If you’re wanting to escape the “commercialism” of Christmas, embracing handmade gifts could be the perfect solution. I love nothing more than receiving things like shortbread and cakes because I can really appreciate the love and effort that goes into each handmade gift.
So, if you’re looking for some ideas, these mini Date and Cointreau Christmas Cakes are ideal. The mixture is quite generous and will produce 6 beautiful mini Christmas cakes that are full of flavour and deliciously most. Mind you, once you taste these little beauties you may want to keep them for yourself and not give them away … just saying! Enjoy!
- 3 cups sultanas
- 1 cup raisins
- ¾ cup currants
- 1 cup red chopped glace cherries (plus extra to decorate)
- 1 cup fresh dates, chopped (approximately 10 large dates)
- ¾ cup Cointreau
- 1 ¼ cups butter, at room temperature
- 1 ½ cups brown sugar, firmly packed
- 5 eggs
- 2 tablespoons orange/breakfast marmalade
- 1 tablespoon vanilla essence
- 2 ½ cups plain flour
- blanched almonds, for decoration
- icing sugar, to dust cake tops
- Combine sultanas, raisins, currants, cherries, dates and Cointreau in a large glass bowl and stir to combine. Cover bowl with plastic food wrap and refrigerate for at least two hours or preferably overnight to allow the flavours to absorb and develop.
- Preheat oven to 100C (fan-forced). Line the base and sides of 6 round (or square) mini cake tins with a double layer of baking paper, allowing it to stick up 2 – 3 cms above the rims.
- Using an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar until creamy and light.
- Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each one is added. Add the vanilla essence and blend to combine.
- Fold in ½ the fruit mixture and half the flour until just combined. Fold in remaining fruit and remaining flour until just combined.
- Spoon cake mixture into the prepared cake tins and smooth the surface. Decorate with the blanched almonds (and cherry halves, if desired) and bake for approximately 1 hour and 50 minutes. To test the cakes are cooked, insert a skewer into the centre which should come out cleanly. Once removed from the oven, allow the cakes to stand in the tins for 5 minutes until turning out onto wire racks to cool completely. Dust lightly with icing sugar.
- Cakes will freeze well. Alternatively, they can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 weeks.
Clever Hints, Tricks and Tips …
- Be on the lookout after Christmas (in the Boxing Day Sales) to pick up some festive ribbon super cheap that you can put away and use to decorate next years cakes.
If you enjoyed this Christmas recipe, you might also like these: