Christmas cupcake for New Year - 11 cooking recipes

The definition of “Christmas cake” can essentially cover any sweet pastry decorated in a festive way and expressed in the spirit of one of the main holidays of the year. That is, there is no one, fixed recipe for a Christmas cake that would be prepared from strictly defined products. To flavor this, you can use cinnamon, honey, zest of any citrus fruit, cocoa, vanilla, rum, cognac, black pepper, and other herbs or spices.

As fillings you can take: candied fruits of different colors (to make it brighter and more fun), dried fruits, nuts, fresh berries/fruits. The richer the filling, the more “Christmas” the cupcake itself will turn out. It is usually sprinkled/watered with either powdered sugar or white icing - that is, something that looks like snow. It will be authentic)

England is considered the birthplace of the Christmas cake. That is, its traditional, classic version is prepared according to an English recipe. It is made with aging, that is, it takes several weeks, sometimes up to two months, to cook. The cake should mature, mature, and become saturated with flavors and aromas. In a complex version, it needs to be fed from time to time by adding certain components. And in a simpler way - just store it in a cool place until eaten. It is worth adding that the place where the cupcake is stored is filled with such enchanting smells that this also creates a Christmas atmosphere))

Dried fruits are usually soaked in rum or cognac a day before use. Nuts (it is better to take a mixture of different ones) are dried in the oven or in a dry frying pan. Then everything is cut into smaller pieces and mixed, draining off the excess liquid. Mix flour, sugar, butter, eggs, honey, and spices into a moderately thick dough. Both mixtures, dough and filling, are mixed together. If everything is done correctly, the filling should be in the dough, and not vice versa.

Since the abundance of additional ingredients makes the cake heavy, it must be baked for a long time, but not burn. This means that traditional 180C is not an option for it - it needs to be baked at 150C for an hour to two. Then use all possible means to protect it from burning and bake at 130C so that the middle is also baked. This may take up to three hours.

When the finished cake has cooled properly, it is soaked in alcohol, wrapped in foil and stored in a cool place until Christmas. During aging, the alcohol will evaporate, but the aroma will remain.