when do you make Christmas cake, and what's the best recipe?

[CharlotteBronteSaurus]

I made Nigella's christmas cake one year, and it was okay and everything, but not as nice as I felt a homemade cake should be. Has anyone got a really spectacular recipe?

Also I've got a week off with dd2 still in nursery at half-term, so dd1 and I would quite like to make the cake then. Is that too early?

TIA, Christmaszillas.

I've started making mine at around half-term hallowe'en time - I also made Nigella's once and it was just ok. Made Delia's last year and preferred it so planning to do it again this year.

I make Delia's every year in the October Half-term - but I leave the fruit soaking for a few days first.

I make mine at Halloween. It is a combo of Darina Allen, Rachel Allen and the Internet!! I don't like nuts so substitute with more fruit. Top tip is line the outside of the tin with newspaper when cooking and soak your fruit overnight!

My Delia cake is in the oven as I type! Lots of time for feeding it with brandy.

excellent, thanks all.
i've got the delia recipe, and equally importantly the right sized tin, so dd1 and I will give it a go over half-term.

My mum has always made her cake at half term. She uses the kit from The Food Weighouse and soaks the fruit in cold tea overnight.

I made mine - to Delias recipe - a fortnight ago. Which reminds me, i need to get it out today and give it a drink.

I sill buy the ingredients next week and start the soaking on the weekend that starts half term. I will then make it the middle of the week.

I will be making Delia's cake.

I did mine in the last week in August

Delias recipe with added stuff I like ( nuts, more cherries, much more brandy)

It smells heavenly :)

I'm doing a cookalong with the pink whisk this year. link after a recommendation on here.

My fruit is boozing along nicely.

I make Delia's cake the weekend nearest Halloween. I've already bought my currants as you couldn't get them for love nor money near Halloween last year.

This year I need to make some mini Christmas cakes. Has anyone done that before? Any tips? I can't decide whether to make one big cake and cut out the smaller cakes from it, or bake the cakes in ramekins.

During half term. Marguerite Patten's golden Christmas cake. I just replace all the weird ingredients eg angelica with glacé cherries. It's a childhood ritual so I have to listen to Meatloaf while making it. Mr Loaf means Christmas to me

I make mine from my Gran's ancient Hamlyn's All Colour Cookbook. Very tasty, and all the old 70's recipes in there are hilarious. I made it last weekend, but that was quite early for me.

use a recipe from an old good housekeeping magazine soaks fruit in brandy and ginger wine and has lots of nuts fruit apricots and stem ginger used for about 10 years used it for my wedding cake too, lovely and moist

will be making it next week sometime

I have tried different ones, but always come back to Delia.