2009 First bake

First Christmas Cake of the Season

up close and personal

naked cake

pretty in red

Traditionally I cover the top of the Christmas cake with walnut halves and cherries

Christmas, it's that time again!

well its that time of the year again.
time to give Christmas cooking a thought.
just to get us into the right frame of mind
I will post some Xmas decos.
Enjoy the frosted glass bauble!

yes, I know, I know it's not Christmas any more but I'm going to continue with recipes that can be both Christmas and non christmas and pretend Christmas recipes. So here's the next one

CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES

110g unsalted butter, softened, plus extra for greasing
½ cup sugar
3 eggs
1 cup plain flour, sifted
¾ cup shredded coconut
4 tablespoons good-quality cocoa powder, plus 1 teaspoon extra
1½ teaspoons baking powder
chocolate ice-cream to serve

Preheat oven to 180°C. In a bowl, beat butter and sugar together until pale, then add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add flour, ¼ cup of coconut, cocoa and baking powder and mix well. Pour batter into a 12-cup greased muffin pan. Place in oven and bake for 12–15 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Set aside to cool on a wire rack. In another bowl, toss remaining coconut with extra cocoa. Serve muffins topped with coconut mix and chocolate ice-cream. Makes 12 cupcakes.

Best ever Rumballs from Pauline

I have to translate the recipe from imperial to metric
5oz copha
2oz drinking choc or cocoa
1 cup mixed fruit
4oz icing sugar
3 tabsp rum or brandy
1 teasp vanilla essence
1/2 lb crushed biscuits

soak fruit in rum. sift icing sugar & cocoa and mix all ingredients except coconut. Add melted copha when cool and mix together. Shape into round balls and roll into coconut. makes around 40.
can't show a photo because I ate them all :-)