Holiday Gift Cake Recipe

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It’s day three in the Christmas Spectacular series and have I got a treat for you!!  Today I’m not only sharing a Holiday Gift Cake Recipe, but I’m also sharing a favorite Christmas tradition!  My sweet friend Rachel coordinated this Christmas Traditions Blog Tour and I thought it was a fantastic way to share something yummy and some fond memories!  If you’re stopping by from What Meegan Makes, WELCOME!!  I’m tickled silly you’re here.  Now let’s take a look at what I’m sharing today…

Delicious Holiday Gift Cake Recipe to serve during holiday entertaining. Doubles as a perfect holiday or hostess gift too! Recipe at livelaughrowe.comDoesn’t that look delicious!!  Frosting drizzled over the cake with chopped pecans aaaand a cherry on top!  What makes this cake so special?  Well, I remember my mom making these when I was too little to help — then I remember helping her make them each Christmas — and now I enjoy making them for holiday gifts!  These holiday cakes have been a tradition in the making for years and we always make them in soup cans!  I think that makes them a little more unique than your standard loaf.  Don’t you agree?

Holiday Gift Cake RecipeWe not only made these cakes for gifts, but we always kept a couple for us to indulge in as well.  On Christmas morning, we always enjoyed a slice or two (amongst other cookies) while opening presents! I guess you could say it was a breakfast appetizer since we always ate breakfast between opening gifts and diving into our stockings.  Since I don’t have children, some traditions aren’t quite the same, but they were fond traditions and memories of my childhood.  And it’s a delicious memory at best!  (Love you, Mom!)

Holiday Gift Cake Recipe
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A delicious holiday treat that will have your family and friends asking for more! The perfect holiday or hostess gift too.
Ingredients
  • ½ cup finely chopped pecans
  • 1 pkg. (8 oz) Philadelphia Cream Cheese, softened
  • 1 cup (2 sticks) butter or margarine, softened
  • 1-1/2 cups granulated sugar
  • 1-1/2 tsp. vanilla
  • 4 eggs
  • 2-1/4 cups sifted all-purpose flour
  • 1-1/2 tsp. Baking Powder
  • ¾ cup chopped maraschino cherries, well drained
  • ½ cup chopped pecans
  • 1-1/2 cups sifted powdered sugar
  • 2 Tbsp. milk
  • 3-4 maraschino cherries, halved
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 325F.
  2. Grease approximately four to six 14-16 oz (empty, clean and dry) soup cans. Place ½ tbsp to 1 tbsp of flour in each can and throughly coat the inside. Set aside.
  3. Beat cream cheese, butter, granulated sugar and vanilla in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended. Add eggs, 1 at a time, mixing well after each addition; set aside.
  4. Sift 2 cups of the flour with the baking powder. Gradually add to cream cheese mixture, beating well after each addition.
  5. Toss remaining ¼ cup flour with the cherries and ½ cup chopped pecans; gently stir into batter.
  6. Pour into prepared cans. Fill each can ½ to ¾ full. Bake for 45-50 minutes or until wooden toothpick inserted in center(s) comes out clean.
  7. Cool 5-10 minutes. Loosen cakes from side of can with spatula or knife; gently remove cakes from cans. Cool completely on wire rack.
  8. Mix powdered sugar and milk and drizzle over each cake. Sprinkle ½ cup finely chopped pecans over cakes and top with ½ of maraschino cherry.

Delicious Holiday Gift Cake Recipe to serve during holiday entertaining. Doubles as a perfect holiday or hostess gift too! Recipe at livelaughrowe.comSo, tell me, what is one of your favorite Christmas traditions?
Be sure to swing by Primitive and Proper to see what Cassie is sharing!

And find other great traditions here:  Christmas Traditions Blog Tour

Christmas Traditions Blog Hop with Live Laugh Rowe and Friends

Here’s to spreading a little extra merry!
Don’t forget to see what the other ladies are up
to in the Christmas Spectacular series too!

Christmas Spectacular with Live Laugh Rowe and FriendsCandy Cane Brownie Bark @ Shabby Creek Cottage
Vintage Style Snow Globe @ My Fabuless Life
DIY Brushstroke Ornaments @ Desert Domicile
Elf Hat Tree Topper @ Rain on a Tin Roof

Care to stay in the loop? I’d love to have you!
Catch me snapping + sharing pictures over on Instagram.
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http://betweennapsontheporch.net 

Comments

    • Thanks Julie! You need to make them…you will love them. Enjoy putting the ornaments on your tree. This time of year is wonderful! HUGS.

      Reply

  10. YUM! These look delicious and I love how out of the box they look coming out of soup cans! I’m definitely going to have to try these :).

    Reply

    • Thanks Chaney! I’ve always loved making these in cans over a bread pan…it gives it that “old fashioned” feel. You’ll love them! Enjoy. xo.

      Reply

  11. Kelly,

    I love that you remember watching your mom make them, helping her and now enjoy making them yourself. That is exactly what a special Christmas tradition should be all about. Thanks for sharing! 🙂

    ~Sarah

    Reply

  15. Ohhh cake looking so much good and delicious. I definitely try it in this weekend. Thanks For sharing.

    Reply

  16. Yum! This looks delicious! And why haven’t I ever thought to eat breakfast appetizers – I’ll have to get on that!

    Reply

  18. Thank you for sharing this beautiful cakes Kelly! I would love to know what size tin or tins you used for it!

    Thank you for sharing and have a happy holiday season.
    FABBY

    Reply

    • Thanks so much! I appreciate it…and the Pin. 🙂 I used the regular sized soup cans (10 3/4 oz) and just a small bread pan. Happy holidays! xo.

      Reply

  20. Kelly, these look absolutely AMAZING! Oh my goodness they look straight out of a magazine and I love that you started making them with your mom when you were a little girl. It looks like this is such a fun tradition filled with beautiful memories, and I also love that you give them away in soup cans, how creative! Thanks for sharing and happy holidays!

    Reply

  23. I have never heard of baking in a tin can. I love how rustic chic and practical it is. Your cakes are beautiful! I plan to make these this week.

    Reply

  26. I made this cake in individual ceramic baking dishes for my family gift exchange. I followed the cake recipe as is, but instead of the glaze I used traditional frosting because I made gelatin snow globes for the top. The cake was wonderful, even better the next day after the flavors had a chance to meld. Next time I will try the glaze. Thanks for the recipe!!

    Reply

    • Hi Bonny!! Thanks so much for sharing what you did. I agree (and we say it every year), the cake is even better the next day. Happy New Year. Hugs!

      Reply

Trackbacks

  1. […] in a holiday tradition blog hop hosted by Rachel of Like a Saturday.  if you are hopping over from Live Laugh Rowe, welcome!  We all have those special things that we do with our loved ones throughout the season, […]

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