A cake for Christmas (Cakes)

Member Name: mumsymary

Product:	Cakes
Date:	17/12/02 (1536 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: fun, cheaper than bought

Disadvantages: none

Homemade cakes.

Well I have been making cakes for many a year, learnt at my mothers side always there to lick the bowl out.
Nothing quite like a home made cake. Where do I begin? Yes children, involve them, its fun, something to do. A parent child bonding activity, put away those video games, stops children wandering streets, spend time with your child.

Any way I am of my soapbox now.

What cake to make at home, well its Christmas So Christmas cake is the obvious nearly everyone has a Christmas cake. I iced mine yesterday afternoon. (Recipe later) Chocolate cake excellent for Christmas I will make one soon A Christmas log methinks. Tiny little cakes in petit four cases, large muffins,
Little cakes. Mince pies (I know mince pies are not cakes) a Victoria sponge, maybe an orange Madeira cake.

My Christmas cake recipe.

First get a tin prepared this recipe is good for an 28 cm /11 inch round tin


Makes a 9 inch round cake
560g/1lb.40z currants,
225g/8 oz raisins
60g/2 ½ oz mixed peel
60g/2 1/2oz glace cherries chopped and rinsed.
Soaks all the above in a bowl with 6 tablespoons of brandy for 12 hours or so.

450g 1 lb soft brown sugar
450g unsalted butter (you could cheat use margarine)
In a large bowl (or electric mixer) cream butter and sugar till light and fluffy.

8 eggs size 2
Beat the eggs in a separate bowl and then add to the creamed butter and sugar a little at a time it is easier to add the eggs a little at a time.
Beat the eggs into the mix well.




450G/1lb plain flour
½ teaspoon salt
1 level teaspoon mixed spice
½ teaspoon grated nutmeg
Sieve the flour into another large bowl with the salt and spices (this ensures the y are mixed. Then add the flour mix to the margarine sugar and eggs slowly folding in gently a little at a time.


NEXT
Add the soaked fruit stir in till distribut
ed well.
I you like you can add 110g 4 oz blanched peeled almonds at this stage I do not, I do not like nuts

2 tablespoons black treacle.
Warmed in the microwave or measure the black treacle into a sm bowl/mug put some hot water into a larger bowl and place the smaller one containing the treacle into the larger bowl it will be easier to pour and mix.
Stir the black treacle into the mix.

1 orange 1 lemon
Grate the rind into the mix and stir in.


Spoon the cake mix into your prepared tin cover the top with a circle of greaseproof paper.
Secure some brown paper around the outside of the tin (to stop edges of cake burning before middle cooked

Place in a preheated oven gas mark1 / 140 C/ 275F) place on a lower shelf in the oven for a bout 5 hours then cool on a wire rack.
Then comes the fun bit marzipanning, icing and decorating the packs of marzipan and ready mixed icing are about the right size, and easy to use or you can make your own icing. Then decorate how you wish plenty of plastic Santa’s, trees, and shiny balls or make your own from marzipan or cut out shapes from the left over icing

Chocolate cake mmmmmmmmmmmmm a must for Christmas
Here is a traditional Christmas chocolate log. RECIPE
4 eggs
100g/4oz sugar
60ml/4 level tbsp cocoa powder
2.5 ml ½ tsp ground cinnamon

Grease a Swiss roll tin line with greaseproof paper grease the paper
Whisk the egg whites and sugar in a bowl over a pan of hot water until pale creamy and thick enough to leave a trail on the surface when whisk is lifted.
Sift in cocoa powder and cinnamon and fold gently into the mixture.
Spoon mixture into the tin, smooth mixture and bake for 15 minutes at200c 400f gas 6.

While it is cooking get a damp t towel and put a sheet of greaseproof paper on it turn out the cake onto it and roll up with the paper inside it leave to cool on a wire rack

Mean w
hile prepare a filling either whip some fresh cream or make some
Butter cream

75g/3oz-softened butter
175g/6oz icing sugar
Few drops vanilla essence
15-30ml 1-2 tbs milk or warm water

Put the butter in a bowl and cream sift and add icing sugar add vanilla flavouring and milk or water
To make it chocolaty dissolve 1 level tbsp cocoa powder in a little hot water cool then add to the creamed butter mix.

Now carefully unroll the cake and spread the filling all over it. You can use jam or butter cream or real cream. Roll the cake back up again and you have your log. Next spread butter cream all over the out side of the cake make marks with a fork to resemble bark. Sprinkle a little white icing sugar on it to resemble frost, maybe add a plastic robin, holly leaf or two, a snowman. Sit down and enjoy at your Christmas tea.
Good way to cheat buy a ready-made chocolate Swiss roll and ice/decorate it yourself again a great thing to do with children.

Have fun cooking decorating your cakes happy Christmas, thanks for reading, Mary

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