Mini Fruit Cake Food

MINI FRUITCAKES

Steps:

• Preheat over to 350°. In a small saucepan, heat sherry, sugar and margarine until sugar is dissolved. Cool. In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda and cinnamon. In another bowl, beat egg and vanilla; stir into cooled sherry mixture until thoroughly combined. Add sherry mixture to flour mixture; stir just until moistened., In a large bowl, toss fruits and nuts to combine. Stir in batter. Fill 30 greased mini muffin cups with 1 tablespoon of mixture. Bake until a toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean, 15-20 minutes. Cool in pan 3-4 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.

MINIATURE GOLDEN FRUITCAKES

Steps:

• In a large nonreactive bowl, combine dried fruit, walnuts, and 1 1/4 cups brandy. Cover with plastic wrap and let stand 8 hours (or up to 1 day), stirring occasionally.
• In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs in 2 additions, scraping down bowl in between. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, salt, and spices. Reduce speed to low and beat in flour mixture in 2 additions, scraping down bowl in between. Fold fruit mixture into batter.
• Preheat oven to 300 degrees, with racks in upper and lower thirds. Line two minimuffin pans with paper liners. Fill each liner with 1 rounded tablespoon batter. Firmly tap pans on counter to settle batter. Bake until a toothpick inserted in center of a cake comes out clean and edges are light golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes, rotating pans halfway through.
• Brush cakes with 1/2 cup brandy; transfer cakes to a wire rack to cool completely. (To store, cover and refrigerate, up to 1 month.) Brush with apricot jam before serving or packing.

MINIATURE CHRISTMAS FRUITCAKES

Steps:

• In a small saucepan, combine molasses and water; add raisins. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in candied fruit and vanilla. Cool., Meanwhile, in a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add 1 eggs at a time, beating well after each addition. Combine the flour, baking soda and spices; add to the creamed mixture alternately with milk, beating well after each addition. Add fruit mixture, mixing well. Fold in nuts., Fill paper-lined miniature muffin cups almost full. Bake at 325° for 22-24 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely. Store in airtight containers.

MINI CHRISTMAS CAKES

Steps:

• Combine currants, raisins, sultana raisins, and candied cherries in a plastic container with a lid. Pour brandy over dried fruit; stir in orange and lemon zest. Close container and set aside to soak for 2 to 3 days. Stir or shake container every few hours as you remember.
• Preheat oven to 275 degrees F (135 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with 24 cupcake cases or lightly grease 24 ramekins.
• Combine 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons butter and 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons brown sugar in a bowl and beat with an electric mixer until well combined. Add eggs and molasses and beat well. Stir in all-purpose flour, self-rising flour, almonds, and mixed spice until well combined. Fold in almonds and soaked fruit; mix well. Spoon mixture into the prepared cases or ramekins.
• Bake in the preheated oven on the center rack until a toothpick inserted in the middle of a cake comes out clean, about 90 minutes. Allow to cool in their cases.
• Store in airtight tins or wrap them tightly in greaseproof paper and aluminum foil for at least 10 days before decorating.
• Heat jam in the microwave for 10 seconds until warmed and brush onto each cake.
• Roll out marzipan between 2 sheets of plastic wrap. Cut out circles with a round cookie cutter or a glass with the same diameter as the cakes. Arrange marzipan circles on top of the jam on each mini fruitcake. Store fruitcakes in an airtight container before finishing the final decoration, 8 hours to overnight.
• Roll out white fondant between 2 sheets of plastic wrap and cut out circles with the same diameter as the cakes. Press a cookie stencil with a snowflake pattern onto the fondant circles. Color in the snowflake pattern with blue food coloring using a small brush and place on top of the marzipan layer. Repeat with remaining cakes.

MINI FRUITCAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
• Place cupcake liners in muffin pans.
• In a large bowl mix all ingredients together, except candied cherries.
• Mix thoroughly.
• Using a spoon fill each liner 2/3 full with batter.
• Top with a cherry half.
• Bake for 20-25 minutes.

WONDERFUL MINI FRUITCAKE

Steps:

• Set oven to 325 degrees.
• Grease five 5" x 3" mini loaf pans.
• In a mixing bowl, cream butter and brown sugar.
• Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
• In a large bowl, combine 1/4 cup flour, candied fruit, dates, raisins and nuts; toss until well coated, set aside.
• In another bowl, combine the baking soda, salt, cinnamon, cloves and the remaining 2-3/4 cups flour; gradually add to creamed mixture alternately with orange juice.
• Stir in fruit and nut mixture, mix well.
• Spoon into prepared mini loaf pans (pans will be full).
• Bake at 325 degrees for 1 hour.
• Remove from oven; cover with foil; bake 10-15 minutes longer, or until the cakes test done with a toothpick.
• Let stand 10 minutes before removing from the pans to wire racks.
• In a bowl, combine the glaze ingredients.
• With pastry brush, brush glaze over the warm loaves.
• Cool completely.

MINI CHRISTMAS CAKES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4. Butter eight 150ml ramekins and line the bottoms with circles of non-stick baking paper. Divide the cake mix between the ramekins, transfer to a baking sheet and slide into the oven. Bake for 30 mins until springy and dark golden brown. Leave until cool enough to handle, then run a round-edged knife around the edge of the each cake. Turn out and cool completely on a rack.
• If the cakes have risen into peaks, make flat by slicing the tops off with a serrated knife. Melt the jam with 1 tbsp water and brush over the top of the cakes. Lightly knead the marzipan and shape eight golf ball-sized balls. (You will have some left over - wrap up well for another time.) Using a rolling pin, gently roll the balls into flat circles, approx 1cm thick and the same diameter as the cakes. Sit the marzipan on the jammy side of the cakes. Do the same with the icing, brushing the marzipan with a little cooled, boiled water to help it stick.
• Beat the egg white until just frothy and broken up. Spread the caster sugar over a plate. Dip the cranberries and rosemary in the egg white, shake off the excess and roll in the caster sugar to create a frosty effect. Leave to dry for 15 mins. Tip away all but 2 tsp of the egg white and mix with the icing sugar to create a thick paste. Use to fix two cranberries and a sprig of rosemary to the top of each cake. Decorate with gold ribbon. The cakes will keep in an airtight container for up to a week.