What Christmas cake recipe do you use?

[Umami]

I usually make my Christmas cake at the end of September, so I'm just about to stock up on ingredients. Last year I made the traditional Christmas cake recipe from Nigella's Christmas book. It was nice enough, but was practically a light fruit cake next to my Mom's 1980s Good Housekeeping recipe.

So I'm in the market for a new recipe, preferably something seriously packed with fruit. Any recommendations?

[jenk1]

delia all the way!!!!!!

[Umami]

Ah, Saint Delia. Of course! I'm not a big fan, generally, but I could overcome my prejudice for a really good cake!

[notapizzaeater]

Delia every year - always turns out moist and fab !

[StantonHarcourtTheThird]

I have a lovely rich fruit cake recipe that I use for all my fruit cakes- I am not a huge fan of alcohol so I use orange juice instead and I don't add black treacle because it isn't a flavour I like.
I add whole almonds instead of chopped and use twice as much chopped peel leaving otu the cherries as I am not a fan.

Hmm nearly time to make Christmas cakes Yeah!!!

[ant3nna]

Delia. So easy and everyone loves it.

[durga]

Delia. I have the Nigella Christmas book and have used some things from it but a Delia Christmas is hard to beat

[Panzee]

I use Delia's. Have been using it for years and it's sooooo lovely and moist. :)

[Umami]

Looks like Delia's is the popular vote, and it's on her website so I don't need to purchase the whole Christmas Collection (yet).

StantonHarcourt, do you find that the absence of alcohol affects how well it keeps? I'm not keen on very alcoholic cakes - I tend to soak fruit in tea if it needs it. Nigella may have converted me to a heavy Christmas user of Pedro Ximenez though!

[BudaisintheZONE]

Delia here too. Must start thinking about mine.

[taffetacat]

Delia. Have tried others, fancy ones, plain ones, contemporary ones, trendy ones. Delia's is the best. By miles.

I make a massive square one and we start offering it to people mid December to make sure it gets eaten!

[catinthehat2]

I don't use a recipe.

I don't make Christmas cake.

Everyone in the house EXCEPT ME hates it.

gits



so think yourselves lucky

[Umami]

But if you made one, Cat, then all the cake would be for you! A plan with no faults!

[KurriKurri]

I used this last year, and it was lovely. I didn't bother with the angostura bitters, and substituted orange juice for the cointreau, because I don't like mine too alcoholic.

[catinthehat2]

Umami - check out Kurri's cake for 2 seconds and tell me (if I woofed the lot) that I could fit through the door when I had to go back to work after Christmas?

No?

It's torment I tell you.

[Umami]

That's a very ornate and strangely flat teaspoon it's being served on - a tiny cake I tell you! It wouldn't last past Boxing Day .

I like the sound of the ginger and pineapple in yours Kurri. I think I'll vaguely follow St Delia's, but make some adaptations.

[catinthehat2]

genius - I'm convinced

[Northernlurker]

I use Nigella's recipe from the domextic goddess book (the Christmas book one is different) but I don't use as much marmelade as she does - instead I add some black treacle.

[JaxTellersOldLady]

2 years ago, possibly 3 I made the BEST Christmas Cake EVER, recipe from Good Housekeeping and it was delicious.

My DH who is not a big cake person loved it, my father who is a cake connoussieur said it was perfect and my mother who struggles to compliment me on anything was positively seething, she managed that it was nice... so it must have been good.

DD and I cant wait for 'stir up Sunday'

[Umami]

I think I made that one a few years ago NL. I definitely made the black cake from DG one year. I don't recall loving or hating either. I am strangely reluctant to Delia, despite the overwhelming popularity. Her brownies failed me spectacularly many years ago and I've never forgiven!

I think the secret is probably 'don't make a cake if your mother's already made one, as in the inevitable comparisons you will never come out on top'

[Headbanger]

I've got one from a WI book from the 70s. It's got TREACLE in it ! It's well lush.

[TrinityIsAHappyRhino]

I have never made a christmas cake in my life

[Umami]

Was it a recent GH Jax? Because although there are copies of the 1980 edition on eBay, that seems to be taking it a little too far!

[Umami]

[JaxTellersOldLady]

umami it was from around 5 years ago, although I am sure they publish one every year in their mag.

Mine also had treacle in it, sultanas, currants, rum, it was bloody delicious. I will see if I was super mega organised and scanned it in or typed it out to my recipe folder, hang on will be back.

[Bert2e]

I'm going to go against the trend - I use Mary Berry's recipe and used it for my wedding cake and both boy's naming ceremony cakes too!