce

For the Simple Syrup:
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup water
1 1/2 tablespoons lemon zest, cut in strips
2 tablespoons lemon juice

For the Cake:
1/2 pound mixed dried fruits, such as blueberries, cranberries, cherries, raisins, and chopped apricots
1/2 pound, (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 ounces almond paste
4 large eggs
1/2 cup Grand Marnier, or other orange-flavored liqueur
2 cups bleached all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Pinch freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 cup slivered almonds, toasted
1/2 cup pecan pieces
1/2 cup walnut pieces
1/4 cup bourbon

Make a simple-syrup by combining the sugar and water in a medium-size heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the lemon zest and juice and bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Boil for 2 minutes and remove from the heat.

Combine the dried fruits in a large mixing bowl. Pour the simple-syrup over them, toss to coat and let steep for 5 minutes. Strain and reserve the syrup.

Cream the butter, sugar and almond paste together in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle at low speed, occasionally scraping down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Beat until the mixture is fluffy and smooth, about 2 minutes. Add the eggs 1 at a time, mixing in between each addition on low speed and scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary. Add 1/4 cup of the Grand Marnier and mix to incorporate.

Combine the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg in a medium-size mixing bowl and blend well. Add this mixture 1/2 cup at a time to the butter mixture with the mixer on low speed, each time mixing until smooth, about 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as necessary. The batter will be thick.

Add the warm fruit and all of the nuts a little at a time, mixing well. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and the paddle.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Lightly grease a bundt pan with butter or non-stick baking spray. Pour the batter into the pan and bake until golden brown and the top springs back when touched, about 45 to 50 minutes (turning the pan to ensure even browning after 30 minutes.)

Cool the cake for 20 minutes in the pan, then remove and continue to cool upside-down on wire racks.

Make tiny holes with a toothpick randomly on the rounded end of the cake. Combine the remaining simple syrup with the remaining 1/4 cup of Grand Marnier and the bourbon. Wrap the cake in a layer of cheesecloth and pour 1/4 cup of the syrup over the top of each cake. Store in a plastic zip bag for 3 or 4 days until the cake is slightly stale. Sprinkle syrup over cakes once every 2 to 3 days until all of the syrup is used. Let the cakes age for up to 3 weeks before eating.

For the Whiskey Sauce:
3 cups heavy cream
1/2 cup bourbon
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons cornstarch

Combine 2 3/4 cups of the cream with the bourbon and sugar in a medium-size nonstick saucepan over medium-heat. Stir to dissolve the sugar.

In a small bowl, dissolve the cornstarch in the remaining 1/4 cup cream. Add this to the cream-and-bourbon mixture and simmer stirring often, until the mixture thickens, 4 to 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and serve warm with the fruitcake.

The sauce may be stored, after it has cooled, in an airtight container for 24 hours. When ready to serve, warm over low heat.

--Emeril Lagasse, 2003

Answer 8

Don't wish to cheat, but Deliah's creole cake is brilliant

Answer 9

Lifes to short, why don't you buy on from M&S?