Christmas Present Cake Recipes

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F. Grease 3 (8-inch) square cake pans with shortening; lightly flour.
• In large bowl, beat cake mix, milk, oil, eggs and almond extract on low speed 30 seconds, then on medium speed 2 minutes. Divide batter evenly among pans.
• Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to cooling racks. Cool completely, about 1 hour.
• With serrated knife, cut off domed top of each cake layer to level. Carefully brush off crumbs. Place 1 cake layer, cut side up, on serving plate; spread with 1/4 cup jam. Spread 3/4 cup frosting over jam. Repeat with second cake layer, cut side up, 1/4 cup jam and 3/4 cup frosting. Top with remaining cake layer, cut side down. Using large spatula, carefully spread thin layer of frosting over sides of cake, then over top, to seal in crumbs. Refrigerate 30 minutes. Apply second thicker layer of frosting to sides and top of cake, spreading until smooth.
• Cut 4 (8-inch) pieces from fruit snacks. Place on top and sides of cake, pressing gently into frosting to look like ribbon. Spoon 1/4 cup frosting in mound on center of cake. Cut remaining fruit snacks into 4-inch pieces. Fold each piece in half to look like loops of bow; press into frosting mound to create large bow.
• Place 1/3 cup frosting in each of 3 small bowls; tint 1 bowl red, 1 green and 1 lime green. Spoon each color frosting into separate small resealable food-storage plastic bags or disposable decorating bags; seal bags. Cut off tiny corner of each bag and fit with writing tip. Squeeze to pipe dots on cake. Place Gift Tag Cookie on cake.

Steps:

• Put 1kg mixed dried fruit, the zest and juice of 1 orange and 1 lemon, 150ml brandy or other alcohol, 250g softened butter and 200g light, soft brown sugar in a large pan set over a medium heat.
• Bring to the boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 5 mins. Tip the fruit mixture into a large bowl and leave to cool for 30 mins.
• Heat oven to 150C/130C fan/gas 2. Line a deep 20cm cake tin with a double layer of baking parchment, then wrap a double layer of newspaper around the outside - tie with string to secure.
• Add 175g plain flour, 100g ground almonds, ½ tsp baking powder, 2 tsp mixed spice, 1 tsp ground cinnamon, ¼ tsp ground cloves, 100g flaked almonds, 4 large eggs and 1 tsp vanilla extract to the fruit mixture and stir well, making sure there are no pockets of flour.
• Tip into your prepared tin, level the top with a spatula and bake in the centre of the oven for 2 hrs.
• Remove the cake from the oven, poke holes in it with a skewer and spoon over 2 tbsp of your chosen alcohol. Leave the cake to cool completely in the tin.
• To store, peel off the baking parchment, then wrap well in cling film. Feed the cake with 1-2 tbsp alcohol every fortnight, until you ice it.
• Don't feed the cake for the final week to give the surface a chance to dry before icing.