Christmas 2023: From red velvet to chocolate truffle; 5 scrumptious cake recipes for a delicious holiday treat

Christmas 2023: From classic flavours to innovative twists, these delightful recipes promise to fill your home with the warm, comforting aroma of holiday magic.

The most special time of the year is here. The much-anticipated Christmas festival is just around the corner and people are busy making preparations, from buying Christmas trees to decorating their homes with lights. This year, the significant Christian festival will be celebrated with great pomp and enthusiasm across the world on Monday, December 25. As the festive season fills the air with joy and merriment, what better way to celebrate than by baking your own delicious Christmas cakes? Amongst all the great Christmas desserts, such as biscuits and homemade sweets, there's something special about a Christmas cakes. Check out our special guide to cake recipes that promise to fill your home with the irresistible aroma of holiday magic.

Christmas 2023: 5 scrumptious cake recipes for a delicious holiday treat(Unsplash)

Delicious Christmas Cake Recipes

Let's roll up our sleeves, preheat the oven, and create sweet memories with these mouthwatering Christmas cake recipes.

1. Plum cake

(Recipe by Chef Sanjeev Kapoor)

Plum cake(Unsplash/Elena Sambros)

Ingredients:

1¾ cups refined flour (maida)

¾ cup brown sugar

1 cup orange juice

3 tbsps chopped dried figs

3 tbsps chopped dried apricots

3 tbsps raisins

2 tbsps chopped cashew nuts

2 tbsps chopped walnuts

3 tbps chopped dried cranberries

¾ cup butter spread

1¼ tsps baking soda

1 orange

½ tsp all spice powder

1 tsp vanilla essence

¼ cup cocoa powder

1½ tsps baking powder

2 tbsps yogurt

¼ cup choco spread

Broken cashew nuts to sprinkle

Broken walnuts to sprinkle

Method:

1. Heat a pan. Add brown sugar, orange juice, figs, golden apricots, raisins, cashew nuts, walnuts, cranberries, butter Spread, ½ tsp baking soda and mix well. Cook on medium heat for 5-6 minutes or till the dried fruits are soft.

2. Transfer the mixture in a bowl and allow to cool. Zest the orange directly in the mixture.

3. Preheat the oven to 180ºC.

4. Add all spice powder and vanilla essence. Sift cocoa powder, refined flour, baking powder, remaining baking soda in the mixture. Add yogurt and mix well.

5. Add choco spread and mix well.

6. Transfer the prepared batter in a greased and lined baking tin and sprinkle cashew nuts and walnuts on top, cover with aluminium foil and bake in preheated oven for 90 minutes.

7. Allow to cool and demould.

8. Cut into slices and serve.

2. Red Velvet Cake

(Recipe by Chef Kunal Kapur)

Red Velvet Cake(Unsplash/amirali mirhashemian)

Ingredients:

150 gms flour (all-purpose)

1 tsp baking powder

a pinch salt

1tsp baking soda

2 tbsp cocoa powder

200 gms butter

150 gms sugar

2 no eggs

125 gms curd

Red food colour - 1 tsp

1 tsp vanilla extract

For filling and topping:

Cream cheese – 250 gms

Sugar (powdered) - 2tbsp

Vanilla extract – 1 tsp

Whipped cream (sweetened) – 150 gms

Method:

1. Sieve together flour, baking powder, salt, baking soda, cocoa powder together in a bowl. In a separate bowl mix soft butter and sugar and whisk them till the time butter becomes light and fluffy.

2. Continue whisking and gradually add the 2 eggs followed by curd, red food colour and vanilla extract.

3. Now gently fold the flour into butter mixture. Line a 6”wide & 3” deep round mould with butter paper on the bottom and sides.

4. Pour the mixture into the mould and bake it in a pre heated oven at 180c for 35-40 mins. Once done remove and take it out on a wire rack to completely cool it.

5. For the icing cream the soft cheese using a whisk. Add sugar, vanilla extract and half go the whipped cream. Whisk them together.

6. Now gently fold in the remaining whipped cream into the icing. Once the cake is completely cooled, using a bread knife remove the crown of the cake to flatten it from the top.

7. Also remove a thin layer from the sides to reveal the bright red colour of the cake. Reserve the bright crumbs for garnishing.

8. Now using the bread knife slice the cake horizontally to make into 2 equal sized discs. Place one disc on a cake stand.

9. Generously add a huge dollop of the icing and spread it evenly using a palette knife.

10. Place the second disc on top and add a huge dollop of the icing and spread it evenly using a palette knife. Using the icing spread it on the sides of the cake as well.

11. Give a plain neat finish on the top. Now crush the bright cake trimmings into finer small crumbs.

12. Stick the crumbs on to the sides of the cake and a little on to the top circumference of the cake. Chill in the fridge for 2-3 hours before slicing it.

3. Easy Fruit Cake

(Recipe by Chef Ranveer Brar)

Easy Fruit Cake(Unsplash/David Holifield)

Ingredients:

180 gm butter

180 gm sugar

2 tbsp tutti fruiti

1 tsp vanilla essence

180 gm flour

4 eggs

¼ cup almonds, chopped

¼ cup walnuts chopped

¼ cup tutti fruiti

Method:

1. In a mixing bowl, add butter, sugar, tutti fruiti and mix well till the butter change the colour.

2. Add vanilla essence, flour and mix well, add egg and mix well.

3. Add almonds, walnuts, tutti fruiti mix well by cut and fold method.

4. Grease the mould with butter and place butter papper.

5. Pour the batter into the mould and bake it at 165 to 170 for 40 minutes.

6. Dust icing sugar over the cake. Let cool a bit. Cut and serve.

4. Eggless Chocolate Truffle Cake

(Recipe by Chef Pankaj Bhadouria)

Eggless Chocolate Truffle Cake(Pexels)

Ingredients:

50g dark chocolate

50g butter

1 cup plain buttermilk

1 cup sugar

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 cup flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/4 cup cocoa powder

1 tsp vanilla essence

1 cup dark chocolate

1/2 cup cream

2 tbsp butter

Method:

1. Melt 50 g dark chocolate. Add the butter and mix to ensure that the butter also melts.

2. Add in the buttermilk and mix well to ensure you have a homogeneous mixture ready.

3. Add the sugar and mix well. Blend in the baking soda and set aside for 5 minutes.

4. Sift together the baking powder, flour, cocoa powder and set aside.

5. Add the vanilla essence to the butter milk mixture. Mix in the dry ingredients till you have a lump free batter ready with you.

6. Do not overmix the batter. Pour into a prepared 7” baking mould.

7. Microwave for 4 minutes or bake in a preheated oven at 180*C for 35 minutes.

8. Allow the cake to cool in the pan for 10 minutes and then demould.

9. Meanwhile, melt together the cream and the chocolate.

10. Mix well to get a smooth consistency. Add the butter and mix well. Refrigerate the ganache for 30 minutes.

11. Whisk the cooled ganache till light and fluffy.

5. Black Forest Cake

(Recipe by Chef Ajay Chopra)

Black Forest Cake(Pinterest)

Ingredients:

For sponge

170 grams dark chocolate

170 grams butter

170 grams flour

6 eggs

280 grams sugar

For garnish

500 grams whipped cream

150 grams ganache

75 grams cherries

30 ml cherry liqueur

100 ml sugar syrup

50 grams chocolate flakes

Method:

1. Make a mix of sugar syrup and cherry liqueur.

2. Divide the whipped cream into 3 equal portions, mix 1 portion with ganache.

3. Place the ready sponge on to the cake board, Soak the sponge with the sugar syrup mix

4. Make sure to keep the balance to soak the remaining 2 layer of sponge.

5. Layer the chocolate cream on to the soaked sponge, then place the second sponge on top and soak it with the sugar syrup mix.

6. Layer the plan whipped cream on the second soaked sponge scatters the cherries on to the cream, then place the 3 sponges on top

7. Soak it with the remaining sugar syrup mix. Layer the remaining whipped cream on top and give a smooth finish.

8. Cut into pastry size garnish with chocolate flakes and some cherries.