Christmas Cherry Cake Food

CHERRY POUND CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Grease and flour an 8 inch tube pan. Mix together the flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside.
• In a large bowl, cream together the butter, cream cheese, and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla and almond extract. Beat in the flour mixture, mixing just until incorporated. Dredge cherries in 1/4 cup flour, then fold into batter. Spread into prepared pan.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 80 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack and cool completely.

CHRISTMAS CHERRIES

Steps:

• In the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar until fluffy. Add the vanilla, egg yolks, lemon zest and juice and orange zest and mix until combined. Use a rubber spatula to scrape the bowl, then mix again. Add the sifted flour and mix until combined. Transfer the dough to a resealable plastic bag and refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour.
• When ready to make the cookies, preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Cut about 18 candied cherries in half.
• Roll the dough into small balls and set on the prepared baking sheets. Gently press 1 cherry half cut-side down into each ball. Bake about 20 minutes, removing the cookies from the oven before they brown. Cool on a wire rack.

FRUITCAKE WITH SHERRY

Steps:

• Bring first 7 ingredients to boil and boil for 3 minutes.
• Let cool or can be left till next day.
• Add 2 beaten eggs, the essences, sherry, flour and baking powder.
• Stir till combined and pour into a prepared 20cm cake tin.
• Bake at 140 degrees Centigrade for 2 1/2 to 3 hours.
• Remove from tin and store in cake container for at least 3 days before cutting. It gets more moist the longer it is left.

SHERRY & ALMOND CHRISTMAS CAKE

Steps:

• Mix the fruit, zest, juice and sherry, and leave overnight to soak. Next day, heat oven to 160C/fan 140C/gas 3. Butter and double-line a deep, 20cm round cake tin. Wrap the outside with brown paper or newspaper and secure with string, as this will protect the sides from overcooking.
• Beat the butter, sugar and vanilla seeds together until pale and creamy. Mix the flour, ground almonds and mixed spice together, then tip into the butter mix with the eggs. Beat until combined and smooth. Stir in the whole almonds, fruit and any leftover juices, turn into the tin, then smooth the top and make a dip in the middle. Bake for 1½ hrs.
• Turn down the oven to 140C/fan 130C/ gas 2, then bake for 1½ hrs more until dark on the top and a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean, or with a few damp crumbs clinging to it. Once cool enough to handle, turn onto a cooling rack and peel away the lining paper. Cool completely.
• Keep the cake well wrapped, then feed once a fortnight with 1-2 tbsp sherry. Poke holes into the cake with a skewer and slowly spoon over the sherry. If you don't have time to do this, this cake is delicious freshly made, and can be covered and decorated as soon as it has completely cooled down.

SWIRLED CHERRY CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350.
• Grease and flour bottom and sides of a 9x13x2" cake pan.
• In a large bowl, mix cake mix, eggs, water and oil with a mixer until well blended.
• Pour batter into prepared cake pan.
• Smooth evenly in pan.
• Drop spoonfuls of the pie filling on top of the cake batter.
• With a knife, swirl the cherry pie filling into the cake batter.
• Be careful not to touch the bottom of the cake pan with the knife.
• This might remove some of flour/shortening coating, causing the cake to stick.
• Bake for 40-45 minutes or until cake is golden brown on top and a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.
• Allow to cool for 10 minutes.
• May be served warm or cooled.
• May be served with ice cream or whipped topping.

CHERRY CREAM CHEESE CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
• Cream the cream cheese, butter or margarine, sugar, and vanilla together until smooth. Beat in eggs one at a time. Sift together 2 1/4 cup flour, baking powder, and salt; fold into cream cheese mixture. Dredge cherries in 1/4 cup flour, and fold into batter.
• Sprinkle pecans over the bottom of an ungreased 10 inch angel food tube pan. Bottom should be completely covered. Add a few more pecans if necessary. Spoon batter into pan on top of nuts.
• Bake for about 75 minutes, or until an inserted wooden pick comes out clean. Allow cake to cool in pan. Run knife around outside edge and center tube. Ease cake out of pan, and onto plate.

CHEERY CHERRY LOAF

Steps:

• Drain red cherries, reserving liquid; add water, if needed, to liquid to equal 1/3 cup. Cut up cherries; set cherries and liquid aside. , In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. In a small bowl, whisk the eggs, milk, butter and cherry liquid; stir into dry ingredients just until combined. Fold in the red and green cherries, pecans and orange zest. , Pour into a greased 9x5-in. loaf pan. Bake at 350° for 1 hour or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan to wire rack.