Time to be charmed by Christmas cakes

Regardless of what you think of Christmas food, it’s difficult not to be charmed by Christmas cakes.

Sometimes I think bakers make them so pretty to mask the banality of the flavours - I mean, how creative can you get - but you have a winner when you get cakes that are tasty and pretty.

Here are some to consider:

Châteraisé

One of my go-to brands for cakes is Chateraise.

It is almost always pretty, and everyone seems to like it.

For Christmas, it offers three cakes using Hakushu spring water and milk and eggs from selected Japanese farms.

Of the three, my favourite is the ruby red Xmas Premier Rouge ($52). It is made with a centre of strawberry, raspberry and cassis jelly, sandwiched with a layer of sponge with cream cheese mousse. It sits on a bed of feuilletine chocolate.

The flourish comes from the red glaze topped with strawberries and blueberries.

The cakes are available till Christmas at all stores or online via https://chateraisesg.getz.co.

PrimaDeli

This season, PrimaDeli presents A Starry Christmas.

From this collection, the highlight is Santa’s Magical Fireplace cake ($59.80) with vanilla sponge, vanilla fresh cream and crushed cookies filling.

If you find the flavours familiar, it is a twist on the classic milk and cookies combo.

For more information on where to buy the cake or what else is available, visit www.primadeli.com.

Ah Mah Homemade Cake

Ah Mah Homemade Cake is doing something a little different this Christmas.

It is expanding on its repertoire of castella cakes and is offering a Hazelnut Log Cake.

It is a light chocolate sponge rolled with a rich hazelnut cream.

And at $19.90, it is also a good choice if you don’t want to spend too much on cakes.

The log cake is available till end-December at Ah Mah Homemade Cake’s outlets in VivoCity and Paya Lebar Square. It is also available online at www.ah-mah.com.sg.

Tigerlily Patisserie

Tigerlily Patisserie (350 Joo Chiat Rd) is famous for delicious sweets, so its Christmas offering of the Oriental Mont Blanc Log Cake ($92) should be a hit at your gathering.

The log cake is made with hazelnut dacquoise and homemade jam of Spanish kumquats,  encased in an Ardeche chestnut mousse and set on a crumble base.

It is topped with chestnut vermicelli, candied kumquats and chestnut bits.

To find out more, visit www.tigerlilypatisserie.com.

Butter bean

This year, Butter Bean (located at Funan Mall, The Selatar Mall, and VivoCity) offers a lot on their Chistmas menu.

But for those who like it sweet, its two cakes should be your focus.

Nuts Over Banana (from $3.50 a slice, or from $25 a cake) is made with fresh bananas, and has a butter cream filling, covered in a peanut glaze with a sprinkling of crunchy diced almonds.

Pandan cake lovers will like the G.M. Pandan Chiffon (from $3.50 a slice, and from $16.80 a whole cake).

The chiffon is scented with freshly-squeezed pandan juice and coconut milk, and filled with custard whipped cream and finished with gula melaka syrup and toasted coconut flakes.

These are available till Dec 25. There are also delivery exclusive bundles and promotions available via Foodpanda, Grabfood and Deliveroo.