Fruit cake help please - have I left it too late?

[LadyOfWaffleIsScaryEnough]

I was going to get a cake made for DSs Baptism but my mum's gone all Hyacinth Bucket and wants to make it tomorrow, but the Baptism is in 2 weeks Will it have enough time to 'season'? What can I do to it to hurry it up/make it taste better? Also my grandmothers recipe gives the option of treacle or cocoa - what do you think it best? And can you keep it in grease proof paper, wrapped again in brown paper?

Thanks alot, I am not very good with cakes yet!

[Habbibu]

What's the recipe? You may need to use a different recipe if your original one is best set aside for a while.

[LadyOfWaffleIsScaryEnough]

Erm.... not sure, my mum has it. Are they not all bung it all in and stir? Looking at the ingredients list it's quite similar to Delias, so maybe the recipe is similar too? What are the main differences between a quick cake and a Christmas one done now (we are making ones for Christmas at the same time).

[Habbibu]

Erk - am not the fruit cake queen (hate dark fruit cake) but basically I think the difference is amount of alcohol, sugar, etc. Hang on - I'll go and look it up after I've had a shower.

[expatinscotland]

Soak the fruit right now.

Leave it to soak for one week, then make the cake.

Wrap in baking paper, then foil, then put it in a tin in the bottom of a wardrobe.

Should be fine!

I'd use the treacle.

I use brandy/orange brandy to soak the fruit.

The recipe I use was posted by a poster called UCM back in 2006 in the recipes section here on MN.

[Habbibu]

[NotAnOtter]

link expat!! is is a xmas cake?

[expatinscotland]

Mmmm, fruitcake, Hab

[Sawyer64]

When I was at school,back in the Dark Ages we used to make our Christmas Cakes for Cookery lesson around October/November.

We used to wrap it up,in the way that has been advised,and then every week(3-4 days maybe for you) we had to dip a Skewer in Brandy or Rum and Skewer the cake!

Helps it to mature nicely.

[LadyOfWaffleIsScaryEnough]

A week? I was going to soak for 24 hours.

Thanks, I'll check out UCMs recipe