Mini Christmas Cakes with Marzipan Icing

By krystallondon

1 cup (250 mL) chopped pecans
1/2 cup (125 mL) raisins
1/2 cup (125 mL) chopped candied cherries or citron peel or candied pineapple or ginger
11/2 cups (375 mL) all-purpose flour
3/4 cup (175 mL) brown sugar
1/2 tsp (2 mL) each baking powder, salt and cinnamon
1/4 tsp (1 mL) allspice
2 eggs
1/4 cup (50 mL) brandy, rum or orange juice
1/2 cup (125 mL) melted butter, cooled Marzipan icing (see below)

Ingredients

• 1 cup (250 mL) chopped pecans
• 1/2 cup (125 mL) raisins
• 1/2 cup (125 mL) chopped candied cherries or citron peel or candied pineapple or ginger
• 11/2 cups (375 mL) all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup (175 mL) brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp (2 mL) each baking powder, salt and cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp (1 mL) allspice
• 2 eggs
• 1/4 cup (50 mL) brandy, rum or orange juice
• 1/2 cup (125 mL) melted butter, cooled Marzipan icing (see below)

Details

Servings 12

Preparation

Step 1

1. Preheat oven to 375F (190C). Lightly oil a 12-cup muffin pan or line with paper cups. Prepare and measure out pecans, raisins and cherries. In a large bowl, using a fork, stir flour with brown sugar, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and allspice. In another bowl, whisk eggs. Whisk in brandy, then cooled butter. Using a wooden spoon, stir wet mixture into dry until well mixed. Stir in pecans, raisins and candied fruit until evenly distributed. Spoon into muffin cups, filling three-quarters full.

2. Bake in centre of preheated oven until a cake tester inserted in centre of cupcakes comes out clean, 15 to 18 min. Cool 10 min, then remove cakes to a rack to cool completely before icing. Cakes without icing will keep well, tightly covered or stored in an airtight container, at room temperature up to 1 week, or frozen up to 1 month.


MARZIPAN ICING
Break half a 200-g pkg of marzipan into the bowl of a food processor and whirl until crumbly. Slowly add 1/2 cup (125 mL) unsalted butter at room temperature and pulse until creamy. Add 11/2 cups (375 mL) icing sugar, 1/8 tsp (0.5 mL) almond extract, 1 tsp (5 mL) milk and zest of half an orange. Pulse until smooth. It should be thin enough to spoon over a cupcake. If not, whirl in more milk, a teaspoon (5 mL) at a time.

Nutrients per cake with 1 tbsp (15 mL) icing
4 g protein
21 g fat
53 g carbohydrates
3 g fibre
52 mg calcium
181 mg sodium
410 calories