Quick Xmas cakes
If you don’t have much time to plan ahead, these quick recipes should suit
Christmas Cake in a Pan
Makes a 20cm round or 18cm square cake
225g butter, chopped
300g dark muscovado sugar
1kg mixed dried fruit, chopped
finely grated rind and juice of 1 orange
finely grated rind and juice of 1 lemon
125g brandy or sherry
100g walnuts
4 large eggs, lightly beaten
100g packet ground almonds
300g plain flour
½ tsp baking powder
1 tsp mixed spice
1 tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp freshly ground nutmeg
l Put the butter, sugar, dried fruit, citrus rinds and juices, and brandy in a large pan and bring slowly to the boil, stirring until the butter has melted, reduce the heat and let it bubble gently for 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and leave to cool.
l Grease and line the bottom and sides of cake pan in double greaseproof paper. Preheat the oven to 160°C/320°F/gas mark 3.
l Stir the eggs into the fruit mixture with the walnut pieces and ground almonds and mix well. Set a sieve over the pan and sift the flour, baking powder and spices into the pan. Mix thoroughly.
l Spoon the mixture into the tin and level. Bake in the oven for around 1.5 hours or, when inserting a skewer in the centre of the cake it comes out clean. Allow the cake to cool in the tin for 15 minutes and then turn out. Peel off the paper and cool completely on a wire rack.
l Wrap in greaseproof paper, then in foil. It keeps for up to three months. For a boozy effect, drizzle with brandy or an orange-based liqueur once a week until Christmas.
l A week before Christmas decorate the cake. You will need half a kilo of marzipan and icing; buy more icing for a stylish topping. The children will love to help with decorating the cake.
Freeze Ahead Mince Pies
Makes 30
200g plain flour
200g self-raising flour
100g ground almonds
240g unsalted butter
50g icing sugar
1tsp vanilla
100ml water
500g/1 jar and a little bit more – mincemeat
Extra icing sugar for dusting
l Sift flours in the mixer bowl. Add the sifted icing sugar, vanilla, ground almonds and butter. Beat on medium until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Pour in about 100ml of water and beat to form soft dough. Cover pastry with a clean cloth.
l Grease a 12-hole cup cake tray. Choose your cutters. It could be holly leaves, stars, trees or any shape you prefer. Set oven to 160°C/320°F/gas mark 3.
l Roll out pastry to 1/2 cm thick on a floured surface. Using a 7cm round fluted cutter stamp out pastry cases. Line onto tin cases and fill centre with 1 teaspoon of mincemeat. Cover with your chosen pastry shape.
l Bake for 15 minutes or until golden in colour. Carry on until you use all the pastry and filling. Freeze when completely cold. Dust with icing sugar before serving.
