Amaretto Christmas Cake Food

GOLDEN AMARETTI CHRISTMAS CAKE

Steps:

• Grate the zest from the orange and squeeze the juice (about 120ml/1 cup) into a large bowl. Snip the apricots into small pieces with scissors, then add the dried fruit and the marsala. Cover with cling film and leave to soak overnight.
• The next day, rub a little of the butter around the inside of a 20cm round, deep cake tin, then line the base and sides with a double layer of parchment. Heat oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 3.
• Put 200g of the biscuits in a large food bag, squish out the air, then bash the biscuits to fine crumbs. It doesn't matter if there are a few nuggets left.
• Put the remaining butter and the sugar into a large bowl and beat with an electric mixer for 2 mins or until paler and creamy.
• Mix in the eggs, one by one. Sift in the flour, baking powder, mixed spice and 1 /4 tsp salt. Tip in the crumbs and beat together for a few seconds until evenly mixed.
• Fold in the soaked fruit and almonds with a spatula.
• Scrape the cake mixture into the prepared tin. Level the top and make a saucer-sized dimple in the middle of the batter. This will help your cake to rise evenly.
• Bake for 2 hrs, then turn the oven down to 140C/fan 120C/ gas 1. Cover the cake with foil and bake for another 1 hr 30 mins or until risen and dark golden brown.
• Check the cake is cooked by inserting a cocktail stick into the middle. It will come out dry when the cake is ready. Set on a cooling rack and leave for a few hours.
• Using the cocktail stick, poke deep holes all over the cake. Slowly drizzle 2 tbsp marsala or sherry over the cake.
• When completely cold, wrap the cake in clean baking parchment and store in a tin in a cool, dark place. Feed it every seven to 10 days until you are ready to decorate it.
• Unwrap the cake and put it on a flat plate or board (25cm or bigger). Brush a thin layer of apricot glaze over the cake.
• Sift a little of the royal icing sugar onto your work surface. Unwrap the marzipan and knead it with your hands until it feels softer.
• Sprinkle the marzipan with more sugar and roll it to an even circle about 35cm across.
• Lift the marzipan over the cake, smooth it down to the board, then trim with a knife. Don't cut too close to the cake at first. You can smooth the icing with a jam jar or tumbler, then trim again if you need to
• Spray the marzipan lightly with the gold spray. Spread the almonds out onto some baking parchment and spray these heavily.
• Break four of the remaining 50g biscuits into nuggets using your fingers.
• Mix the royal icing sugar with 4 tsp cold water. It should be thick but run very slowly when you drop it from the spoon. Spoon it over the cake and spread it to the edges, letting it drip here and there. Use a palette knife to help.
• Put the whole biscuits on the cake first, then add the broken biscuits and the almonds in-between.
• Put 1 tsp icing sugar in a fine sieve and shake a snowy dusting over the cake. Scatter the cake with the sugar balls, snowflakes or sprinkles, then leave the icing to set.

AMARETTO CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a 10 inch Bundt pan.
• In a large bowl, combine cake mix, eggs, instant vanilla pudding, water, oil, almond extract, and 2 tablespoons of the amaretto; blend together well. Pour batter into the prepared pan.
• Bake in preheated oven for 40 to 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of cake comes out clean. Remove cake from oven and while it is still warm, poke holes in the surface. Drizzle with the Amaretto Glaze, insuring that some of the glaze fills the holes. Let the cake cool for at least 2 hours before removing from the pan.
• To make Amaretto Glaze: Sift the confectioners' sugar, and combine it with the remaining 1/2 cup amaretto. Blend until smooth. You may add more amaretto as needed.

CHRISTMAS CRANBERRY CAKE WITH AMARETTO

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a fluted tube pan (such as Bundt®).
• Mix yellow cake mix, pudding mix, eggs, amaretto, oil, and milk together in a bowl. Beat using an electric mixer on medium speed for 2 to 3 minutes. Fold in cranberries, coconut, and walnuts. Pour into the prepared pan.
• Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 55 minutes.
• Meanwhile, combine sugar, amaretto, and butter for glaze in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil; continue to boil until sugar is dissolved, 2 to 3 minutes.
• Remove cake from the oven and glaze immediately.

EXTRA-FRUITY CHRISTMAS CAKE

Steps:

• Put all the dried fruit, the mixed peel and citrus zests in a large bowl, the pour over the brandy. Stir, cover and leave to soak overnight.
• The next day, heat the oven to 150C/130C fan/gas 2. Line the base and side of a deep 23cm cake tin with a double layer of baking parchment, so it comes a few centimetres above the rim.
• Beat the butter, sugar and treacle together in a large bowl using an electric whisk, until pale and creamy. Alternatively, use a stand mixer. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl every so often. Sift the flour, baking powder and spices into a separate bowl, then stir this into the wet ingredients along with the ground almonds until combined.
• Stir in the rehydrated fruit along with the soaking liquid, then spoon the batter into the prepared tin and level the surface with the back of a spoon. Bake for 2 hrs 25 mins-2 hrs 30 mins, or until a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean.If the cake starts to darken too quickly, cover with foil.
• Leave to cool completely in the tin, then prick small holes all over the surface using a cocktail stick or skewer and brush over a little brandy. Wrap the cake in baking parchment, then a sheet of foil. Store in an airtight container and feed the cake with 1-2 tbsp brandy each week for three or four weeks, stopping the week before you want to ice it. Will keep in a cool, dry place for six months.

AMARETTO CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• For the crust: Combine all the ingredients into a paste. Press the paste onto the bottom and sides of a 9-inch springform pan and refrigerate.
• For the cheesecake filling: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Combine the almond paste, sugar, and flour in a food processor; beat until smooth. Place this into a mixing bowl and beat in one-third of the cream cheese at a time, mixing well after each addition. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then pour the mixture into the prepared springform pan. Bake in the preheated oven for 50 minutes.
• For the topping: Combine the sour cream, amaretto, and sugar; mix well. Spread it evenly on the cheesecake and return the cake to the oven for an additional 20 minutes, or until set.
• Refrigerate 6 hours or over night; serve chilled.

AMARETTO CAKE WITH BUTTERCREAM FROSTING

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°. Line bottoms of 3 greased 9-in. round baking pans with parchment; grease paper., In a bowl, whisk flour and baking powder. In another bowl, whisk sour cream, milk and amaretto until blended. In a large bowl, cream butter, shortening and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in extracts. Add flour mixture alternately with sour cream mixture, beating well after each addition., Transfer batter to prepared pans. Bake 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans 10 minutes before removing to wire racks; remove paper. Cool completely., In a large bowl, beat butter, vanilla and salt until creamy. Beat in enough confectioners' sugar, alternately with amaretto, to reach desired consistency. Reserve 2/3 cup frosting for piping., Place 1 cake layer on a serving plate; spread with 1/2 cup frosting. Top with remaining cake layer. Frost top and sides with remaining frosting., Pipe reserved frosting around bottom edge of cake. If desired, decorate cake with flowers, using almonds for petals and M&M's for the centers. Pipe designs on frosting with melted chocolate as desired.

LITTLE AMARETTO LOAF CAKES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°. Grease and flour four 5-3/4x3x2-in. loaf pans., In a large bowl, beat eggs, sugar, water, amaretto, oil and melted butter until well blended. In another bowl, whisk flour, baking powder and salt; gradually beat into egg mixture. Stir in almonds., Transfer to prepared pans. Bake 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. , Meanwhile, for glaze, combine sugar, water and butter in a small saucepan; bring to a boil. Cook and stir 3 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in amaretto., Remove cakes from oven; cool in pans on a wire rack 5 minutes. Pour glaze over cakes while in pans; let stand until glaze is absorbed, about 30 minutes. Remove cakes from pans. Store cooled cakes, covered, in refrigerator.

ABSOLUTELY HEAVENLY AMARETTO CAKE

Steps:

• Beat butter at the medium speed of an electric mixer about 2 minutes or until it is soft and creamy. Gradually add the sugar, beating at medium speed for 5 to 7 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating between each addition. Beat just until the yellow disappears.
• Combine the flour, baking soda and salt; add to the butter mixture alternately with the sour cream, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Mix at low speed just until blended after each addition. Stir in flavorings and 1/2 cup amaretto.
• Pour the batter into a greased and floured 12-cup Bundt pan. Bake at 325 degrees for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool in a pan on a wire rack for 10 to 15 minutes; remove from the pan, and let cool completely on the wire rack.
• Combine the remaining 1/4 cup of amaretto, marmalade, and preserves in a small saucepan. Cook over medium heat until marmalade and preserves melt, stirring frequently. Drizzle over the cake; sprinkle with the almonds.