Red Velvet Cupcakes

Preparation 20 Minutes

Cook 25 Minutes

Serves 24

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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

Cherry Ripe Slice

Line 27 x 18cm slice tray with baking paper, leaving 2cm of paper above edge to make removal of slice easier. Put biscuits in a bag and crush well. Combine biscuits and butter and press into base of prepared tray. Refrigerate for 20min till firm.

Combine coconut and icing sugar mixture in a bowl. Put white chocolate extra butter and cream in a small pan and cook gently over low heat. Stir frequently until chocolate has melted. Stir in food colouring.

Gently stir white chocolate mixture into coconut mixture, add cherries spread firmly on biscuit base, chill for 30min or until firm. Spread dark over the slice, refrigerate until firm, cut into squares to serve.

Christmas Fruit Cake

Pre-heat oven to 150°C (130°C fan-forced). Use an oil spray to grease a deep bunting cake tin. 

Combine mixed fruit, raisins, dates and currants 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.

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. Remove from mixing stand and fold in the fruit mixture with a large spoon.

Mixing until well combined. Spoon batter into prepared bunting cake tin and tap on counter to remove air bubbles and ensure bater has filled the tin evenly. 

Bake for 2 hours or until an inserted skewer comes out clean. 

Allow to cool in the cake tin placed on wet tea towel before removing to a cooling rack to cool completely. 

**To serve drizzle with your favourite glaze by mixing 1 cup of icing sugar & 2 tbsp lemon juice

Classic Christmas Pudding

  1. Combine fruit, brandy, rinds and apple. Cover and set aside overnight or for at least 2 hours.
  2. Cream butter and sugar until pale and fluffy, beat in golden syrup. Beat in eggs one at a time, beating well between each addition.
  3. Combine breadcrumbs, flour, spices and almonds. Add creamed butter mixture and soaked fruit, mixing well to combine.
  4. Grease a 2 litre capacity pudding basin, line the base with a double layer of baking paper.
  5. Spoon mixture into the basin and smooth top. Double line the top with baking paper rounds.
  6. Take a 60cm long piece of baking paper and 60cm piece of foil, layer and fold in half, make a 3cm pleat in the middle (this allows for any expansionof the pudding). Place sheets over pudding and secure tightly with string. Place a wire rack onto the base of a large saucepan, fill one third with water and bring to boil. Carefully place pudding onto wire rack making sure the water level comes about halfway up pudding basin. Cover and simmer for 6 hours, replenish water when needed.
  7. Remove from water, stand for 10 minutes before turning out. Serve cut into slices with cream and maple syrup.

Sunbeam Traditional Fruit Cake

You will need a 21cm round tin for this recipe (base measurement)

  1. Soak fruit overnight in brandy, if you warm the brandy it infuses faster and you can soak for a few hours instead of overnight.
  2. Place soaked fruit, water, butter, maple syrup and sugar in a saucepan. Slowly bring to the boil then remove from heat and add bicarbonate of soda mixed with one tablespoon boiling water. Cool for 15 minutes. Add lightly beaten eggs, mixing thoroughly. Fold in sifted flours, spices and vanilla essence.
  3. Preheat oven to 160ºC. We used a 21cm bundt tin. Spoon batter into the prepared tin, using a spatula to smooth the surface. Bake for up to 75 to 90 minutes or until the cake springs back when gently pressed in the centre. Allow cake to cool in the tin for an hour then invert onto a cooling rake to remove. Allow to cool completely.

TIP: Liquor can be substituted with flavoured syrup or orange juice.

Optional cinnamon burnt buttercream:  Heat 500g butter in a large frypan over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until a deep golden colour.  Pour the butter and milk solids into a heatproof bowl and refrigerate until hard.  Remove burnt butter from fridge for 1 hour to soften then add 250g of the butter to a stand mixer and beat for 4-5 mins until creamy.  Add 320g sifted icing sugar mixture, ½ tsp ground cinnamon and 2 tbsp milk and beat for a further 6 mins or until light and fluffy.

Spiced Currant Biscuits

  1. Sift the flour and spices into a bowl. In a separate bowl, beat butter and sugar with electric beaters until thick and pale, then add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Fold ii the flour mixture slowly, then stir in currants and lemon zest. Wrap in plastic and chill for at least 2 hours.
  2. Line 2 baking trays with baking paper. Preheat the oven to 180°C. Roll out dough 4-5mm thick then cut with a round biscuit cutter and place on the trays. Repeat with remaining dough, re-rolling the trimmings.
  3. Sprinkle biscuits with extra sugar. Bake for 10 minutes until firm to touch but still pale. Cool on trays for 5 minutes, then transfer to a rack to cool completely.

Fruit & Nut Log Salami

In a dry pan on medium heat gently toast the slithered almonds till slightly brown, then set aside to cool.

Place the finely chopped dates and apricots pistachios, ginger & biscuits in a bowl.

Add the almonds, currants, cranberries Blend until well mixed, add melted chocolate & condensed milk and stir till combined.

Turn out onto cling film. Roll and shape into a log. Chill for at least 4 hours.

To decorate tie with bakers string roll in powdered sugar and wrap in baking paper.
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