Alternative Christmas Cakes

Alternative Christmas Cakes Recipe and photo credit by- - Food Network
Alternative Christmas Cakes

Alternative Christmas Cakes. Hello friends, so how are you today?

Gifts Ideas For Christmas. Because who wouldn’t love these? So are you looking for something a little different to bake this year for Christmas? How sweet are these Christmas cupcakes? A tasty original alternative to Christmas cake. Especially if your not a fan of too much dried fruit in Christmas cake!! Perfect for gifts for your guests, too.

How To Make Alternative Christmas Cakes:

Also, these have everything you could want in a Christmas cupcake. Dried fruit, chocolate and booze! So yummy!?

Table Of Contents:

  • Firstly, Alternative Christmas Cakes Ingredients.
  • Secondly, Alternative Christmas Cakes Method.
  • Thirdly, Other Recipe Post Ideas.

Brandy Soaked Cranberries Chocolate Cupcakes:

Discover delightful and unique flavours with these Alternative Christmas Cakes. Spice up your holiday season with unique twist and a mouthwatering options. Explore creative recipes and festive twists for a memorable celebration!

Ingredients:

Makes 12 cupcakes

  • 130g plain flour
  • 140g caster sugar
  • 1 ½ tsp baking powder
  • 20g cocoa powder
  • 40g softened salted butter
  • 1 egg
  • 120ml whole milk
  • 10ml vanilla extract
  • 1 handful of dark choc chips (min 53% cocoa solids)
  • 100g (freshly bought) dried cranberries
  • 100ml cooking brandy

For The Icing:

  • 300g icing sugar
  • 100g salted butter
  • 45g cocoa powder
  • 30ml whole milk
  • 10ml vanilla extract

Decorations:

  • Dark green fondant (m and b is best for this)
  • Poppy red fondant (regal ice)
  • White fondant

Equipment:

  • Muffin Tray
  • Muffin Cases
  • Rolling Pin
  • Icing Sugar Dispenser
  • All Fondant
  • Small Holly Leaf Cutter
  • Thin Paintbrush And Glass Of Water For Glue
  • Star Nozzle 848 And Piping Bag
  • Sieve
  • Mixer
  • Mixing Bowls
  • Hob
  • Saucepan
  • Measuring Jug
  • Spoons And Measuring Spoons
  • Cooling Rack
  • Oven 170 for 20 mins

Also, photo Credits Above: Thanks to the amazingly talented Jill Wellington.

How To Make Alternative Christmas Cakes:

Easy alternative Christmas cakes.

Alternative Christmas Cakes Method:

  1. Firstly, bring the brandy up to the boil on the hob then remove and add the cranberries. Cover with a lid and leave for one hour.
  2. Meanwhile, put the dry ingredients into a mixing bowl – flour, sugar, baking powder, cocoa  and butter (treat butter as ‘dry’ for our purposes). Mix until you have an even sandy consistency.
  3. Measure out the milk in a jug, add the egg and vanilla and whisk well.
  4. Drizzle into the flour whilst mixing, until you have a smooth batter/mixture. Add the chocolate chips and drained cranberries and mix in briefly without bashing into pieces. Reserve your brandy.
  5. Spoon evenly into 12 cupcake cases and bake at 170 degrees for 20 minutes until bounce back to the touch.
  6. Cool on a wire rack and in the meantime make the icing by mixing all the ingredients together for several minutes until light and fluffy.
  7. Pour in 10-20ml of your cooking brandy into the icing depending on the consistency – you should aim for something that holds its shape without being too stiff.
  8. Pipe the icing on top of the cakes using a reusable piping bag and large star nozzle.

Decorating Time:

To Decorate:

  1. Roll out a small amount of white fondant and cut with a circular cutter about 2 inches in diameter.
  2. Place with on top of your icing allowing folds to appear like a table cloth around the sides.
  3. Roll out some dark green fondant and either cut out three holly leaves if you have a cutter or mould three leaves if you do not.
  4. Place these on your fondant with a dab of a damp paintbrush.
  5. Roll three red berries from your red fondant and stick on top with the damp paintbrush to finish.
  6. For a basic cupcake recipe just use mine above and leave out the brandy soaked cranberries.
How To Make Alternative Christmas Cakes

Alternative Christmas Cakes A Guest Post. Recipe and photo credit by- – Food Network. So what do you think of these Christmas Cakes? Do you also fancy making some? Because I do.

You Might Also Like:

Lyle’s Christmas Cake:

Firstly, Lyle’s Christmas Cake. You can also make this one up to 3 months before Christmas if you wrap it in foil and keep adding Whiskey onto it. Lyle’s Christmas Cake. So tasty.

Secondly, Cheat’s Christmas Cake: Quick And Easy Treats. How about cheating at making a Christmas Cake? No one will ever know!? Cheat’s Christmas Cake. So good.

Thirdly, Mini Christmas Cakes. How Sweet And Adorable? Because these are not only traditional, they are also so much fun!! Great for afternoon tea. They are also so sweet or should I say adorable! Mini Christmas Cakes. So sweet.

Christmas Cupcakes That Might Be Too Adorable To Eat!

Fourthly, Christmas Cupcakes That Might Be Too Adorable To Eat! Just might be!! These light coconut cakes speckled with jewel-like ruby raspberries make a great alternative. They also can even be made in advance and frozen ready iced but without the raspberry and holly decoration. Christmas Cupcakes.

Fifth, Blackberry And Blueberry Christmas Cake. If you are not a fan of heavy dried fruit cakes then try this light almondy sponge cake speckled with blackberries and blueberries drizzled with glace icing. Blackberry And Blueberry Christmas Cake. 

Sixth, Irish Coffee Cupcakes You Will Actually Want To Bake And Eat Right Now!! We love to make cupcakes, they are so fun to make. How delicious!? Only thing is, could you also only eat one or two? Because once you start. Irish Coffee Cupcakes. So yummy.

Orange And Cranberry Christmas Cupcakes:

Seventh, Orange And Cranberry Christmas Cupcakes. Fancy trying some orange and cranberry Christmas cupcakes? Orange And Cranberry Christmas Cupcakes. So sweet.

Eighth, Boozy Sultana Cupcake with Brandy Butter Frosting. A tasty alternative to mince pies, sweet, indulgent and delicious! The Brandy-soaked sultanas add great flavour and texture to a simple cupcake! Boozy Sultana Cupcake with Brandy Butter Frosting. So tasty.

So what do you think? Do you also fancy making any of the above? So many good ideas.

Alternative Christmas Cakes

How To Make Alternative Christmas Cakes:

How To Make Alternative Christmas Cakes. Claire Justine Oxox- Over 50s Lifestyle Blog. You can also read more about me here: Over 50s Lifestyle Blog. Also, follow along on Facebook for regular updates. So remember you can also share your thoughts here too in the comments below.

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Claire Justine
Claire Justine

Hi, I am Claire and I created Claire Justine in 2011. I hope you enjoy reading my posts as much as I love writing them.

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Claire Justine Oxox- Over 50s Lifestyle Blog. You can also read more about me on my Over 50s Lifestyle Blog Page.

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8 Comments

  1. 29 November 2011 / 10:09

    Becca,Thanks for following and the comment, following back.

  2. 29 November 2011 / 10:06

    Monica, Sofamilyonline, Thank you for the comment, I'm glad you like the recipe, going to follow back now.

  3. Becca
    29 November 2011 / 05:47

    My cupcakes will never look like this… I try hard though! new from Monday Mingle I would love a follow back if you are interested!!

  4. Monica J @ Sofamilyonline
    28 November 2011 / 23:20

    I think this is a great alternative to the Christmas cake. I'm a cupcake lover, so this is perfect for me. Thanks for sharing your recipe. I will keep checking back for more recipes. I'm a new follower. Following from Monday Mingle Blog Hop.

  5. 28 November 2011 / 11:06

    Working London mummy, Thanks for the comment.

  6. 28 November 2011 / 11:06

    Ofelia, Lovely to hear from you Happy Birthday to you all,I love operating in sugar mode.

  7. Working london mummy
    27 November 2011 / 22:16

    oooh these look delicious and a lovely portion size – so pretty.

  8. Ofelia
    27 November 2011 / 20:32

    Lovely cupcakes and such an easy recipe. However, I must tell that I being eating cake since Tuesday night until an hour ago because my girls and I have all of our birthdays celebrations were this week and I'm operating in a sugar high right now!