Christmas is fast approaching, so why not get into the festive spirit by trying your hand at these Jolly Rich Fruit Snowmen Cakes? These cute little characters have been created by Juliet Sear, exclusively for the Dr. Oetker Even Better Baking Team. At the forefront of modern cake design, Juliet aims to encourage home bakers to get into the baking spirit this Christmas and create these jolly treats. I think they aer just ADORABLE!
*Jolly Rich Fruit Snowmen Cakes*Makes 10 Printable Recipe
Cute little snowmen fruit cakes. Your kids will love these! From the people at Dr Oetker.
For the fruit mix:150g (1 cup) of natural color Glace cherries, washed and halved120g of sultana raisins (3/4 cup)180g of raisins (1 1/4 cup)180g of currants (1 1/4 cup)50g of chopped mixed peel (6 TBS)100g molasses sugar (1/2 cup dark soft brown, packed)80g of plain flour (1/2 cup plus 3 1/2 TBS)1 TBS Dr. Oetker Madagascan Vanilla extract1/4 tsp ground cinnamon1/4 tsp ground ginger1/4 tsp ground nutmegpinch groun cloves1/4 tsp mixed spice (see my side bar to make your own)100g of salted butter (7 TBS)2 medium eggs, beaten100ml of brandy (7 TBS)plus more brandy to feed
For the cakes:1 kg of White Dr Oetker Regal Ice, Ready to Roll (2.2 pounds)1 454g pack of Dr Oetker Marzipan (scant pound)apricot jam to stickDr. Oetker desginer icing, whiteDr Oetker Black Gel Food colourDr. Oetker Silver Shimmer Spray
Icing sugarWater to stick1 pack of Dr Oetker Regal Ice Ready to Roll, coloured
For the rich fruit mix preheat the oven to `40*C.275*F/ gas mark 1. Butter and line a 6 inch square tin with baking parchment. Melt the butter and sugar together on a gentle heat until combined and then leave to cool.
Place the fruit and peel in a large bowl and mix together. Stir in the melted butter and sugar and then add the beaten eggs, vanilla and brandy. Stir to make a wet mix. Using a spoon, mix the spices into the flour, then tip the flour into the wet mix and stir together until combined. Pour the mixture into the tin and bake for 1 hour, then turn the heat down to 125*C/250*F and bake for a further 50 minutes. Piece the cake with a knife and it will come out clean if cooked. Pop back into the oven for a further 10 minutes if needed. Once baked, take out of hte oven and skew holes through the cake. Pour over another 60ml (1/4 cup) of brandy and allow it to slak into the cake. Leave to cool in the tin.
Once cooled, remove from the tin. Wrap in baking paper and foil and store for at least a week before using. It will keep for up to six months.
To make the snowman cakes, roughly break up the fruitcake. Take approximately 80g for the large balls, and squeeze together to compact into a chunk. (about 1/2 cup) Roll between your palms to make circular balls. For the smaller balls take approximately 35g of fruit cake and do the same. (about 1/3 cup) Place all balls on a cake board and place in the freezer to firm up.
Melt a little apricot jam and brush over the balls to make them sticky with a pastry brush. Roll out the marzipan to a thickness of no more than 5mm (1/4 inch). Cut into pieces large enough to completely cover the large cake balls. Lay a marzipan piece over the top of each ball and press around the sides, then roll the ball in your palms until smooth. Repeat with the rest of all the balls. Leave to dry overnight.
When ready to cover the balls with icing, brush them with a little brandy or cooled boiled water. Repeat as with the marzipan with the white regal ice. Leave to dry overnight or for a few hours before commencing with any decorating.
To decorate the snowmen cakes take some white designer icing and squeeze a little on top of each large ball to aid the head sticking. Now place the small balls on top of the larger ones. Dust your surface with icing sugar and then roll our red and green regal ice to make two long strips.
Use a sharp knife to cut a thin piece of regal ice about 12 cms in length (about 4.75 inches) and 1.5 cm wide (1/2 inch) to make the scarf. Using a little white designer icing, squeeze some around the neck area and down onto the body so that you can wrap the scarves around the snowmen.
For the hats, roll out half of the black regal icing to 5mm thick (1/4 inch). Using a small round cutter about 4cms (slightly smaller than 2 inches) in diameter to create the rim of the hat. Attach to the head with a dab of designer icing or honey.
Roll out the rest of the black regal ice into a sausage about 2 cm thick (slightly larger than 1/2 inch) Cut into chunks 2cms high. (Slightly less than an inch) Using your fingers narrow off the bottom and shape into a hat shape. Stick to the hat rim using a dab of designer icing or honey.
For the eyes, mouth and buttons pipe little blogs of Black Gel color or use a paint brush. You can also use this to paint on the arms.
Finally make the carrot by mixing a small amount of the red and yellow regal ice together to make orange.
Shape small cones with your fingers and attach in between the eyes andmouth by dabbing a tiny bit of white designer icing.
For the final frosty finish, spray Dr. Oetker silver shimmer spray across the snow men.
A -D - O - R - A - B - L - E
For more baking ideas for the holidays be sure to check out Dr Oetkers Better Baking Boutique!
