White Chocolate-Cranberry Poke Cupcakes

These White Chocolate-Cranberry Poke Cupcakes are as festive-looking as they are scrumptious. 

1 pkg. (2-layer size) white cake mix
1 cup boiling water
1 pkg. (3 oz.) JELL-O Cranberry Flavor Gelatin
1-1/2 pkg. (4 oz. each) BAKER'S White Chocolate (6 oz.), broken into pieces
1 pkg. (8 oz.) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened
1/4 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 tsp. vanilla
2-1/2 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup dried cranberries

• Prepare cake batter and bake as directed on package for 24 cupcakes. 
• Cool in pans 10 min. 
• Pierce tops with fork.
• Add boiling water to gelatin mix in small bowl; stir 2 min. until completely dissolved. 
• Spoon over cupcakes. 
• Refrigerate 30 min.
• Melt chocolate as directed on package. 
• Beat cream cheese and butter in large bowl with mixer until blended. 
• Add chocolate and vanilla; mix well. 
• Gradually add sugar, beating after each addition until light and fluffy.
• Spread frosting onto cupcakes. 
• Top with cranberries.

Recipe:  My Food and Family

Candy Cane Shortbread Bars

These buttery shortbread just melt in your mouth and if you like peppermint you will love this recipe

1 cup butter, softened
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 large egg yolk
1-1/2 teaspoons peppermint extract
2 cups all-purpose flour

BUTTERCREAM:
2 cups confectioners' sugar
1/4 cup butter, melted
2 tablespoons 2% milk
1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract
2 drops red food coloring, optional

TOPPING:
9 ounces white baking chocolate, melted and cooled slightly
3/4 cup crushed candy canes (about 10 regular)

• Preheat oven to 350°. 
• Line a 13x9-in. baking pan with parchment paper, letting ends extend up sides.
• In a large bowl, cream butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. 
• Beat in egg yolk and extract. 
• Gradually beat in flour. 
• Press evenly into prepared pan.
• Bake 16-19 minutes or until edges are brown. 
• Cool completely in pan on a wire rack.
• In a bowl, combine buttercream ingredients; beat until smooth. 
• Spread over shortbread. 
• Carefully spread white chocolate over top. 
• Sprinkle with candy canes; let stand until set.
• Lifting with parchment paper, remove shortbread from pan. 
• Cut into bars

Recipe: Taste of  Home

The Royal Family Christmas Pudding

In honour of our dear Queen's passing, today Im sharing the Royal Family’s traditional Christmas Pudding recipe

Christmas pudding is a quintessentially British treat, full of raisins, currants, and sultanas. On Nov 22, 2020, Queen Elizabeth II's official Instagram page shared Buckingham Palace's official Christmas pudding recipe. A British favorite for many during the holiday season, this dish is traditionally prepared on "Stir-Up Sunday," aka the Sunday before the Advent season, to be ready by Dec. 25.

250g raisins
250g currants
185g sultanas
150g mixed peel
250g suet or vegetarian suet
12g mixed spice
2 whole eggs
180g demerara sugar
275ml beer
40ml dark rum

• Combine all dry ingredients.
• Stir them up.
• Add the eggs and the liquid.
• Stir again.
• Grease your pudding basins.
• Press the cake mix into basins.
• Cover with a circle of parchment paper.
• Cover basins with a muslin or foil, and place puddings into a deep saucepan.
• Fill with water up to 3/4 of pudding basin height.
• Cover with foil.
• Once cooled, wrap puddings well and keep in a cool, dry and dark place until Christmas.
• On Christmas Day, reheat your pudding in a bain-marie for 3-4 hours.
• Remove from the basin using a rounded knife or palette knife
• Flip out onto a plate, garnish or flambé and serve with brandy sauce and cream.

Recipe: The Royal Family Instagram

Cranberry Orange Walnut Bread

Your taste buds will be loving this cranberry orange bread...tangy fresh cranberries, orange zest and the crunchy walnuts. Perfect for your Christmas table.

2 cups flour
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 stick butter (frozen for easier grating)
Zest of 1 orange
3/4 cup orange juice
2 eggs
1/2 cup sour cream
2 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cups fresh cranberries cut in half
1/2 cup roasted walnuts chopped roughly 

Frosting
3 oz. cream cheese softened
2 oz. of soft butter
1 cups sifted powdered sugar
walnuts for garnish

• Toast walnuts in a small pan over medium heat and stir until they become fragrant.
• Preheat your oven to 350. 
• Line 3 small loaf pans with parchment paper 
• Be sure to leave 2 ends that overlap the long side edges (makes removal easier)
• In a large bowl whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. 
• Grate the frozen butter into the mixture then use a pastry cutter until it resembles coarse meal. 
• Set aside
• In a medium bowl whisk the zest, orange juice, eggs, sour cream and vanilla.
• Pour the wet ingredients over the dry ingredients and mix until just combined.
• Fold in the cranberries and walnuts
• Divide the batter between the 3 pans.
• Bake for about 45 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
• Let cool on wire rack for 15 minutes; remove; cool on rack completely
• For the Frosting combine all ingredients and frost cooled breads
• Sprinkle with walnuts
• Store at room temp for several or days

Recipe: Cooking on the Front Burner

Pineapple Coconut Snowballs

So quick...so easy...so delicious. A no bake truffle treat thats perfect as a gift

1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
1 can (8 ounces) crushed pineapple, well drained
2-1/2 cups sweetened shredded coconut

• In a small bowl, beat cream cheese and pineapple until combined. 
• Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
• Roll into 1-in. balls; roll in coconut. 
• Refrigerate for 6 hours or overnight.

Recipe: Taste of Home

Cranberry Lemon Pistachio Wreath Cookies

Do you like this flavour combination, too? The tart lemon taste of the icing has to be my favourite part of these colourful Christmas cookies. They are almost too pretty to eat

1 Cup all purpose flour plus more for work surface
3/4 Cup cornstarch
1 Teaspoon baking powder
1/4 Teaspoon salt
1/2 Cup unsalted butter softened
1/2 Cup granulated sugar
2 egg yolks room temperature
5 Teaspoon lemon zest finely grated
2 Tablespoon lemon juice fresh squeezed
1 Teaspoon vanilla
1 3/4 Cups icing sugar
1 Cup pistachios shelled unsalted, toasted and coarsely chopped
1/2 Cup dried cranberries coarsely chopped

• Whisk flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl.
• Put butter and sugar into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. 
• Mix on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy.
• Mix in yolks, lemon zest, and vanilla. 
• Reduce speed to low, and gradually mix in flour mixture. 
• Shape into a disk; wrap in plastic. 
• Refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour.
• Preheat oven to 350 F. 
• Transfer dough to a lightly floured work surface. 
• Roll out to 1/8 inch thick. 
• Using a 2 1/2 inch round fluted cutter, cut out wreaths. 
• Cut out centers of wreaths using a 7/8 inch round cutter.
• Space 2 inches apart on baking sheets lined with parchment paper. 
• Refrigerate until firm, about 15 minutes. 
• Bake until just golden, about 12 minutes.
• Let cool completely on wire racks.
• Stir together icing sugar and lemon juice in a small bowl. 
• Dip surface of each cookie in icing, and sprinkle with pistachios and cranberries.

Recipe: oxoxBella

Rich Fruit Bread

Fill your home with the cinnamon-rich aroma of the holidays with this festive holiday bread.This Rich Holiday Fruit Bread looks amazing!

¼ cup melted butter or margarine
1¾ cups milk
¼ cup sugar
1 package (2¼ tsp, ¼oz, 7g) Active Dry Yeast
1 tsp salt
4 cups bread flour
1 tsp cinnamon
⅔ cup mixed candied fruit
¼ cup currants
¼ cup raisins

• In a saucepan over medium heat melt the butter or margarine. 
• Add the milk and heat just until 110°-115°F.
• In a large bowl add the milk mixture, sugar, salt and Yeast. 
• Beat with a wire whisk until smooth. 
• Add 2 cups of flour, cinnamon, candied fruit, currants and raisins. 
• Again beat until smooth. 
• Sprinkle one more cup of flour over top, work in with a wooden spoon until all absorbed.
• Gradually add the last cup of flour by hand, pressing flour into dough and turning dough over, until all worked in.
• Place dough in lightly oiled bowl and turn to grease top. 
• Cover; let rise until dough tests ripe.
• Punch dough down and place on a floured surface. 
• With fingers press out to a square about 1-inch thick. 
• Cut in half.
• Oil two 9x5x2-inch loaf pans. 
• Roll up one half of dough and pinch seams together. 
• Do the same with the second half. 
• Place seam side down in loaf pans. 
• Cover and let rise until indentation remains after touching.
• Preheat oven and bake at 375°F for 25 - 30 minutes. 
• Remove from pans and cool on racks.
• If desired, while bread is still warm make a glaze of ½ cup icing sugar mixed with 1 TBSP milk. Drizzle over tops.

Recipe: Yesterfood

Coconut Snowflake Cupcakes

16.25 ounce box white cake mix
1/4 cup vegetable oil
3 egg whites
1 1/3 cups Daisy Sour Cream, divided
3/4 cup water
2 teaspoons coconut extract, divided
2 1/4 cups flaked coconut, divided
4 cups powdered sugar
1/3 cup very soft butter

• Heat the oven to 350 degrees. 
• Line 24 regular muffin cups with paper liners. 
• In a large bowl, combine cake mix, oil, egg whites, 1 cup sour cream, water, and 1 teaspoon coconut extract.
• Beat with an electric mixer on low speed until moistened. 
• Beat on medium speed for 2 minutes, scraping the sides of the bowl if necessary. 
• Stir in the coconut.
• Spoon evenly in the muffin cups, filling about 2/3 full. 
• Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. 
• Cool in the pans for 5 minutes and then remove to cooling racks. 
• Cool completely (about 20 minutes). 
• In a medium bowl, combine the powdered sugar, butter, 1/3 cup sour cream and 1 teaspoon coconut extract.
• Beat with an electric mixer on low speed until moistened. 
• Beat on medium speed until smooth and creamy. 
• If the mixture is too stiff to spread, stir in 1 to 2 teaspoons of additional sour cream. 
• Spread over the cupcakes.
• Sprinkle and press the remaining 1 ¼ cups coconut over the frosting. 
• Decorate as desired right before serving.
• Store covered in the refrigerator.

Recipe: Daisy Brand