Gourmet and Stylish mini Christmas cakes!

Everybody loves a good Christmas dessert! Well, it would be pretty crazy not to!! Right 🤔? I myself, am particularly fond of traditional flavours and textures such as cinnamon, ginger, liquor, nuts and berries (all included in this recipe!!!). I mean, nothing quite spreads holiday cheer the way a slice of gingerbread and a glass of eggnog do!

When I thought of this particular dessert, I wanted to create something that was gourmet-looking and dainty but that still would capture what Christmas is all about, both through the eyes and tastebuds! Plus, if you look at the pictures up closely, you'll realize how this awe-inspiring treat is all about the details... and if only I could somehow transmit wonderful aroma of it ! My whole house smelled like a gingerbread cake factory in the North Pole. Enticing !

Now, allow me to walk you through the five main components to creating this piece of eye candy that will sure dazzle every single one of your guests this holiday season!! 

1. Start by making the base. A Cinnamon Orange Rum Cake with Nuts!

Ingredients 

• 3 large eggs
• 1 cup of granulated sugar
• Grated zest of two oranges
• 125 ml of Greek yogurt
• 75 ml (2.5 oz) of orange juice
• 110 ml of sunflower oil
• 2 cups of all purpose flour
• 3 teaspoons of baking powder
• 2 tbsps of cinnamon 
• 250 grams of walnuts
• A pinch of salt

Method 

- preheat your oven to 180 degrees C
With a stand mixer, beat the eggs and the sugar for about 5 minutes until fluffy. 
- Add the oil, greek yogurt, orange juice and zest 
- Beat for one minute 
- Sift in the flour, baking powder and cinnamon
- Mix in until well incorporated 
- Chop up your walnuts and mix in with a rubber spatula
- Butter up two 9 inch cake pans and equally divide your batter. 
- Bake for about 50-55 minutes.
- Poke with a knife to make sure they're well cooked. 
​- Set aside and let cool

2. Next, whip up your Eggnog Cream filling.

- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 115 grams of unsalted softened butter
- 1/4 cup eggnog
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
​- 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

Method

• Whip up your butter until nice and creamy. 
• Whip in your the cinnamon, nutmeg, egg nog and half the powdered sugar. Slowly add the remaining powdered sugar If you feel your cream is not thick enough, add more powdered sugar.
• Refrigerate for at least an hour before use. 

3. Ensembling the cakes

Make sure you have in hand:
- Transparent Acetate Paper for fencing (can be found at any stationery)
- Transparent scotch tape to secure fencing
- Mini Gold Cardboard Cake bases (8 cm diameter approx). Click here to shop. 
- Cherries or any fruit of your choice for the filling. 

Instructions 

- With a round 3 or 3.5 inch cookie cutter, (You can use a cup if you don't have one) cut your cake into circles and set aside in a pan. 
- Using a kitchen brush, soak each one of your cakes with about a tbsp of rum each. 

- Place your first layer of cake on top of your cardboard bases, make a fence around it with your acetate paper making sure it is about 10 cm tall. 
- Layer the ingredients as shown in the pictures bellow. 

4. Cinnamon Vanilla Buttercream for the top swirl!

Make sure you have in hand:
- Plastic Pipping bag
​(optional) A decorating tip . I used the Wilton 2D one -  (Shop here) 

• 125 grams of unsalted butter 
• 250 grams of powdered sugar 
• 1 tbsp of milk 
• 1 tbsp of cinnamon 
• 1 tsp of vanilla extract 

Method

• Beat the butter in the mixer under creamy.
• Add the powdered sugar a spoonful at a time. (You don’t want your kitchen to become a sweet mess)
• Add the vanilla extract and cinnamon until fully combined.
• Check the consistency of your frosting, it must be spreadable and smooth. If not, add just a bit more milk until you think it’s right. Trust your instincts !
• Finally, put your buttercream in the pipping bag and create a swirl to top of each one of your cakes!

5. Garnish and finishing touches

In a small container, mix about a tsp of the gold dust and add just a tad of vodka to it, enough to mix it together and create something like a thin paint.
(Unlike water, vodka won't evaporate as easily)
- With a paint brush, sprinkle your gold mixture over the cakes as much as you like. 
- Roll out the fondant and cut out snowflakes with your cutter 
- Set aside and pain each one with you gold paint
- Let dry for about 30 minute before placing on top of the cakes. 

What you'll need:
- 12 cherries 
- 12 small orange wedges
- Cranberry cut into very little pieces (just like in the photo)
- Fresh Rosemary branches 
- Red Ribbon

Method

First, top your frosting with the little cranberry bits and then add the cherry on and orange wedge top, with a small rosemary branch in between them. 

(Optional) For an extra special touch :
​Metallic Gold splashes + Gold snowflakes

- Edible Gold powder (shop here)
- A hint of vodka 
- Small snowflake fondant cutter
​(shop here)
​- Fondant (can be found at your local grocery or confectionary store)

​

Alright everybody ! Thank you for sticking around to the very end of this recipe. I really do hope you enjoy these delightful little cakes with your loved ones.

And do not forget to tag me on social media @tatianabellator if do try out any of my recipe s! I'd love to see how they've turned out!