Tips to Bake and Decorate Your Christmas Cake

Christmas Cake Tips

How to make your Christmas cake a success

I think it’s never too early to start thinking about your Christmas cake. I can’t understand why humans only eat Christmas cake for Christmas but that’s a subject for a different post. Working in the kitchen with Mrs Claus, I have picked up a tip or two about baking the perfect Christmas cake. Read on for tips that will help you bake a cake as good as the one she bakes for Santa! For one of my favourite Christmas Cake recipes click here.

Baking tips

  • Bake your Christmas Cake on the last Sunday before Advent – your cake will taste better if it has time to mature
  • Double line the baking tin and wrap tin with double layer brown paper to stop cake burning on a long bake
  • Preheat your oven. Mrs Claus says it is important – if a big quantity of cake mixture goes into a cold oven, it will take along time for the oven to reach the correct temperature and the cake will not cook correctly.
  • Start baking the cake at a higher temperature for an hour and then reduce the temperature for the remaining time.
  • Be patient. Don’t raise the oven temperature to cook the cake quicker – you’ll risk burning the top (I learned this from experience)
  • Bake a practice cake, so you can make changes if needed. This is a good tip if you are trying a new recipe and my favourite tip as you get to eat two cakes!
  • Take the butter out of the fridge to soften it before mixing
  • Toss your fruit with a dusting of flour to stop it sticking together in clumps
  • Add a large grated carrot into the mixture to help keep  the cake moist  – that’s not a tip from Mrs Claus but from a reindeer!
  • Use unrefined sugar, it will give it more flavour and colour
  • Check it is cooked inside with a skewer before you take it out of the oven
  • Buy a good quality tin and good quality ingredients – your cake will taste better

 

Elf Playing in Flour

Mrs Claus wouldn’t approve, but remember to mess about in the flour!

Fruit, nuts and flavour ideas

  • Add chopped dry apricots, dried cherries and cranberries to add colour to the mix
  • Try a mix of Cranberries, pistachios, dried mango and dried pineapple for a more exotic flavour
  • Roast nuts before adding as it will bring out the flavour as well as add some crunch

Liquids to feed the cake / mix the batter with

  • Use orange, apple juice or tea instead of brandy to make an alcohol free cake
  • Calvados will add a hint of apple flavour
  • Marinate fruit and almonds overnight with tea, juice and /or brandy before baking
  • Try soaking your fruit with ginger beer for a lovely spicy flavour

Decorating tips

  • Dust edible glitter on the icing for a little Christmas sparkle
  • Decorate with shop bought little marzipan fruits for a cute and colourful look.
  • Use ribbons and silver/gold balls
  • Remember to coat your cake with a little boiled apricot jam before you cover it with marzipan so it sticks on nicely
  • Make snowman cake pops to stick in the Traditional Christmas cake — Striking and popular with kids!

Last but not least

Make sure everyone in the family has a stir of the cake mix and makes a wish. It adds extra magic and makes the cake taste better!

About Elfin (38 Articles)
Hi, I'm Elfin - Santa's chief Elf. Santa's wants me to tell you all about my Elf friends and the Christmas Elf Tradition. If you have any questions, just ask! I would love to hear from you and find out what your elves have been up to - so please leave your comments. Happy Elfing :)

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