Christmas gift idea - mini fruit cakes, recipe and tips please?

[LoveKnowsNoBounds]

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Hello,

I have a big extended family. Usually I buy presents but I totalled the cost that it would require and nearly fell of the chair. Usually I just buy it over time so it doens't seem so bad. But this year we have bought a new house & we are stretched this year.

I came up with an idea to make individual fruit cakes, ice them, decorate and put it in a box or container as my gift to the extended relo's this year. Has anyone done something like this before?

Does nay have a tried and true recipe for it? How did you present it? Or any ideas? Where could I find a relatively cheap package or box to put it in that is good for food and looks nice?

How much would the ingredients cost? I'm lookign at making 10 mini cakes and did it drive you nuts? Lol

[Netix]

Lol, first idea /i had was to bake a big square fruit cake, tip it out of the tin while still hot and soft so it cools upside down so its flat on top (the old bottom of the cake). Cut into smaller squares and ice with rolled fondant I think or almond based icing. Sorry, having a real brain fade day! You might get four smaller cakes out of one 24cm or so tin, or more if your initial tin is bigger!

I posted a fruit cake recipe int the Christmas section which is yum and not too expensive as far as fruit cakes go. (My MIL made one a couple of years ago and I think it cost her something like $60! ) My cake size is 22cm diamter (round tin, but it would go in a square one).

You can buy really small tins, but they're pretty expensive. I would suggest though if you're going to make small cakes (including dividing up a big cake) to make it a fairly rich cake, as the richer the cake, the smaller the serving you have. My recipe could be a bit light for this idea.

I will try to come back on when my brain is working properly. But hope that helps you a little to start with.

Oh yeah, for packaging, you can buy white take away noodle boxes from party ware shops, sometimes the reject shop, etc, which you could then decorate with potato stamps and paint or just tie a nice ribbon and gift tag on them. The boxes come in two sizes, and are cheaper than the coloured plastic ones.