Christmas cake anyone?

[ContessasGulagSpaDay]

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

I have made mine. Delia Smith recipe, and I will be feeding it until December. I love the smell of cooking Christmas cake and CMOT is right, the fruit does need plenty of time in brandy before you make the cake.
I like the idea of posting a pic and inviting friends to come and stir and make a wish.

Another Delia fan here. Have made it two days before Christmas and it's been brilliant even not fed. This year I'm going to do two, and steep the fruit in some sort of fruity tea for one of them.

I always wanted to make Laurie Colwin's black cake - I got as far as macerating the fruit once and then just forgot about it and left the kilner jar in the cupboard for about two years. It would probably have been fine to use actually! I've never been sufficiently organised to get the fruit started in time since.

mychildrenarebarmy I replace the eggs with Oggran (commercial egg replacer, mostly based on flaxseed I think). I also subbed in dairy-free margarine (Flora this year) for butter. All else as in the recipe (pictured). Looks ok I think! Have just decanted a load of brandy into it and stored in an airtight box in the garage for the next 8 weeks....

WeeMadArthur speak to me of these baked bean ton cakes.... do they need the same paper lining? Do you only half fill them? Intrigued!

tin, dammit.

I made it the first time a couple of years ago and loved it, could work on my icing and decorating, but it tasted amazing!
I didn't last year as I was due to give birth around the same time I start the cake (mid October) but I'm doing it again this year. I'm hoping it becomes a tradition!

You've all got me inspired thank you

I don’t like peel so leave that out but love cherries so put 4 times as many cherries as the recipe says. I always make proper royal icing but can never get it smooth so just go for the snowy peaked effect!

Although I do think it’s a bit of a faff, I’d much rather make it because I’ve never tasted a fruit cake as good as my own. I put that down to the recipe though rather than any skill of mine!

Nobody likes Christmas cake here, so we have a really rich chocolate cake instead. Lots of people I know make traditional cakes though, I don't think it's dying out.

I make mine at the end of October. I used to use Delta's recipe, which is wonderful, but my friend gave me a recipe for a lighter cake which it turns out we prefer, so we switched to that.

I usually make 3 every 2 years. One goes to mil, one is for that year and 1 I save for the next year. This is the year to bake them so I need to get cracking!

My mum always makes one and I'm planning to this year. Didn't realise I would have to start so early! Is Delia's the one that you have to feed with alcohol?is it the best?

I made Delia's creole cake a fortnight ago - need to feed it today!

I make a variation on Delia's at half term. I vary the ratios and type of fruit, but keep the overall mass of fruit the same as the recipe. I prefer fewer currants and more raisins, and some dried cranberries in place of peel. I also like rum for feeding.

Another one who makes the Delia cake here usually during the first weekend in November. It is a family event with everyone who is here helping to make it and Christmas music playing. It is the only time we have Christmas music outside of December

Obwaldhutte that sounds a lovely tradition! I have done half and half with my white fruit cake in the past but never put any significance on it!

So many who don't like peel! I admit it's horrible on its own, but in the context of a cake it is proper lush

I make ours in the October half term, so everyone can have a stir

I make one, but not every year (I won't be doing one this year, will probably make either figgy pudding or a freezable, very decadent chocolate log instead). I use my DGM's recipe that I copied into my recipe book many years ago. I still remember the silly comments on my mother's copy of it. I would usually make it in early September. By the time we cut into it (a week or two before Christmas) it's absorbed quite a few measures of brandy, a decent slice is a good cure for a hangover...

I love peel. Our local independent chocolate shop sells thin strips of candied orange peel, coated in chocolate. Very lovely if you are a peel person.

I love making them but I'm the only person who eats it and I get fat enough at Christmas as it is...

Anyone got a chocolate cake recipe?

ContessasGulagSpaDay I make lots every year around 6 weeks before and made a vegan one for SIL I fed it with alcohol the same as the others but it went moldy. When I googled it I found others had had this too.

www.bbc.com/food/recipes/chocolatefruitcake_84675

@arranfan*,*@PrivateParkin, don't make that GH tropical fruit cake for God's sake! I made it last year and it was an expensive and disappointing mistake. It was not good.