Non-fruitcake Christmas cake

[GretaGarble]

Everyone in my family makes gagging noises about Christmas cake but I love the idea of having an iced, decorated cake lolling around the house gradually having chunks sawn off it. Is there any alternative cake that would keep the way a Christmas cake does?

Parkin?
Pan forte?

December's good food magazine has a recipe for an apricot and almond fruit cake which can be decorated and will keep for a while. I haven't tried it, but it looks much lighter than your traditional fruitcake so perhaps you could fool them persuade them to try it?

Mmm parkin I like!

Yes I could just call it apricot and almond cake. Is the Dec mag a good buy?

It's choc full of festive food so worth a flick through at the newsagents. I'm not sure how quickly the recipes go online after the magazine is out.

Tunis Cake! Nice sturdy madeira cake with a thick layer of choc on the top!

Or the tesco Panettone was amazing last year, but that is a bit fruity....not sure if they'd gag at that! It's in a big silver tin with snowflakes on!

I'm making a ginger cake this year, not sure it's as good a keeper as a fruit cake but I'm sure it will last a week or so.

I've made this before: Nigella orange cake