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Original poster

Christmas cake anyone?

163 replies

ContessasGulagSpaDay · 22/09/2018 15:07

I'm making mine as we speak (vegan version of Delia Smith's one) and the brandy fumes are rendering me a little giddy!!

Who else makes their own? I was wondering if it was a dying tradition but DH thinks it's fairly common. Answers on a postcard please?

I'm not even sorry about posting this in September, my cake needs the frequent brandy baths maturation time Grin

OP posts:
thisneverendingsummer · 22/09/2018 21:28

No. I have never ever made my own Christmas cake, and I never will.

Couldn't be arsed with all the time and effort, and much prefer to buy it from M & S.

Ditto the pudding, the mince pies, and every damn thing else!

Life's too short to bake all this from scratch (IMO.)

DailyMailFail101 · 22/09/2018 21:29

Oh yes! I love making my Christmas cake, usually the last weekend in September. I use a old family recipe, it’s huge and is so tasty! How many times a week do others ‘feed’ their cakes?

arranfan · 22/09/2018 21:32

I can really recommend investing in those Boyajian citrus oils,the orange and lemon add an amazing extra dimension to a Christmas cake.

I like those oils - especially the tangerine.

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about these subjects:

Baking Events & celebrations General food
Groovee · 22/09/2018 21:32

I don't drink so use a last minute recipe. It tastes lovely x

redshoeblueshoe · 22/09/2018 21:34

I'll be making mine soon. The good thing about home made is you can do it how you like it. So a nice fat layer of marzipan for me. 🎄

arranfan · 22/09/2018 21:46

I've seen people recommend White Christmas Cake which has a light coloured batter and dried exotic fruit in it (like mango). But the only recipe I tried cost a fortune (the dried mango, dried pineapple (not the candied stuff) and similar) and I had no idea what it was supposed to be like. Does anyone have a tried and tested recipe like this? Please?!?

I'd like to try this because so many of my neighbours and family friends are now having problems with nuts in cakes. I can make batches of cake without nuts but I like the idea of a different cake for some of them.

PrivateParkin · 22/09/2018 22:54

arranfan I just googled it because it sounded v intriguing - there's this Good Housekeeping version. It seems to have a traditional style batter though, but the fruit sounds similar to those you mentioned, and it doesn't have nuts. It sounds quite nice...

StylishMummy · 22/09/2018 22:56

I'm doing this years next weekend but I've got one from last years batch of 3, which contains an entire bottle of Courvoisier 🙈

spinabifidamom · 23/09/2018 06:37

Oh yes. I make my annual Christmas cake. This year I’m going to try and have the twins help me with it. Wish me luck. I love cake. Personally I think that chocolate cake tastes the best however. Whenever I go to parties I ask for some cake.

Deathraystare · 23/09/2018 06:41

Mum used to make Delia's Creole Christmas cake for me - for my birthday (just after Christmas). Well moist (4 types of booze) so what's not to like?! The only fruit cake I like!!!

Holymosquito · 23/09/2018 07:56

Yes, to my family recipe. I’ll be baking it during half term as per the family tradition.

Herja · 23/09/2018 08:05

I always make a big one and give chunks away to people which I resent because it's mine! This year I'm keeping mine and making small ones for people (the bean tin ones so hated on the shit christmas presents thread), what do I do about maturing them? Do I do it over the same length of time as the big one?

UrsulaPandress · 23/09/2018 08:10

Usually at half term but will probably do early October this year as dd at University but will be home for a wedding so can give it a stir.

Mary Berry Aga recipe here. With extra booze.

mulberrybag · 23/09/2018 08:11

Stupid question alert, has anyone made one without raisins/sultanas ? All other grit ok just not shrivelled grapes Grin

mulberrybag · 23/09/2018 08:12

Oops fruit not grit!

DinosApple · 23/09/2018 08:14

I make my great grandma's recipe. It's awesome. Usually make it at half term.

MinecraftHolmes · 23/09/2018 08:17

Herja I do sweetcorn tin cakes (so slightly larger than bean tin ones 😅) and I feed them fortnightly with a teaspoon of brandy to start with (will be making them next week), and then weekly once we’re halfway through November. I usually marzipan and ice them around the 20th December.

FWIW one lot of Delia’s Classic recipe makes 7 good sized sweetcorn tin cakes, so you’d get at least 10 bean tin ones.

Squeakyheart · 23/09/2018 08:40

I hate fruit cake as can't stand raisins etc but love baking them! Christmas music on and the smell just gets me all Christmassy! Love decorating them too so it's become a tradition that I reveal to my mum on Christmas Eve before we go to church.

I have made a white Christmas cake with tropical fruit before which was nice but dry so am going to try the boiled fruit cake method this year though have tried with a fruit cake and they sank!

Has anyone tried Mary Berry's recipe with condensed milk?

GoingNuckingFuts · 23/09/2018 08:41

absolutely, I run a cake business so always have a few orders for that! id say the orders have increased over the last 2/3 years people are getting a little more traditional again, there was a couple of years it was mainly biscuits or novelty sponges but this is the 3rd year now ive had much more orders for a (and i quote) "traditional Christmas cake" or proper mince pies, its lovely, that people of all ages are asking for them again i especially like that young men and women in early 20's wanting something traditional its refreshing, I always make a handful more than i need because people often forget to order in advance and can't get a good boozy cake and are flapping, come xmas week.

I always make at least 8 that I give to my neighbour's friends and family the ones that require brandy I made this week too! they are particularly potent come Christmas, in total so far by xmas week i would have made about 35 proper xmas cakes

mychildrenarebarmy · 23/09/2018 08:42

ContessasGulagSpaDay What do you replace the egg with in Delia’s recipe?

TheObwaldhutte · 23/09/2018 08:51

I make a Yule cake.

I make two. A dark version which is made with dark brown sugar, dark fruits, molasses and is fed with guinness and port. A light version which is made with white sugar, golden syrup and made with yellow and green saltanas and cherries and is fed with a little vanilla and light sherry. I splice them together half and half and keep the other two halves in the freezer for the following year.
I do this to celebrate going from the dark to the light over the Yuletide and Christmas period. When you cut in you have no idea where the dark starts and the light starts and that's part of the fun.

I normally make this cake between Hallowe en and Nov 5th as that feels like the right time to make it.

We cut it on the night of Yule and then we can take pieces when we visit people at Christmas or go for a walk with the dogs and have a hot drink from the flask and a slice of cake in the woods on Christmas Eve. This has become part of our family tradition.

I hope this doesn't sound too weird Grin

Taffeta · 23/09/2018 08:57

No. I have never ever made my own Christmas cake, and I never will.Couldn't be arsed with all the time and effort, and much prefer to buy it from M & S.Ditto the pudding, the mince pies, and every damn thing else!Life's too short to bake all this from scratch (IMO.)

Here’s what you get baking it yourself:

A cake the size you want (for me, that’s the right size square one so I can easily cut small slices)
Flavours and ingredients you want
Decorations you want
Smugness that you made it when offering it to others
And most of all the smell that permeates the house for a whole day whilst it’s cooking Grin

morningconstitutional2017 · 23/09/2018 09:10

I sometimes made one years ago but went off them, they feel too heavy for me now, ditto Christmas pudding and traditional wedding cake. An in-law makes a nice sponge cake now and brings it round - it's demolished pretty quickly whereas the traditional sort lingered in the pantry for ages as none of us were very keen.

Poor BIL racked his brains to think of ways to tell her diplomatically.

petitepeach · 23/09/2018 09:11

TheObwald that sounds fantastic!

WeeMadArthur · 23/09/2018 09:14

I haven’t made one for the past few years because although I love it, I’m the only one that eats it in volume so it’s always hanging around until March! However, thanks to the thread on shitty homemade gifts I’ve now been inspired to make baked bean tin cakes which are much more manageable! I tend to swap out almonds for walnuts and amaretto for brandy. I’m really looking forwards to it!