Like the festival of Christmas is incomplete without Santa, gifts and a tree, so is it without the delicious Christmas cake which mom makes! Keeping all the chocolate and butter cream cake recipes aside, this cake recipe is specially designed for Christmas. These cake recipes are very rich and dark fruit cakes which include as many dried fruits and brandy as possible. They are also known as "the plum cake" which is the most valued recipe in families across the world, as baking these is surely a family affair.
The specialty of these Christmas cakes is the same old traditional taste which our taste buds relish only once a year, along with some colorful cake decorating and this is what makes the festival warm and wonderful. Well, apart from the baking the cake, I am sure you also love tasting that yummy frosting and those candies topped on the cake!
Christmas Cake
Recipe
Before we start with the cake decorating ideas, I would like to give you a short traditional recipe for the most delicious cake you would have ever had. Once you prepare this Christmas cake, you can use simple decorating ideas to give it the most perfect festive look so that everyone in the family enjoys it. Read on and take a look.
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- teaspoon baking soda
- 2 containers candied cherries
- 1 container candied mixed citrus peel
- 1 cup raisins
- 1 cup dates, pitted and chopped
- 1 cup dried currants
- 2 packages blanched almonds
- cup molasses
- cup brandy
- cup apple juice
- 1 teaspoon ground allspice
- 1 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 cup butter
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 6 eggs
- 2 cups packed brown sugar
Preparing a Christmas cake is quite a difficult task as you have to invest a lot of time and effort in preparing it. However, it's all worth the effort when you use some cake decorating designs! To start, use a medium bowl to mix all the dried fruits mentioned above in the brandy and keep it overnight. The next day, grease a baking dish with butter, line it with parchment paper and grease again. Then in another bowl, add the flour, baking soda, allspice, cinnamon, cloves and salt and keep it aside. Mix cream butter and add brown sugar and eggs gradually till they are whisked to make a soft batter. Also mix the molasses and apple juice separately first and then add to the butter and flour mixture. Mix all this with the dried fruits and then add into the baking dish, bake in the preheated oven at 275 degrees F for about 3 hours, and then decorate the cake with various Christmas cake decorations.
Decorating Ideas
After that amazing cake recipe rich with dried fruits and alcohol, I am sure you are eagerly waiting to find some great cake decorating ideas! Without any delay, here are a few of the best Christmas elements which can be used as fantastic cake decorations, coming right up for you.
Fondant Icing
You can prepare stars, Christmas trees, Santa and Rudolph, bells and ornaments, with fondant as all you have to do is cut them out with cutters, or pipe them on the cake. You can use these cake decorations in various colors like pink, red, green, white, yellow, orange, etc., by using various flavors and food coloring in the frosting.
Candies
Using various types of candies and chocolates to decorate the cake has always been a major criteria in cake decoration. With the wide variety of shapes, sizes and colors which are available in these candy decorations, you can use your imagination to the fullest to decorate your Christmas cake. You can use candy sticks, jelly beans, edible figurines, licorice, candy grass, gummy bears, fondant flowers, peppermint flavored canes, sugar pearls and candy confetti can be used as cake toppings.
Ribbons and Lace
Another major part of these beautiful cake decorations can be using colorful ribbons and laces around the cake borders or circumference. Usually Christmas cakes are round and square in shapes. Thus, you can use a thick strip of red, golden or green ribbon to cover the sides of the cake and then make a bow at one end. There are various types of laces specially designed for these cakes but normal ones can also be used. Cakes get an elegant look when they are frosted with fondant and then covered with ribbons. Therefore, you can definitely add this element to your cake.
With these versatile Christmas cake decorating ideas, you can use them to make your cake colorful and attractive. Christmas is all about having a great time with your friends and family, so, go ahead and enjoy these wonderful designer cakes with your loved ones. Merry Christmas and a very Happy New Year!!
Like the festival of Christmas is incomplete without Santa, gifts and a tree, so is it without the delicious Christmas cake which mom makes! Keeping all the chocolate and butter cream cake recipes aside, this cake recipe is specially designed for Christmas. These cake recipes are very rich and dark fruit cakes which include as many dried fruits and brandy as possible. They are also known as "the plum cake" which is the most valued recipe in families across the world, as baking these is surely a family affair.
The specialty of these Christmas cakes is the same old traditional taste which our taste buds relish only once a year, along with some colorful cake decorating and this is what makes the festival warm and wonderful. Well, apart from the baking the cake, I am sure you also love tasting that yummy frosting and those candies topped on the cake!
Christmas Cake
Recipe
Before we start with the cake decorating ideas, I would like to give you a short traditional recipe for the most delicious cake you would have ever had. Once you prepare this Christmas cake, you can use simple decorating ideas to give it the most perfect festive look so that everyone in the family enjoys it. Read on and take a look.
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- teaspoon baking soda
- 2 containers candied cherries
- 1 container candied mixed citrus peel
- 1 cup raisins
- 1 cup dates, pitted and chopped
- 1 cup dried currants
- 2 packages blanched almonds
- cup molasses
- cup brandy
- cup apple juice
- 1 teaspoon ground allspice
- 1 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 cup butter
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 6 eggs
- 2 cups packed brown sugar
Preparing a Christmas cake is quite a difficult task as you have to invest a lot of time and effort in preparing it. However, it's all worth the effort when you use some cake decorating designs! To start, use a medium bowl to mix all the dried fruits mentioned above in the brandy and keep it overnight. The next day, grease a baking dish with butter, line it with parchment paper and grease again. Then in another bowl, add the flour, baking soda, allspice, cinnamon, cloves and salt and keep it aside. Mix cream butter and add brown sugar and eggs gradually till they are whisked to make a soft batter. Also mix the molasses and apple juice separately first and then add to the butter and flour mixture. Mix all this with the dried fruits and then add into the baking dish, bake in the preheated oven at 275 degrees F for about 3 hours, and then decorate the cake with various Christmas cake decorations.
Decorating Ideas
After that amazing cake recipe rich with dried fruits and alcohol, I am sure you are eagerly waiting to find some great cake decorating ideas! Without any delay, here are a few of the best Christmas elements which can be used as fantastic cake decorations, coming right up for you.
Fondant Icing
You can prepare stars, Christmas trees, Santa and Rudolph, bells and ornaments, with fondant as all you have to do is cut them out with cutters, or pipe them on the cake. You can use these cake decorations in various colors like pink, red, green, white, yellow, orange, etc., by using various flavors and food coloring in the frosting.
Candies
Using various types of candies and chocolates to decorate the cake has always been a major criteria in cake decoration. With the wide variety of shapes, sizes and colors which are available in these candy decorations, you can use your imagination to the fullest to decorate your Christmas cake. You can use candy sticks, jelly beans, edible figurines, licorice, candy grass, gummy bears, fondant flowers, peppermint flavored canes, sugar pearls and candy confetti can be used as cake toppings.
Ribbons and Lace
Another major part of these beautiful cake decorations can be using colorful ribbons and laces around the cake borders or circumference. Usually Christmas cakes are round and square in shapes. Thus, you can use a thick strip of red, golden or green ribbon to cover the sides of the cake and then make a bow at one end. There are various types of laces specially designed for these cakes but normal ones can also be used. Cakes get an elegant look when they are frosted with fondant and then covered with ribbons. Therefore, you can definitely add this element to your cake.
With these versatile Christmas cake decorating ideas, you can use them to make your cake colorful and attractive. Christmas is all about having a great time with your friends and family, so, go ahead and enjoy these wonderful designer cakes with your loved ones. Merry Christmas and a very Happy New Year!!
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