HOW TO BAKE A CAKE STEP BY STEP WITH PICTURES RECIPES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 150°C (130°C fan oven) mark. Grease, then line a 23x6.5cm (9x2½in) deep, round cake tin with greaseproof paper.

  Put the sultanas into a large pan. Add the raisins, currants, cherries, dates, figs, orange zest and juice and brandy. Bring to the boil, then remove from the heat and leave to soak for 30min.

  Put the sugar into a bowl and add the butter. Beat together with an electric hand whisk until fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time. Add the flour, spices, nuts, soaked fruit and any liquor to the bowl. Use a large metal spoon to fold it all together.

  Spoon the cake mixture into the prepared tin, then shake the tin firmly to level the mixture. Wrap brown paper around the outside and secure it with string. Bake for 3½hr. To test whether the cake is cooked, insert a metal skewer into the centre – it should come out clean. Cool the cake in its tin, on a wire rack. Once cool, remove from the tin, leaving the greaseproof paper on. To store, wrap the cake in clingfilm and foil, then put it in an airtight container.

  Cook’s Tip: After two weeks of maturing, prick the cake all over with a metal skewer and sprinkle over 1tbsp brandy. Leave to soak in. Wrap up, then repeat two weeks later before decorating. The Christmas cake will keep for several months, but it stops maturing after three months.

  Put the ground almonds into a large bowl. Add the caster sugar, the golden icing sugar and the lemon zest. Use a wooden spoon to stir everything together.

  Add the almond extract and the egg whites. Mix everything together well to make a firm paste, then use your hands to knead lightly until smooth. Shape the mixture into a round. Wrap in clingfilm and chill for at least 1hr. Don’t worry if the paste feels a little sticky – it will firm up and dry out once it’s been chilled.

  To make the glaze: Put 3tbsp apricot jam into a small pan with 2tsp cold water. Heat gently, then sieve into a bowl. Peel off the greaseproof lining from the cake, then use a sharp knife to level off the top. Turn it over and put on a cake board. Brush the sieved jam all over the top and sides of the cake.

  The easy-roll bit: Take two A4 clear-plastic wallets and cut along the shortest edge of each one. Open them out and put the marzipan round onto one of them. Put the other opened-out wallet on top and roll out the marzipan to make a 33cm (13in) round.

  How to get the paste on in one piece: Take off the top wallet, flip the paste onto the cake and peel away the other wallet. Press down marzipan over top and sides, so it fits snugly. Trim away excess with a sharp knife. Lift cake onto a serving plate and cover with crumpled greaseproof paper. Leave to dry out for at least one day.

  Put the egg whites in a large bowl and whisk until slightly frothy. There should be just a layer of bubbles lying across the surface of the egg whites.

  Add the lemon juice, glycerine and 2tbsp of the icing sugar, then whisk until smooth. Whisk in the rest of the icing sugar, a little at a time, until the mixture is smooth, thick and forms soft peaks.

  Remove the greaseproof paper from the marzipaned cake. Using a palette knife, smooth half the icing over the top and sides, then repeat using remaining icing to cover. Run the knife around the sides to neaten, then use the tip to make peaks all over the top. Leave to dry for at least 48hr.

  Cook?s Tip: You can use golden icing sugar to make the icing ? it has a subtle caramel flavour that goes very well with the fruity spiciness of the cake. The sugar is a pale beige colour, though, so don?t expect the same snowy-white effect.

  First, dry the oranges: Preheat the oven to 110°C (90°C fan oven) mark ¼. Using a sharp knife with a serrated edge, slice 4–5 oranges into 5mm (¼in) circles to make 25–30 slices. Line three or four baking sheets with greaseproof paper and put the orange slices on top in a single layer. Use the point of a skewer to ease a hole in the centre of each slice. Bake for 3½–4hr, turning the slices over every hour until completely dried – they should be transparent and as clear as a stained-glass window. You can store them in an airtight container for up to four weeks.

  Now for the assembly job: When the cake is iced and the icing is dry, use a hole punch to stamp out holes in the middle of 25–30 fresh bay leaves. Next, take a 35.5cm (14in) length of pretty ribbon and alternately thread the dried orange slices and bay leaves onto the ribbon. You’ll need two pairs of hands at this stage, so ask someone to help you lift the ribbon up and wrap it around the cake. Finish by tying in a fancy bow and prepare to reap the praise…

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour 2 (9-inch) round baking pans. Set aside.
• Combine flour, baking powder and 1/2 teaspoon salt in bowl. Set aside.
• Beat 1 1/2 cups sugar and 3/4 cup butter in another bowl at medium speed, scraping bowl occasionally, until creamy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add 1 tablespoon vanilla; mix well. Add flour mixture alternately with milk, beating at low speed after each addition just until mixed.
• Divide batter evenly between prepared pans. Bake 30-35 minutes or until toothpick inserted near center comes out clean. Place onto cooling racks; cool 10 minutes. Loosen cake by running knife around inside edge of pans. Carefully remove cake from pans; cool completely.
• Beat 3/4 cup butter in bowl at medium speed until creamy. Gradually add powdered sugar and 1/8 teaspoon salt alternately with whipping cream and 1 teaspoon vanilla, scraping bowl often, until well mixed.
• Place 1 cake layer on serving plate, bottom-side up; frost top. Place remaining cake layer over frosting, bottom-side down; frost top and sides of cake. Decorate as desired.