i made my christmas cake

[CherryMonster]

actually on stir up sunday!!!!!!! its the delia classic recipe, and it looks and smells sooooooooo good. that is all.

[Jdub]

Welldone you! That's the recipe I used as well, and my dear husband came home from work, and his first comment was 'oh - you've burnt the Christmas Cake again' - yes - thanks darling - (I make smaller ones for mine and his parents) - don't eat it if it offends, in fact I can think of somewhere it could go!

Incidentally, how long did you cook yours for?

(and also he did apologise once my boiling rage had subsided and I was able to calmly point out his distinct lack of tact!) ...and breathe!

[Imnotaslimjim]

I wasn't home to do mine o I'm doing it today instead. Can't wait, love the smell of it cooking!!

Jdub, if you think its going to burn on the top before its cooked in the middle, turn the oven down 5-10 degrees and pop a sheet of newspaper over the top of the cake. Just make sure to cut a small hole in it to let steam escape

[CherryMonster]

i cooked mine for 4 hours exactly. with a double sheet of greaseproof on top with a 50p sized hole. its perfect. will put a pic on my profile in a bit.

[Prolificmincepiebreeder]

We did ours too. Delia here too, complete with 50p size hole in the grease proof.
DH is extremely proud of it.

How will you decorate yours? We are going for a thick marzipan layer and royal icing, or 'snow icing' as DS1 calls it.

[Prolificmincepiebreeder]

Cooked in just under 4 hours here

[Redstockingswillstopsanta]

Delia here too,it's a lovely recipe,keeps well

[Clothilde]

I fiddled around a bit with the Rachel Allen recipe, making it nut-free and replacing the apricots with glace cherries.

[CherryMonster]

i will go for ready to roll marzipan and icing i'm afraid as yucky hands wont allow much else. i will be making holly leaves and berries out of coloured sugarpaste, and a lovely red ribbon. also some shimmer/lustre spray i think.

[3bunnies]

Cooked ours yesterday and today using my trusty recipe. Took ages though, as made 3 cakes instead of one (us, my parents, FIL. Didn't have time to cook the remaining mixture, so cooked it this morning. Afraid my days of elaborate decorations are behind me now that the children take an interest in it!

[Prolificmincepiebreeder]

Sounds lovely Cherry I would love some lustre spray on ours but DH is somewhat a traditionalist I fear my shimmer might be noticed.
I need to get some ribbon!

[thegreylady]

Mine are done too-one for us and one for dd.I might make another one too as I have a lot of stuff still.

[70isaLimitNotaTarget]

I did my cake yesterday .
A butter sponge 4 eggs cake with almonds, sultanas soaked in sherry, walnuts,cherries, lemon&orange rind.

I used an 8" tin, Delia recipe was 4+hours (for a proper Christmas cake, mine had less fruit).
I did mine for just under 2 hours .

Fed with sherry and wrapped up.

Mine will not be adorned with marzipan and icing this year. It'll be eaten with crumbly cheese [mmmmmm]

[WidowWadman]

I made mine yesterday (Tesco kit reduced to a fiver). Half of it was eaten before 8PM tonight. Husband went out to get another kit. My mother in law told me in the worst years she had to make about 8 and hide them in all kinds of places from the loft to the toilet cistern. Every couple of days she'd check her caches and find another one replaced with a thank you note from my future husband...

[CherryMonster]

he clearly likes christmas cake!!!!!

[3bunnies]

Forgot how much I love Christmas cake, have already eaten 1/5 of the leftover cake, how will the 'real' ones last until Christmas?