anyone got an Xmas cakes recipes?

Question

Specifically for an 8 inch round or square tin? any help would be appreciated

Answer 1

I like this one - makes two 9-inch round pans but 8-inch can be used, just increase the baking time by about 5 minutes.

Royal Christmas Cake
16 servings
Prep: 45 minutes
Chill: 1 week
Bake: 1 hour
Cool: 2 hours
Stand: 2 hours

Ingredients
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1-1/2 cups currants
1-1/2 cups dark or golden raisins
1-1/2 cups diced mixed candied fruits and peels
1 cup candied red and/or green cherries
1/2 cup almonds, ground*
4 eggs
1 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup butter, melted
1/2 cup rum, brandy, or orange juice
3 tablespoons lemon juice
Rum, brandy, or orange juice (about 1/3 cup)
1 8-ounce can almond paste
1 recipe Royal Icing (see recipe below)

Directions
1. Grease bottom and sides of two 9x1-1/2-inch round baking pans. Line bottoms with waxed paper. Grease paper; sprinkle bottom and sides of pans lightly with flour; set aside. Stir together flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, nutmeg, and cloves. Stir in currants, raisins, fruits and peels, cherries, and almonds. Set aside.

2. In a medium bowl beat eggs slightly with a fork. Add granulated sugar, butter, 1/2 cup rum, and lemon juice; stir until combined. Stir egg mixture into fruit mixture; pour into prepared pans.

3. Bake in a 300 degree F oven for 1 to 1-1/4 hours or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. (If necessary, cover pans loosely with foil after 1 hour to prevent overbrowning.) Cool in pans on wire racks 20 minutes; loosen edges. Remove cakes from pans. Cool thoroughly on wire racks.

4. Wrap layers separately in 100-percent cotton cheesecloth moistened with additional rum, brandy, or juice. Wrap with foil or place in large self-sealing plastic bags. Store in the refrigerator for 1 to 2 weeks. Remoisten cheesecloth with a little additional rum if it becomes dry.

5. To assemble, up to 2 hours before serving, unwrap cake layers. Place 1 cake layer, top side down, on a serving plate. Spread with half of the almond paste. (Or, if paste is too thick to spread, divide in half and shape into balls. Place each ball between 2 sheets of waxed paper; flatten slightly. With a rolling pin, roll each portion into a 9-1/2-inch circle; trim to form a 9-inch circle. Remove top sheet of paper from 1 circle; invert onto cake. Remove remaining paper).

6. Spread about 3/4 cup of the Royal Icing over almond paste on first cake layer. Add second cake layer, top side up; spread or top with remaining almond paste. Frost top and sides of cake with remaining Royal Icing. If desired, garnish with bay leaves (do not eat). Let stand at least 30 minutes to allow Icing to set. Serve within 2 hours of frosting. Makes 16 servings.

*Note: Use a grinder, blender, or food processor to grind nuts.

Royal Icing: Combine 4 cups sifted powdered sugar, 1/2 cup water, 1/4 cup meringue powder, and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Beat with an electric mixer on high speed 7 to 10 minutes or until very stiff. Use immediately; cover icing in bowl with damp paper towel or with plastic wrap while working to prevent drying. Makes about 3-1/2 cups.

Answer 2

Heres the one I use, and currently have 5 in the cupboard maturing nicely along with a drink of brandy every now and again!!

Makes a 8" cake round

10oz brown sugar
10 oz butter
5 eggs (size 3)
12oz plain flour
1 teaspoon mixed spice
14 oz currants
14 oz sultanas
5 oz raisins
3 oz chopped glace cherries
1.5 tbsp reacle
1.5 tab spoon brandy or more if you like!!


150C in the oven, grease and triple line your cake tin.

cream butter and suger, add eggs in small batches, sift in flour and spice, then add the dried frui and cherries. I usually end up using my hands as theres that much. Add the treacle and brandy last. Then in to your tin, and into the oven on a double sheet of brown paper, this stops the bottom burning. The cake takes about 5 hours, but after an hour turn then oven down to 140C. Leave to cool in the tin. It can be stored wrapped in greaseproof paper and tin foil.

The smell when you go into my larder is wonderful by the way!!!

Answer 3

Check recipe for shopping/store cupboard purposes. Gather together the fruits and soak in alcohol as directed in the method before making the cake.

10 oz currants
6 oz sultanas

3 oz raisins

3 oz dark natural glace cherries

3oz mixed chopped peel - Cut your own or use ready cut

Grated rind of 1 lemon

Grated rind of 1 orange

2 tablespoons of whisky, brandy, rum or sherry

4 eggs - room temperature

6 oz butter - room temperature

6 oz soft brown sugar (or caster sugar if you have none)

3 ½ oz of self raising flour (use all plain if you have no SR flour, this cake is not intended to rise, but be level.)

3 ½ oz of plain flour

2 oz ground almonds

1½ teaspoons of mixed spice (this should contain cloves, cinnamon etc)

1 tablespoon golden syrup or corn syrup

Optional 2oz walnuts or blanched almonds chopped.

Optional 2 oz chopped dried apricots

The quantities in this fruit cake recipe must be baked in a deep Round 8 inch tin or Square 7 inch tin.

Prepare these things first.

1. Before you mix up the cake, SOAK the dried fruit and the halved cherries in the alcohol for about 4-8 hours before using it and also remove your 6oz butter and 4 eggs from the fridge to bring them to room temperature about 2 hours before cake making begins. Sometimes I just put all the fruit in a screw top jar and shake it every day for about a week or two. The soaking helps plump and hydrate the fruit.

2. Heat oven to 140 degrees Celsius or Gas mark 1 or 275 degrees Fahrenheit

3. Butter your tin type and double line it and butter it again with 2 circles of greaseproof paper and an inner band of paper.

4. Outside the tin add a double band of brown paper that rises 2 inches or so above the tin. Tie with string.

5. Place the tin ready on a flat pizza or other baking sheet – this helps in removing it from the oven.

Answer 4

look for Delia Smith or Mary Berry on-line they have great recipes which never fail. Happy christmas!

Answer 5

Red Velvet Cake...recpie at www.southernfood.about.com