Is it too late to make Christmas Cake??

[ShabbyNat]

Please tell me its not too late!!<br /> Ive got the fruit soaking in Sherry-yes Sherry, not brandy like Delias recipe says, as my mum prefers sherry!!<br /> Did that last(Friday) night.<br /> Going to cook the cake tomorrow(Sunday)<br /> Going to soak the cake in more sherry at regular intervals until Christmas.<br /> Not going to ice the Christmas fruit cake because 1 Im no good at icing & 2 I cant be arsed<br /> Its going to be a stocking filler present for my mum.
So, am I too late or will it be ok??

[TheExMotherInLaw]

It will be fine - I haven't even bought my ingredients yet, although I usually make it end of October. I've made it late as early December, and it's been ok. It will be worth covering it in marzipan, tho.

[JeffsanArsehole]

You can make it on the day

Chillax dude

[ShabbyNat]

Thanks[santa][santa]
I`ve been worrying a bit over this, as everywhere I seem to read is all about the cake maturing
Will it be ok with sherry though, instead of brandy or whiskey??
[santa][santa]

[ShabbyNat]

JeffsanArsehole Once I get a bee in my bonnet about something I do seem to go a bit overboard with the worrying
But I am chillin a lot now about it

[Meow75]

I'm making number 4 tomorrow. And I use Amaretto on my fruit.

[FlumptyDumpty]

It'll be more than fine. My rule of thumb - the nearer to Christmas I make the cake, the more ridiculous amounts of booze I feed the cake with....

I always do mine with a mixture of rum (for mellow richness) and brandy (for kick), so YABU with the sherry though

[PurpleDaisies]

I use amaretto too meow. I haven't come across anyone else who does. It is delicious isn't it!

I haven't baked yet either. To be honest I haven't noticed a huge difference between cakes I've made mid October and ones I've done mid December. It definitely isn't too late op.

[ShabbyNat]

Oh, thanks all
If I liked fruit cake, the Ameretto does sound wonderful if I was to bake it for myself!!
FlumptyDumpty how much alcohol do you actually put in??
Ive only ever made the 1 Christmas fruit cake before, about 5 years ago.<br /> I put whiskey in then & the feedback was it was a lovely fruit cake, could of done with quite a bit more alcohol<img loading="lazy" class="inline-flex mumsnet-emoji" alt="Shock" src="https://www.mumsnet.com/assets/images/mumsnet-emojis/base/shock.png"><br /> I thought Id put loads in at each interval, I was worried about it going soggy!![santa]

[TheExMotherInLaw]

I used amaretto last year, simply because I had some in, and no brandy! I have used sherry in the past, too, and have never noticed any real difference

[HoneyDragon]

I'm using Scotch.

[FlumptyDumpty]

I put absolutely loads in, Shabby, but I make a moist cake, as opposed to a crumbly one. You can't overdo it. I've never had complaints about sogginess. Which recipe are you using?

I like the sound of the Amaretto. Might have to give that a whirl next year. I put a fair whack of almond extract in the cake mix anyway, so it would go really well.

[FlumptyDumpty]

When I say loads, I usually use half a bottle of rum and about 1/3 bottle of brandy, but that does include the pre-bake fruit-soaking, which I do over about a week and top up at intervals

[Meow75]

I'm using MIL's recipe and there are blanched almonds in it, so Amaretto seemed appropriate as we don't have any of the more traditional boozes.

I also don't use mixed peel or sultanas, mainly because I don't like them, but I have used 40-50g of soft apricots (from Lidl, if your interested), chopped up small and replacing some of the 440g of raisins and currants recommended in my MIL's recipe for a 5 inch square. They look like little jewels!!!

[FlumptyDumpty]

Apricots sound lovely!

I add a load of chopped ready to eat prunes - they add a lovely sweet, rich squidgyness.

[ladymariner]

I soaked my fruit in sherry, then feed the cakes with brandy, always taste lovely.
May well try the prunes next year, that sounds good x

[slithytove]

I'm making mine tomorrow

Random mix of cherries, raisins, sultanas, apricots, cranberries, dates and mixed peel

2 cakes with amaretto, 2 cakes with rum.

Made an amaretto tester yesterday and it's all gone today! Was gorgeous.

[ShabbyNat]

I`m using the Delia Smith recipe that's apparently been knocking around for years

[iamanintrovert]

I'm doing ours today :)

[shouldwestayorshouldwego]

We don't bother making a Christmas pudding because the girls don't like it and we only have it once(too rich). Instead we make the cake on Stir up Sunday (22nd Nov) this year. It has always been fine.

[Millie2013]

One down one to go here, for the first, I used brandy, but I'm tempted to try amaretto for the next one (and keep it myself!)

[mamapants]

I made mine on Tuesday and going to do the pudding tomorrow.
Its about when I did them last year and they turned out well.

[RJnomaaaaaargh]

I'm doing mine next weekend, later than usual but that's the way it's gone this year. I like the sound of amaretto I may try that.

[BettyBitesBums]

Shabby I use the Delia recipe too. I did one a couple of weeks ago and just done another one today. I soaked the fruit in a mix of amaretto and brandy but use about double what is suggested in the recipe. As for topping it up I do it once a week, alternate Brandy and Amaretto each week and use a good few tablespoons each time. It's never failed me yet!

[Heyheyheygoodbye]

I never make mine until Stir-Up Sunday! I soak the fruit for a good week in advance though. Grand Mariner and a Dutch Apple liqueur here

[Paperblank]

I've got all the ingredients and so I'll more than likely make it next weekend. It'll be fine. I generally make mine mid November, I don't feed my cake because it has so much booze in it

I used Grand Marnier one year...I got in trouble from DH for using nearly a whole bottle although he didn't complain when he was eating it.