Not sure about this years' cakes

[lucysmam]

I make three (two large, one small just for my dad). The small one came out very pale & I've just cut it for experimental purposes (I can make another) and it's more like a sponge with added fruit rather than the heavyish texture of a Christmas cake iyswim?

I followed the same recipe, from dp's mum's Bero book, that I've used for the past eight years...I have no idea where I went wrong

[lucysmam]

Anyone

[squiggleirl]

What's the recipe?

[bakingaddict]

You did use brown sugar didn't you and normally Christmas cake has a bit of treacle too to get that rich brown colour

If you did use these ingredients then I can only say that perhaps your ingredients weren't properly mixed and that's why they are pale

[lucysmam]

hmmm, it doesn't have treacle and yes brown sugar.

I wondered if maybe it might be to do with using a fan instead of normal oven that I'm used to

still tastes good either way

[squiggleirl]

No treacle in my cake, and it still goes lovely and dark.

What alcohol did you use to soak the fruits in? Was that different to other years?

[lucysmam]

Sherry, but I used sherry last year & they were darker.

I did the second of the big ones this morning, that's come out a bit darker than the others.

I'm truly baffled by it but at least I got to eat

[squiggleirl]

Well every cloud has a silver lining!