Mini Christmas Cakes

Bake in the centre of preheated oven for 1 1 2 hours or until a skewer inserted in the centre of the mini cakes comes out clean.

Mini christmas cakes.

After that divide the mixture into 8 and use your hands to shape it into small cakes about 1 in 4 cm square. To decorate dust icing with a little icing sugar and roll out to 3mm thick. These mini christmas cakes are the perfect christmas snack or dessert for those not looking to overindulge during the festive season. Method all you do is put all the ingredients for the cakes except the orange juice in a food processor and chop finely.

Bake for 45 minutes or until cakes are firm. Stir or shake container every few hours as you remember. Remove from the heat and cool to allow the fruit to plump up. While still hot splash cakes with a capful of extra brandy.

You can make these cakes up to 3 months in advance. Wait at least a week or 10 days before removing paper and decorating. Preheat the oven to 170 c 335 f. Combine currants raisins sultana raisins and candied cherries in a plastic container with a lid.

Trim the excess and gently rub over the icing with your hands until smooth. Top tip for making mini christmas cakes for smaller cakes divide the mixture between 2 x 12 hole buns trays and bake for 20 25 mins. Using festive cutters gently imprint a pattern into the top of the icing. Set mini cakes aside to cool in their paper cases.

Press a glace cherry into the centre of each cake and around each cherry press in 5 almonds to make petals pointy end closest to the cherry. Cut into star shapes using a cutter and place on top of cakes before serving. Pour brandy over dried fruit. If making more than a few days ahead wrap up the cooked and cooled cakes in fresh grease proof paper and drizzle a little brandy over each cake to help preserve it then double wrap in tin foil and store somewhere cool and dry until ready.

To finish fix a ribbon around the base sticking in place with double sided tape. Place the currants sultanas candied peel and cherries into a small pan. These mini christmas cakes are a slimming friendly version of the traditional dense christmas cakes meaning they are perfect if you re counting calories or following weight watchers. Stir in orange and lemon zest.

Arrange the 16 mini christmas cakes on a cake board or give individual cakes as gifts. Spoon into 6 x 1 cup capacity 250ml non stick muffin tins. Add the zest and juice heat gently for one minute until the juice is hot but not boiling. Then add the juice if the mixture is a little dry.

Store in airtight tins or wrap them tightly in greaseproof paper and foil and freeze them.