Festive Nut Cake Food

GRANDMA'S HICKORY NUT CAKE

Steps:

• Cream together sugar and butter for cake. Add eggs; beat on medium speed of mixer for 2 minutes. Mix dry ingredients together lightly with fork. Add dry ingredients alternately with milk. Mix well. Stir in vanilla and nuts. Pour into greased 13x9-in. baking pan. , Bake at 325° for 45-50 minutes. (Cake may be baked in 8-in. layer pans.) Cool. Make frosting by melting butter in a medium saucepan. Add brown sugar; boil 2 minutes. Add milk; bring to boil. Remove from heat; cool to lukewarm. Beat in sugar and vanilla. (May add chopped hickory nuts, 1/2 cup if desired.) Frost cake.

FESTIVE NUT CAKE

Steps:

• Place egg whites in a small bowl; let stand at room temperature 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 325°. Grease and flour a 10-in. tube pan., In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy, 5-7 minutes. Add egg yolks, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in extracts. In another bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, cinnamon, salt and baking soda; add to creamed mixture alternately with milk, beating well after each addition., Add cream of tartar to egg whites; with clean beaters, beat on high speed until stiff peaks form. Fold into batter with almonds, cashews, pecans and walnuts., Transfer to prepared pan. Bake until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 60-65 minutes. Cool in pan 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely., For glaze, in a small bowl, mix confectioners' sugar and enough milk to reach desired consistency. Drizzle over cake and, if desired, sprinkle with additional nuts.

CHRISTMAS NUT CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 275 degrees F (135 degrees C). Line two 5x9 inch loaf pans with greased parchment paper.
• Combine the almonds, Brazil nuts, walnuts, pecans, dates, red and green cherries; mix well.
• Sift together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Combine with nut mixture and mix well.
• Beat eggs and vanilla, add to nut and flour mixture and mix well.
• Press into 2 lined loaf pans and bake for 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Set aside for 5 minutes and remove from pans. Completely cool on wire rack.

FESTIVE FRUIT & NUT CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 180C/gas 4/fan 160C and lightly grease and line the base and sides of a deep 22-23cm round loose-based cake tin with Bake-o-Glide or baking parchment (see overleaf). Beat the butter, sugar, eggs, flour, ground almonds and spices until thoroughly mixed and creamy, preferably with an electric beater or in a food mixer.
• Measure off 100g/4oz of the cake mixture, put in a bowl and set aside. Fold the fruit and rum into the remaining mixture, then gently stir in the marzipan. Spoon this mixture into the prepared cake tin and flatten with a spatula to make a smooth even surface, then make a slight dip in the centre of the cake. This simple trick will give the finished cake a nice flat top. Bake for 11⁄4 hours.
• While the cake is in the oven, make the fruit and nut topping. Mix all the nuts, cherries and syrup into the remaining cake mixture (see tip overleaf). Spoon the mixture on top of the part-cooked cake (once it has had its 11⁄4 hours), evenly distributing the mixture of nuts and cherries across the surface of the cake. Loosely cover the top of the tin with foil.
• Return to the oven for 40 minutes more, then take off the foil and bake for another 10-15 minutes, so the nuts can turn golden. Keep an eye on them, so they don't get too dark. To test the cake mixture is cooked, insert a fine skewer into the cake - if it comes out clean then it's ready. Cool in the tin then turn out, keeping the lining on, and wrap with foil. (The cake will keep for up to 2 weeks or can be frozen for up to 2 months.)
• To serve, remove the cake from the foil and strip away the lining. Place on a board or serving plate and tie with a decorative ribbon.

FESTIVE FRUITCAKE

Steps:

• HEAT oven to 350 degrees F. Spray bottom and sides of 12-cup fluted tube pan or 10-inch tube pan with flour no-stick cooking spray.
• COMBINE water, oil and eggs in large bowl. Beat well. Add quick bread mix, pecans, raisins, cherries and pineapple. Stir with spoon until combined. Pour into prepared pan.
• BAKE 1 hour 25 minutes to 1 hour 35 minutes or until golden brown and toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 30 minutes. Remove from pan. Cool 1 hour longer or until completely cooled.
• WRAP tightly in plastic wrap or foil. Refrigerate at least 8 hours. Store in refrigerator for up to 2 weeks or in freezer for up to 3 months.
• Just before serving: HEAT jelly or syrup in microwave 10 seconds or until melted and smooth. Brush over fruitcake. Garnish with additional cherries and pecans, if desired.