Red Velvet Cupcakes

Preparation 20 Minutes

Cook 25 Minutes

Serves 24

Method

Preheat oven to 170°C.

  1. Line 24 cupcake pans with paper cases.
  2. Sift flour, cocoa powder and bicarbonate of soda into a bowl. Stir through the sugar and currants.
  3. Whisk the buttermilk, butter, eggs, vinegar and vanilla in a large jug until combined.
  4. Make a well in the centre of the flour mixture. Add the buttermilk mixture. Stir until just combined. Stir in the food colouring.
  5. Spoon the mixture into the paper cases. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Ingredients

2 cups plain flour

¼ cup cocoa powder

1 tsp bicarbonate of soda

1½ cups caster sugar

⅔ cup Sunbeam Currants

1 cup buttermilk

200g unsalted butter, melted

2 eggs, lightly whisked

1 tbsp white vinegar

1 tsp vanilla extract

1tsp red food colouring

Cream Cheese Frosting (optional)

1 x 250g pkt cream cheese, at room temperature

2 cups pure icing sugar

120g butter, at room temperature

1 tsp vanilla essence

Recipe Collection

Twisted Christmas Bread Wreath

Spice Roasted Cauliflower & Sunmuscat Sultana Dressing

Preheat oven to 220°C. In a large bowl, combine 2 Tbsp olive oil, salt, pepper, sweet paprika, and smoked paprika. Stir well, add cauliflower, and toss to evenly coat.

Transfer cauliflower onto a baking paper lined oven tray. Bake 25 – 30 minutes, stirring halfway through, until golden.

While the cauliflower is roasting, drizzle remaining 2 Tbsp oil into a skillet over medium-high heat. Add sliced shallot and cook for 5 – 7 minutes, stirring regularly, until shallots have started to turn golden.

Remove pan from heat, add capers, vinegar, honey, water, and Sunmuscat sultanas. Stir well, and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Toss parsley through cooked cauliflower and transfer to a serving plate. Spoon dressing over top, sprinkle with walnuts or pine nuts to serve.

Sultana & Date Scones

Preheat oven to 220°C (210°C fan-forced).
Line scone tray with non-stick baking paper. Sift flour and salt into a large bowl. Add butter and rub in lightly with fingertips.
Add sugar, sultanas & dates and stir to combine. Make a well in the centre of the mixture. Add beaten egg and almost all of the milk. Mix quickly with a flat bladed knife to a soft dough, adding more milk if necessary. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead briefly until smooth. Press or roll out to form a round about 2cm thick.
Cut dough into rounds using a floured plain 5cm cutter. Place scones together, without touching, on prepared tray and brush with extra milk. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown.

Traditional Christmas Pudding

  1. Combine the fruit, brandy, rind and apple in a microwave safe bowl and mix well. Cover then microwave on 100% power for 2-3 minutes or until plumped. Allow to cool.
  2. Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Gradually add the egg, beating well between each addition. Fold in the sifted flour and spices, fruit mixture, breadcrumbs and almonds, mix well.
  3. Spoon the mixture into a greased and base paper lined 2 litre capacity pudding basin. Cover with a tight-fitting lid. Place on an upturned saucer in the base of a large saucepan or boiler. Pour boiling water into the saucepan so that is comes halfway up the sides of the basin. Cover the saucepan with a tight-fitting lid and steam for 4 hours, topping up water every 20-30 minutes or as required.
  4. Remove from the basin onto a serving plate, flambé with a little brandy if desired then slice and serve with custard or ice-cream.

NB: If you do not have a lid for your basin: Cover with a greased double layer of foil and baking paper, create a deep pleat in the centre for expansion. Place over the basin and secure tightly with string. Trim the cover if necessary.

If you do not intend on using the pudding immediately, keep the cover intact and store in the fridge until required. Re- steam for 1 1/2 hours when required.

Decadent Christmas Cake

  1. Pre-heat oven to 150°C (130°C fan-forced). Lightly grease and line a deep 20cm cake pan with three layers of baking paper. Combine mixed fruit, raisins, and sultanas in a large saucepan. Add water and port, mix through. Place over a low heat for 5 minutes until liquid is absorbed and fruit softened. Set aside to cool.

  2. Using electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar together until creamy. Add eggs one at a time until all incorporated. Fold in flours and spices.

  3. Remove from mixing stand and fold in the fruit mixture with a large spoon. Mixing until well combined. Spoon batter into prepared cake tin and smooth the top. Decorate with almonds bake for 2 hours 30 minutes, or until an inserted skewer comes out clean. Allow to cool in the tin before removing to a cooling rack to cool completely. Brush the top with jam whilst the cake is still warm.

Baked Sultana Stuffed Apples

Core apples and peel from the top to about half way down.

Mix Sunbeam Sultanas, sugar, cinnamon and butter together, stuff the centre of each apple with the mixture.

Put in a greased baking dish, and if there is any stuffing left over fill the spaces between the apples with it.

Pour in enough water to cover bottom of baking dish, and bake slowly till apples are tender and syrup like caramel.

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