Classic Christmas bakes

It might seem early, but October is the perfect month to start baking for Christmas. Some traditional bakes take months to mature to perfection, while others can be made in advance and frozen. 

So it’s time to dust off your apron, dig out those traditional recipes, and fill your house with the aromas of festive baking! We’ve scoured the baking blogosphere to find the best classic Christmas recipes. Here are some of our favourites.

Christmas Cake

A traditional Christmas cake needs time, so start baking yours early! Most recipes start with soaking a mouthwatering mix of dried fruit in sherry and orange zest for up to three days. Once soaked, add the fruit to the other ingredients and bake at a low temperature for several hours (cooking time will vary by size & weight). 

Once baked and cooled, wrap your cake in a double layer of greaseproof paper. Celebrity baker Mary Berry recommends adding a layer of foil before storing it in a cold place for three months. ‘Feed’ your cake at regular intervals by piercing it with a skewer and adding extra sherry.

Clara of claraunravelled describes taking her first ever Christmas cake out of storage:

‘I have to admit I was nervous as I peeled away the layers of foil and brown paper.... Fortunately it was fine. In fact, after the mushroom cloud of booze fumes that wafted into my face as soon as it was fully exposed, it was in a better shape than I was’.

Just before Christmas, decorate your cake with marzipan and royal icing, then store in a festive container until the big day arrives. Our Festive Family Round Tin would be perfect.

If you fancy something a bit quicker, have a go at blogger Karen’s mini snowflake cakes. We think they’d make the perfect edible gift. She says, ‘I plan to dress these cakes in a swathe of cellophane tied with glittery ribbon... they will be perfect for Christmas and New Year’.

Cracking Christmas Pudding

This classic dessert has its origin in the medieval English ‘plum pudding’, and there’s nothing quite like it. Traditionally, families make the pudding together on ‘Stir-up Sunday’, the last Sunday before Advent. 

Emily Leary from A Mummy Too, loves the family tradition: ‘I adore cooking with the kids – it’s a chance to talk over the day, practice a little maths, and simply spend quality time together’.

This year, Stir-up Sunday is on 26th November, so why not get your family together to share this festive ritual. You could even add a lucky coin to the mixture and make a wish!

Need a quick alternative for kids who don’t enjoy the rich flavours of Christmas pudding? Rachel of Well Worn Whisk suggests a shimmering seasonal alternative that will please even the fussiest eaters: rocky road with extra sparkle!

Moreish Mince Pies

Who can resist the buttery deliciousness of a good mince pie? Blogger Lucy of Lucy Loves’ top time-saving tip is to bake her mince pies before Christmas and then freeze them in a sealed container. 

Lucy’s recipe uses an aromatic, orange zest pastry and a sweet surprise:

‘I like to pop a tiny square of marzipan into the mincemeat just for extra Christmas deliciousness. All these elements go towards making these quite the most tasty mince pies I have ever eaten *modest*’.

If you really want to impress your family, make your own mincemeat like Babs of Food on the Blog. Since making her own, she finds that shop-bought mincemeat ‘does not even come close to hitting the spot’.

Next, add your own choice of alcoholic beverage. Dominic of Belleau Kitchen favours whiskey:

‘I’ve just made a fabulous batch of whisky mincemeat, something I've never made before so I'm pretty happy with myself... the intense aroma that filled the house was pure Christmas’.

Now all that remains is to decide how to serve your crumbly creations. Will it be brandy butter or cream?

Gorgeous Gingerbread

Gingerbread doesn’t take months to bake, but a good Gingerbread house needs planning in advance; it can be a daunting task. Jennifer, who blogs at Jennifer's Little World says she was put off because they look ‘really complicated and would probably fall down’.

If you feel the same, check out this handy guide by blogger Sarah of Essbeevee. She claims: ‘My gingerbread house wasn't perfect, but I felt it was charming in its own way’.

The team at the Dorsetmums blog took their gingerbread house to the next level with stained glass windows and fairy lights. We think it looks fab!

Of course, there are easier things to make with gingerbread. So if you don’t have time to tackle the house, how about baking Alice and Amelia’s gingerbread men? We’ve got the perfect classic cutter for the job!

Christmas bakeware from dotcomgiftshop

Inspired to bake some festive treats? You’ll find gorgeous Christmas bakeware here at dotcomgiftshop. Below is just a small sample of what we offer.

What are your family’s traditional festive favourites? We’d love to see your culinary creations over on our Facebook page.