Tulip Fairys Family Christmas Cake Recipes

MAGICAL CHRISTMAS FAIRY CAKES - CHRISTMAS FAIRY CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Makes 24 mini cakes or 12 larger ones.
• For mini cakes you will need a 12 hole tartlet tin (these are 5cm at the rim and 1 1/2 cm deep) and you will need to use it twice, unless you have two. For larger cakes use a 12-hole bun or muffin tin (these are 6 1/2 cm at the rim and 2cm deep). You can use the little paper cases according to the size tin you have - I have suggested silver. If not, butter the base and sides of the holes before filling with the mixture.
• Preheat the oven to 190C/375F/Gas mark 5. Either butter the tin or place the paper cases in the holes (see above). In a mixing bowl beat the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy. You can use an electric whisk or a wooden spoon.
• Add the beaten egg, a little at a time, whisking to incorporate, then beat in the vanilla.
• Sift in half of the flour and fold into the mixture. Add the milk and the rest of the flour and fold until well combined.
• Spoon into the tin and bake for 12 minutes or until risen and golden on top. Allow to cool for ten minutes before removing from the tin. Cool the cakes on a cooling tray/rack.
• Mix a little water to the icing sugar until you have a soft glace icing - add a little vanilla extract if you wish, or other flavourings.
• Spoon the icing over the top of the cooled fairy cakes, allowing the icing to drip down into the cases or over the sides of the cakes.
• Roll out the fondant icing on a board with icing sugar sprinkled over to stop it sticking; press or cut your festive shapes and place one on top of each iced fairy cake. Sprinkle over the edible glitter or sparkles and arrange the fairy cakes on an attractive serving plate.

TULIP CAKE

Steps:

• For the cake: Position the oven racks in the upper and lower third of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Line 3 cups in a 12-cup standard muffin tin with cupcake liners. Grease the bottoms and sides of two 9-inch round cake pans.
• Prepare the cake batter according to the package instructions. Spoon 1/4 cup of the batter into each of the lined muffin cups (they should be about three-quarters full). Divide the remaining batter evenly between the prepared cake pans (about 2 cups batter per cake pan).
• Bake the cupcakes and the cake, rotating the pans about halfway through, until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cupcakes and cake comes out clean, 16 to 18 minutes for the cupcakes and 18 to 20 minutes for the cakes. Let cool in the pans about 10 minutes, then turn out onto cooling racks and let cool completely.
• For the frosting: Meanwhile, combine the butter, confectioners' sugar, milk, vanilla and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or in a large bowl if using a handheld electric mixer). Mix on low speed until mostly incorporated. Increase the speed to medium-high and mix until smooth.
• Tint 1 heaping cup of the frosting with the green gel food coloring in a medium bowl. Scrape the green frosting into a pastry bag fitted with a 11/16-inch plain round tip (number 809).
• Tint 1 heaping cup of the frosting with 24 drops Christmas red gel food coloring in another medium bowl. Scrape the dark red frosting into a pastry bag fitted with a 11/16-inch plain round tip (number 809).
• Tint 1 heaping cup frosting with 10 drops of Christmas red gel food coloring in a third medium bowl. Scrape the light red frosting into a pastry bag fitted with a 11/16-inch plain round tip (number 809).
• Tint the remaining frosting (about 3 cups) with the pink gel food coloring and 2 drops Christmas red gel food coloring. Scrape 1 1/2 cups of the pink frosting into a pastry bag fitted with a 11/16-inch plain round tip (number 809). Cover the remaining pink frosting with plastic and reserve for layering the cake.
• To assemble: Place 1 cake layer upside down on the top half of on an extra-large cutting board or platter (at least 8 1/2-by-9 inches) and spread with the reserved pink frosting. Top with the second cake layer.
• Using a serrated knife, cut the cake in half across the center. Make a second cut that crisscrosses the first so that the 2 cuts form a narrow X, with the top half of the X slightly wider than the bottom. You will have 2 small wedges and 2 large wedges; the cuts should intersect slightly below the center of the cake.
• Remove the small wedge cut out of the top of the cake. Trim off the larger two corners to make it into a diamond shape. Set the trimmed corners aside. Snuggle the diamond back in between the larger two wedges.
• For the ombre frosting: Pipe a thick line of dark red frosting on the large left wedge in a crescent shape along the outer edge. Pipe a thick line of dark red frosting on the large right wedge in a crescent shape along the upper portion of the inner edge, stopping where the four pieces of cake come together in the center (do not let the line run over on the left wedge). Pipe a thick border of dark red frosting around the diamond in the middle of the cake.
• Pipe a thick line of light red frosting on the large left wedge next to the dark red frosting. Pipe 2 thick lines of light red frosting in on the large right wedge next to the dark red frosting to continue filling in the wedge. Pipe a line of light red frosting into the center of the diamond to fill in the diamond.
• Pipe thick lines of the pink frosting in crescent shapes next to the light red frosting on both large wedges so the cake is fully covered.
• Carefully drag a small offset spatula from the top of the left large wedge to the bottom, curving with the lines to smooth and blend the frosting without mixing up the colors. Wipe the spatula clean and repeat on the right side. Wipe the spatula clean and use it to smooth out the frosting in the diamond.
• Arrange the cupcakes in a line at the bottom of the tulip to create a stem. Pipe the green frosting in three straight vertical lines to cover and coat the cupcakes. Arrange the reserved cake corners along the stem to create leaves and pipe the green frosting over the top to cover. Carefully drag a small offset spatula from top to bottom to smooth the frosting on the stem and leaves.

MINI CHRISTMAS CAKES

Steps:

• Place mixed fruit into a very large basin.
• Add rum and mix well.
• Cover with plastic wrap and allow to stand overnight.
• The next day, preheat oven to 150°C (300°F) and arrange oven racks to accommodate muffin tins in the centre section of the oven.
• Place 2 muffin cases into each hole of 2 or 3, 12 hole muffin tins.
• One ingredient at a time, add the beaten eggs, grated apple, treacle and sugar to the fruit mixture, mixing well with a wooden spoon after each addition.
• Add cooled, melted butter and sifted flours and mix thoroughly.
• If you're making these instead of a Christmas cake, make sure to let every member of the family have a stir of the mixture while they make a Christmas wish.
• Spoon the mixture into the muffin cases, filling to almost full.
• Use the back of a spoon to smooth the top of each cake.
• Press a glace cherry into the centre of each cake and, around each cherry, press in 5 almonds to make ‘petals’- pointy end closest to the cherry.
• Bake, in batches if necessary, at 150°C (300°F) for about 40-45 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre of a cake comes out clean.
• When cooked, remove muffin tins from the oven, remove cakes in their papers from muffin tins and cool on racks.
• When cakes are completely cool, store in airtight tins and keep in a cool place or, if you're in a warm climate, store in the refrigerator.
• Alternatively, wrap each cake, still in its paper, tightly in plastic wrap, pack into plastic freezer bags and freeze.
• Cakes will keep for at least a month if stored correctly or longer if frozen.