Christmas Cake?

[mygirllolipop]

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[shortcake]

I ussually make mine a couple of months in advance - so no, you are very early really but good to get organised now!

[UCM]

I have a lovely recipe for this. Funnily enough I got an old roses tin off the top of the cupboards today to put a cake in and found a quarter of last years cake, still moist and lovely in it. Yum.

it is my nextdoorneighbours mums recipe from and old good housekeeping mag

6oz sultanas
6oz raisins
4oz currants
4oz glacecherries
3oz mixed peel
1/4 pint sherry
6oz butter
6oz soft brown sugar
4 eggs
4oz SR flour
4oz plain flour
pinch salt
1/2 teaspoon mixed spice
1oz ground almonds

Mix together all fruit. pour sherry over and leave to soak for 1 week, covered. Stir frequently until required.

Grease & line a 7 - 8 inch cake tin

Method

Cream butter & sugar until soft & fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time. Fold in flour, salt & ground almonds. Drain off any liquid from the fruit and mix fruit into mixture stirring until well blended. Put into prepared tin, smooth top and bake just below middle of oven for 1 hour on gas mark 3. Then cover with foil and reduce oven to gas mark 2 and cook for a further 1.5 hours until firm to touch. Leave to stand in tin until nearly cold. remove from tin, prick well and pour over liquid from dried fruit. Wrap in foil or greaseproof paper and leave to mature until a few days before christmas, then marzipan & ice.

Tips: I don't like almonds so didn't use em. I also put some chocolate liqueur in with the sherry. also I don't like marzipan so didn't ice, but did make one for a relative which I did ice and it was easy. I have never made a christmas cake before and I have to say this recipe works like a dream.

[mygirllolipop]

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[madmarchhare]

Does this mean its time for a Christmas topic?

[SlightlyFamiliarPeachyClair]

yum

Might try thisone

MIL makes hers (and she sells them for a ridiculous amount of hard cash too!) by omitting the sherry and replacing it with gin, she does that in a lot of her wedding cakes she sells too. it's the 'secret ingredient' that everyone loves LOL!

[expatinscotland]

i've used brandy in lieu of sherry and gotten complements.

my gran used to use rum.

yum.

[lizziemun]

i usually start making mine in September, but you can make now just remember to feed the cake eg give a couple tbsp of alcohol every couple of weeks.

store wrap in greeseproof paper and foil store somewhere that doesn't get to hot.

i have to say although i make 5 cake for dh and family i HATE CHRISTMAS CAKE myself

[kiwibella]

geee, Christmas cake!! And, a Christmas thread... madmarchhare!!

[mygirllolipop]

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[Clary]

blimey this is my October half term project!!
I think you have plwnty of time.
I usually use Delia's recipe and find it very reliable and yummy.
I use brandy btw.

[Tommy]

I usually make mine in Oct half term (well - that's when I plan to make it - quite often it's a bit later than that)I use a recipe which I found in a magazine a few years ago - it's called a Caribbean Christmas cake and has half a bottle of rum in it and dried fruits like pineapple and mango which is gorgeous - and just a bit different.