Big top cupcake Christmas recipe

[Moanna]

I bought the above silicone set on offer, with it came a couple of books with recipes. There's a Christmas one that I'm tempted to make, to take over to my family in the UK when we visit.

If I list the ingredients, could someone tell me how far in advance I could get away with making it? I'm not sure if it's an actual Christmas cake or an ordinary one

250g Luxury dried fruit which you have to soak in brandy or orange juice
250g butter
230g soft brown sugar
4 eggs
350g self raising flour
1/2 tsp each cinnamon and ground spice
100g glacé cherries
1tbsp treacle
zest of an orange and a lemon.

If it hasn't got a long life, does anyone have any other suggestions? We are travelling on 17th of December, and ideally wanted it as a contribution for Christmas day.....

[Moanna]

Or a proper fruit cake recipe?

[Moanna]

Begging bump

[RockStockAndTwoOpenBottles]

I made my Christmas Cake in April. I'd say it will be fine!! I use this recipe from Saint Delia.

[Lilymaid]

Moanna - that recipe is a pretty standard Christmas cake recipe (though it doesn't have nuts) and would keep as well as any Christmas cake. You'd want to make it well before you travel and perhaps "feed it" with more booze whilst it matures.

[Moanna]

Thank you!! Do I ice it before I leave or would it have to be closer to the day?

Nuts would be lovely, can I just throw some in? By feeding it do you mean just pouring a bit into it? Thanks for the recipe.

I'm delighted, away to buy ingredients and get going.

[Moanna]

Ok, I know what feeding is now, thanks to Delia.

Just one more question.... do I have to leave the cake in the mould the whole time?

[RockStockAndTwoOpenBottles]

Once you've cooked it, remove it from the mould. It depends, really, what kind of icing you are planning to use. If it's ready rolled fondant, then I would leave it until a week or so before. If it's royal icing, I tend to do mine at the beginning of December. Assuming you will be doing marzipan as well? I generally make my own, but Waitrose (and others I'm sure) make great ready rolled marzipan.

In the first instance, once you've baked the cake (yes, chuck some nuts in - a mix, or chopped walnuts/hazlenuts) leave it to cool for 1/2 an hour then carefully remove it from the mould. Wrap it first in a double layer of greaseproof paper and then a double layer of foil.

Every couple of weeks or so, 'feed' it as per Delia. I tend to do a couple of egg cup fulls of brandy each time, and then re-wrap again.

When you come to do the marzipan, melt some apricot jam in a pan and brush the top and sides of the cake with it. Place the marzipan over and smooth it down. Leave it OPEN for about 48 hours (this bit is important - you want the marzipan to dry a little or it will discolour the icing) and then either wrap or ice it. Again, if using ready rolled/made fondant icing, a painting of apricot jam will act as a glue. If you're using Royal icing, you don't need to do that.

Once it's dry (if doing Royal icing) then put it in a airtight Tupperware type box.

I'd leave any final touches to the last minute. Use lightly beaten egg white to stick anything down.

Good luck - this all sounds complicated, but I promise it's not!!

[RockStockAndTwoOpenBottles]

I would put in 75g nuts and 50g glacé cherries. If you buy the bags of luxury dried fruit, you will have a lovely mix of raisins, sultanas, currants and probably glace fruits too.

[Moanna]

I really appreciate your help RockStock. I did a dry run with the mould and a basic sponge today and it turned out OK, a bit of the cake stuck to it so I'll have to use a bit more butter and maybe some flour.

The topping and middle filling in the recipe I have involves cream cheese and brandy.... what do you think? You mix some of the boozy fruit with the topping to make the middle bit. I wouldn't be doing that until nearer the day though, I wouldn't have thought.

[RockStockAndTwoOpenBottles]

No problem. Definitely grease and flour really well. Yes, I would mix in some boozy fruit, and leave it till the last minute. I didn't realise you were not quite doing a 'Christmas Cake' iyswim, but do the cake, wrap it like I said and feed it every couple of weeks or so. A couple or three days tops before it's to be eaten, finish it off.

PM me nearer the time if you have any questions, will be happy to help.

[Moanna]

Brilliant, thanks so much.

I'm not well known for my culinary skills, so hope to surprise the family!

I'll let you know how it goes when I make it next week