Italian Chocolate Christmas Cake

Chocolate Cake Christmas

Method Chocolate Christmas Cake - Transfer the mixture to a large bowl and stir in the vanilla extract, brandy, cinnamon, melted butter and sugar, mixing thoroughly. When all the egg whites have been folded in, spon the mixture into the prepared cake tin and bake in the oven on the centre shelf for about 1 hour to 1 hour 10 minutes. The cake will also freeze well, again wrapped in foil.

Chocolate Christmas Cake – Sweet and Simple Bake!

I decorated my cake with white fondant, gold edible stars, gold dragees, gold disco edible glitter and finally a gorgeous gold ribbon.

Chocolate Christmas Cake
• Preparation time: 20 minutes + cooling
• Cooking time: 1¾ -2 hours
• Line a 20cm (8inch) cake tin (see below for instructions).

Chocolate Christmas Cake - Lining the cake tin: One of the keys to success when baking a fruit cake is the preparation of the tin before you start mixing the ingredients. Place the tin on two sheets of greaseproof paper of baking parchment and draw around the base of the tin. Cut two pieces of paper to fit snugly into the base of the tin. Before baking, tie some thick brown paper or newspaper, which comes above the tin by about 10cm (4inches), around the edge of the tin.

Dark chocolate Christmas cake
This recipe could be the ultimate Christmas cake.

Ingredients
• 375g currants
• 375g raisins
• 340g pitted prunes
• 1 cup port
• 250g unsalted butter, chopped
• 1 tbsp vanilla essence
• 1 cup dark brown sugar
• 4 eggs
• Finely grated rind and juice of 1 orange
• 1/3 cup treacle
• 1 1/2 cups plain flour
• 1/2 cup self-raising flour
• 1 tbsp mixed spice
• 1 tbsp nutmeg
• 1 tbsp cinnamon
• 200g dark cooking chocolate, chopped
• 250g glace cherries
• 200g walnut halves
• Extra 1/4 cup port, for pouring over cake

This recipe could be the ultimate chocolate Christmas cake. Use a deep-sided, good quality cake tin with straight sides and line it properly.

Over-beating will result in a tough cake. Fill evenly with remaining mixture. Extra spices give a wonderful flavour to the cake that teams beautifully with the chocolate. Add port and mix well. Beat until butter is pale yellow. Pour in sugar and beat until the mixture is light and creamy.

Chocolate Christmas Cake - Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the creamed mixture to the fruit. Step 4 Spoon the mixture evenly into the tin. Smooth the surface of the cake mixture with a wet hand. Remove cake, pour over extra port and wrap in a thick clean towel.