Serving size: Serves 4
Cooking time: More than 2 hours
Course: Dessert
Favourite flavours: Cakes/baking

Individual Christmas cakes

INGREDIENTS

1 quantity prepared Classic Christmas Cake mix (omit walnuts and extra marmalade)

to decorate
500g packet soft white icing (prepared fondant)
pure icing sugar
1 egg white, beaten lightly
decorative cutters and ribbon

METHOD

Preheat oven to 160°C (140°C fan-forced). Line the bases and sides of four deep 9.5cm square (or 12.5cm round) cake pans with 1 layer of brown paper and 1 layer of baking paper, extending paper 2cm over the edge of the pan

Spoon Classic Christmas Cake mix into prepared pans; smooth the tops.

Bake for 1½-2 hours or until cooked when tested (see Cook’s Note, previous page).

Brush tops of hot cakes with brandy. Turn cakes upside down onto a board lined with baking paper to cool. This will ensure the tops are flat for icing. Cover in a clean tea-towel. Cool in the pans overnight.

When cooled, turn cakes out.

To decorate
Place the cakes upside down on a board. Soften icing in the microwave if necessary, following the packet directions. Knead the icing until smooth. Divide into 4 pieces. Dust the bench with icing sugar and roll out icing to slightly larger than the tops of the cakes. Brush tops of cakes lightly with a little of the egg white. Place a piece of icing on each cake; trim the edges flush with a sharp knife.

To top with icing cut-outs, knead the scraps of icing until smooth and roll out until 5mm thick. Cut out shapes with cutters or a sharp knife. Brush the back of the shapes with a little of the egg white and place on top of cakes. Stand for several hours or until dry. Wrap sides of cakes with ribbon, if desired.


COOK'S NOTE: If you don’t have smaller cake pans, bake the Classic Christmas Cake in a deep 20cm square cake pan. When cold, cut into quarters. Ice as above, or wrap sides with ribbon to cover, or ice the whole cakes, including the sides.