Help! My christmas cake is burnt- so disappointed!!!

[CookieMonstersCousin]

Is there any suggestions as to what to do (apart from bin it and start again).Am so gutted- made a christmas cake today- Delia's recipe- and the bloody oven must have been too hot despite me keeping the temperature below 140c as per recipe. Delia's recipe calls for the cake to bake for 4 hours at least which I did before testing. Anyway just cut a tiny piece off to see how it was and it was totally burnt, then cut a bit deeper into it and there is probably a good 1/2 inch crust of burnt cake all the way around the cake, despite me wrapping the f'ing thing in parchment paper, brown paper, a brand new cake tin, etc etc.

If I cut off all the burnt cake and then feed it brandy til christmas do you think it will be okay or will it just taste of burnt cake no matter what I do??? Any ideas????

[sugarlake]

Could you hack the really burned bits off and use a cookie cutter to make smaller individual cakes?

[jangly]

It'll be fine. Just cut/scrape off the obviously burnt bits and feed it several times over the next couple of months with brandy. The half inch crust will certainly not be there by Christmas. Its got loads of time to mature. The moisture in the fruits, as well as from the brandy, will seep through the cake and soften it. Well done for making it nice and early.

[jangly]

Prick it well and pour brandy in from the top the first time or two. Then from the bottom.

[debka]

She's a bitch sometimes, Delia, you think she knows everything and then suddenly SHE GETS IT WRONG. Anyone who has cooked pastry as per Delia will know what I mean...

[jangly]

Oh, and seal it up well in greaseproof paper, then foil. Sellotape edges of foil wrapping to keep moisture well in. (I'll shut up now)

[CookieMonstersCousin]

Sugarlake- thats a good idea and jangly thanks for the optimism!!! Am going to look at my cake now and see what I can rescue....I just don't want the burnt taste to seep through but perhaps like you said jangly it won't be noticed in 7/8 weeks time.

[CookieMonstersCousin]

More good ideas! thanks jangly- will entomb my cake. last time I use delia's recipe!!!!

[tb]

Yes, I agree - cut/pare off the obviously burnt bits and feed until Christmas. Don't worry if it's a bit uneven - the marzipan/icing will hide it.

[RememberToPlaywiththeKids]

My oven made delia's cake in 1.5 hours

[HamptonsNY]

Just had same thing happen to me, same Delia recipe 140c.

Keep the cake throw the book!!!

[TinklyLittleLaugh]

Is your oven a fan? Never had a problem with Delia's Christmas cake. I do only cook for four hours though, not 4 and a half.

The year I forgot about my cake and overlooked it by a couple of hours, the family scoffed it anyway. I could have saved myself the effort of making another one really.