Best Pomegranate Christmas Cake Recipes

SPICED POMEGRANATE-PEAR CAKE

Steps:

• In a small saucepan, combine juice, brown sugar and ginger. Cook and stir over medium heat until sugar is dissolved; remove from heat. Stir in vanilla. Place pears in a bowl or shallow dish; pour juice mixture over pears and turn to coat. Cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours., Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350°. Line bottoms of 3 greased 8-in. round baking pans with parchment; grease paper. In a small bowl, combine milk and vinegar; let stand 5 minutes until curdled. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. In another bowl, whisk flour, baking powder and salt; add to creamed mixture alternately with milk mixture, beating well after each addition. , Transfer to prepared pans. Bake until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 18-20 minutes. Cool in pans 10 minutes before removing to wire racks; remove paper. Cool completely., Drain pears, reserving marinade; pat dry. For frosting, in a large bowl, beat butter, 2 tablespoons reserved marinade, vanilla and, if desired, food coloring until blended. Beat in confectioners' sugar alternately with enough milk to reach spreading consistency., To assemble cake, using a long serrated knife, cut each cake in half horizontally. Place 1 cake layer on a serving plate; brush with 1/4 cup reserved marinade. Top with 2/3 cup pears. Top with another cake layer; spread with 1/2 cup frosting. Repeat layers, ending with remaining cake layer. Frost top and sides of cake with 2 cups frosting. Pipe remaining frosting around top and bottom edges. Sprinkle pomegranate seeds over top of cake. Refrigerate at least 2 hours before serving.

CHRISTMAS POMEGRANATE CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F. Place paper baking cup in each of 24 regular-size muffin cups, grease and flour muffin cups, or spray with baking spray with flour.
• In medium bowl, stir together flour, baking powder and salt; set aside. In large bowl, beat shortening with electric mixer on medium speed 30 seconds. Gradually add sugar, about 1/3 cup at a time, beating after each addition and scraping bowl occasionally. Beat 2 minutes longer. Add egg whites, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. On low speed, alternately add flour mixture, about 1/3 of mixture at a time, and milk, about 1/2 at a time, beating just until blended. Stir in 1 cup pomegranate seeds.
• Divide batter evenly among muffin cups, filling each about 2/3 full.
• Bake 18 to 20 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center of cupcake comes out clean. Cool 5 minutes. Remove cupcakes from pans; place on cooling racks to cool.
• Frost cupcakes. Sprinkle each with 1 teaspoon pomegranate seeds. Place cupcakes on platter; surround with mint sprigs.

EXTRA-FRUITY CHRISTMAS CAKE

Steps:

• Put all the dried fruit, the mixed peel and citrus zests in a large bowl, the pour over the brandy. Stir, cover and leave to soak overnight.
• The next day, heat the oven to 150C/130C fan/gas 2. Line the base and side of a deep 23cm cake tin with a double layer of baking parchment, so it comes a few centimetres above the rim.
• Beat the butter, sugar and treacle together in a large bowl using an electric whisk, until pale and creamy. Alternatively, use a stand mixer. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl every so often. Sift the flour, baking powder and spices into a separate bowl, then stir this into the wet ingredients along with the ground almonds until combined.
• Stir in the rehydrated fruit along with the soaking liquid, then spoon the batter into the prepared tin and level the surface with the back of a spoon. Bake for 2 hrs 25 mins-2 hrs 30 mins, or until a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean.If the cake starts to darken too quickly, cover with foil.
• Leave to cool completely in the tin, then prick small holes all over the surface using a cocktail stick or skewer and brush over a little brandy. Wrap the cake in baking parchment, then a sheet of foil. Store in an airtight container and feed the cake with 1-2 tbsp brandy each week for three or four weeks, stopping the week before you want to ice it. Will keep in a cool, dry place for six months.

POMEGRANATE CHRISTMAS CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 2 (I used 3) 9" cake pans with vegetable shortening. Line with parchment and grease paper. Lightly flour the pans; set aside.
• Combine milk, egg whites and vanilla extract in a small bowl. Whisk briefly and set aside. Combine flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment. Add softened butter and mix on low speed until the mixture has the appearance of wet sand. Set aside 1/2 cup of the egg white/milk mixture. Pour the remaining egg white mixture into the flour mixture and beat for 2 minutes. Add the 1/2 cup of egg white/milk mixture and beat for 1 minute more. Do not over mix. Divide batter evenly amongst pans. Bake for 30-35 minutes. Let cakes cool completely before adding syrup.
• Pomegranate syrup: 1 16 oz. bottle (2 cups) pomegranate juice 1 cup granulated sugar Combine juice and sugar in a medium saucepan. Heat on medium high until sugar has dissolved and mixture is bubbling. Reduce heat and simmer for 25 minutes, or until the mixture has become syrupy and thickened. Let syrup cool slightly. Using a pastry brush, coat cake tops with syrup and stack. Using the handle of a wooden spoon, poke holes in cake, making sure to push through all 2 (or 3) layers. Pour remaining syrup into the punched holes. Allow cake to stand for 15 minutes before frosting.
• Frosting: 4 cups confectioners' sugar 2 sticks butter softened 16 oz. cream cheese 1 tsp vanilla Arils from one fresh pomegranate *optional Combine sugar and butter in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment. Add cream cheese and vanilla. Mix until thick and thoroughly combined. Use immediately to frost cake. Garnish with arils if desired. Notes: The pomegranate garnish is 1/3 cup ready made fondant mixed with red food coloring, then coated in red sanding sugar and plain granulated sugar. The leaves are made from green fondant also. Over time, the syrup in the cake will darken to a purplish/red color. Still very pretty and yummy all the same.