Mini Christmas Cakes

Place the currants sultanas candied peel and cherries into a small pan.

Mini christmas cakes.

Store in airtight tins or wrap them tightly in greaseproof paper and foil and freeze them. Arrange the 16 mini christmas cakes on a cake board or give individual cakes as gifts. Cut into star shapes using a cutter and place on top of cakes before serving. Stir or shake container every few hours as you remember.

Stir in orange and lemon zest. How far in advance can you make mini christmas cakes. 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. Preheat the oven to 170 c 335 f.

Bake in batches if necessary at 150 c 300 f for about 40 45 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre of a cake comes out clean. Combine currants raisins sultana raisins and candied cherries in a plastic container with a lid. Using festive cutters gently imprint a pattern into the top of the icing. 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.

Pour brandy over dried fruit. Set mini cakes aside to cool in their paper cases. Then add the juice if the mixture is a little dry. Close container and set aside to soak for 2 to 3 days.

Method all you do is put all the ingredients for the cakes except the orange juice in a food processor and chop finely. 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. 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. These mini christmas cakes are the perfect christmas snack or dessert for those not looking to overindulge during the festive season.

After that divide the mixture into 8 and use your hands to shape it into small cakes about 1 in 4 cm square. To finish fix a ribbon around the base sticking in place with double sided tape. To decorate dust icing with a little icing sugar and roll out to 3mm thick. Spoon into 6 x 1 cup capacity 250ml non stick muffin tins.

You can make these cakes up to 3 months in advance. Remove from the heat and cool to allow the fruit to plump up. Wait at least a week or 10 days before removing paper and decorating. 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.

Add the zest and juice heat gently for one minute until the juice is hot but not boiling.