Elitetwigs English Golden Christmas Cake Recipes

Steps:

• If you have thawed your Christmas Cake please de-thaw prior to using this guide. If you have your Christmas Cake ready -- Let's go.
• Warm Apricot Jam through until it sightly bubbles. Either on the hob or in the microwave for 10-15 seconds. Set this aside.
• Dust surface with a little icing sugar.
• Roll out marzipan, dusting now and then, to desired size enough to cover cake top and sides.
• Brush Cake with Apricot Jam, this ensures marzipan will stick.
• Lift onto rolling pin and smooth out over cake, so it sticks to cake.
• Trim excess.
• Wrap Cake in clingfilm and leave for marzipan to harden for 2 days. Please store in a dry cool place.
• 2 DAYS LATER.
• Remove clingfilm, and brush marzipan surface with water.
• Prepare royal icing as described in steps 3, 4 and 6, 7.
• With excess icing roll into a ball and create a whole in the centre add drop of yellow food colouring and work the icing, dusting with icing sugar to prevent sticking.
• Once the icing has a consistent light yellow colour, roll out icing to a 1/2 cm thickness all over.
• Take a star shape cookie cutter (or any other shape you prefer) and cut as many stars as you can, re roll icing if more stars needed.
• Brush the back of the stars with water (not too much just enough to stick) and arrange on cake.
• At edges press stars down and trim any excess such as points that go over the edge.
• Once all stars have been placed, leave cake for 24hours so icing can harden.
• Dada! On professionally looking Christmas Cake! Well Done!

Steps:

• Grease and linesides and base, with greaseproof paper, an 8 inch round cake tin.
• Set the oven to warm, Gas Mark 3 / 325F / 160°C.
• In a large mixing bowl sieve the flour, nutmeg and mixed spice together.
• Add all remaining ingredients to the flour.
• Beat together with a wooden spoon ntil the mixture is a well combined and has a soft, dropping consistency. (if too thick add tsp of milk at a time till desired effect. If to runny add tsp of flour at a time till desired effect).
• Spoon mixture carefully into tin.
• Shake to settle mixture and hollow out centre of the cake.
• Bake for 2 hours approximately.
• As oven temps vary, test half an hour before end of recommended cooking time using a skewer.
• Continue testing until skewer comes out clean.
• Leave to cool in tin, when cold turn out and wrap in greaseproof paper.
• Either store in an airtight tin or tightly wrap in foil.
• Can freeze for upto 2 months (must thaw before decorate).

Steps:

• Beat butter until light and creamy. Gradually add sugar, beating until smooth..Beat egg yolks lightly and add. Combine milk, brandy and vanilla. Combine flour and salt together.
• Alternately add milk mix and flour mix to butter mix. Fold in fruit and nuts. Beat egg whites and cream of tartar together until Fold egg whites into batter gently but thoroughly . stiff but not dry.
• Pour into two buttered and floured six cup molds. Bake at 275 for 2 and 1/2 hours. Or until the test done. Cool and unmold.