Christmas cake is great, and it’s traditional, but not everyone loves it. So, if you’re looking for a crowd-pleasing cake that the whole family will find delicious, then check out these six brilliant non-traditional Christmas cake ideas.

1. Berry and beet spice cake

This delicious treat is inspired by carrot cake and oozes earthy undertones of spice and beetroot with wonderful overtones of berry: simply delicious. It’s a truly unique cake that will make a statement at the dinner table.

2. Cherry and almond cake

Almonds and cherries make a wonderful combination. Cherries are known as the ultimate festive fruit, so this cake is perfect for the Christmas season. Serve a large slice with whipped cream and you’ve got the perfect after-dinner treat.

3. Chocolate and chestnut cake

A wonderfully layered cake that is absolutely delicious. The use of a chestnut puree adds a unique and fantastic flavour that people won’t be expecting. You can prepare this a couple of days in advance, meaning less stress on Christmas day, as well as helping to create an even better flavour.

4. Eccles cakes with blue cheese

Looking for something quite different for this year’s Christmas dinner? This dish will do the trick. Combine heavenly Eccles cakes made with juicy raisins and crispy puff pastry with buffalo blue cheese. Add a festive twist by using plenty of seasonal spices such as mixed spice, ground ginger and nutmeg.

5. Berry merry Christmas cake

Why not bake a zingy, fresh Christmas cake for those who don’t enjoy the dried fruits and nuts variety. Instead, partner with macerated berries stirred through cream, orange juice and crème fraîche.

6. White chocolate and macadamia nut panforte

Create a light version of panforte, which is a festive Italian flat cake. It’s a cross between a honey, candy and fruitcake. You traditionally make it with chocolate and dark fruits.

Whichever of these cake recipes you opt for, you’ll be sure to impress the whole family. You could even create a few of them to bring more variety to the table. Or, better yet, why not take the hassle out of making your own cake and have a professional company do it for you? Check out Pearl’s Creations for more information.

Oops! Messed up? Here’s how to save your food.

Too salty?

Try adding water to your soups. Even adding a cut raw potato will absorb the excess salt. Adding a creamy ingredient can even out the saltiness, so try avocado, cream or milk. You can add some acidity to a dish with white wine vinegar or a squeeze of lemon. If you are working with raw meat that is too salty, you can soak it in fresh water for a couple of hours to draw out the salt.

Burnt your bundt?

As long as the cake flavour is still intact, you can use a glaze icing to cover the cake. It will hide the browned bits and create a whole new level of beauty.

Cracked layered cake?

Just use a serrated knife to carefully slice off the cracked bit so it’s flat and ready for the frosted layering.

Clumpy, chunky melted chocolate?

It is likely that your heat was too high. Never fear, just mix through a small amount of vegetable oil to smooth it out.

Buttercream frosting not so dreamy?

You can thin out ‘too thick’ buttercream icing with some whole milk. If it has sunk from sitting before use, just add a little milk while mixing on high speed to rework the consistency. This will lift the buttercream and re-aerate the butter.

Ultimately, baking is just a science experiment that we are all trying out!

Need a repertoire of cake recipes you can count on in a flash? Here they are…

Quick (and vegan) Chocolate Cake

This surprisingly vegan chocolate cake takes only 40 minutes to whip up, meaning you can easily reward yourself, surprise the kids or win over co-workers. It’s luscious, light and tastes like it’s bad for you while being not-so-naughty at all. This beautifully smooth cake serves around 12 people, or one if you have had a long day. Top it off with some cream, ice cream, fruits or your favourite toppings and dig in. It sure won’t last long.

https://www.bhg.com/recipe/chocolate-cakes/quick-chocolate-cake/

Plum Cake

Martha, Martha, Martha! She is offering us something mouthwatering here. An amazing cake filled with beautiful red plums. With added sour cream, the flavour really gives a beautiful sweet/sourness. This pretty looking creation is one that would suit a Sunday afternoon tea. Best served with a good dollop of heavy thickened cream, some confectioner’s sugar and some hot tea.

Try to dish yourself some while it is still warm. It’s a nurturing dessert that we wouldn’t mind getting caught with. Claiming to serve ten guests, this cake takes 25 minutes of preparation time and bakes for around an hour.

https://www.marthastewart.com/336835/plum-cake

Warm Almond Cherry Cake

Most people have a bag or two of frozen berries in their freezer and this cake is the perfect time to pull them out. This cake is described as being tender, and it is! The recipe calls for cherries but you can adapt any frozen berry you like because the fruit bakes into a rich, intense flavour in this warming cake. No matter the season, you can create this stunning offering of pure delight. It’s best served warm with a sweet cloud of whipped cream. You can easily feed six people here, and it has a prep time of just 10 minutes and cooks for just over an hour. This cake is an easy go-to recipe.

https://www.marthastewart.com/317638/warm-almond-cherry-cake

Bet you can’t wait to get baking now…

Ever had a last minute cake-fiasco when organising a celebration? We’ve got a solution for this. Here are five reasons to order your next celebration cake from a professional.

1. Take the pressure off

Instead of worrying about having enough time to make a cake yourself or having to pick one up at the store last minute when the one you made got burnt in all the commotion, you can order your celebration cake ahead of time. This can really take the stress and pressure off you, knowing that a professional is taking care of it.

2. The talking-point of the party!

A cake that’s been made to order is going to impress your party-goers. Whether it be the rich flavour, the amazing attention to detail on the decoration or that melt-in-your-mouth texture, a cake ordered and made professionally will leave a lasting impression.

3. High-quality ingredients

Professional cake makers only use the best quality ingredients to create your celebration cakes. Because they are made to order they are always fresh for your event, so there’s never a need to add preservatives that you would find in supermarket cakes.

4. That personal touch

Ordered cakes are custom made, meaning they can be decorated in almost any fashion! Personalised messages can be written in icing, imagery can be incorporated and even figurines placed on the top of the cake can add that special touch to the centrepiece of the party.

5. It’s delicious!

Plain and simple – you KNOW a custom-made cake is going to taste great! Supermarket cakes can often leave a lot to be desired, and unless you are a baking master, it can be hard to know if a home-made cake is going to end up with the perfect consistency, flavour and texture. Ordering a cake is a sure way to know you’re getting a delicious cake.