Christmas Cake advice needed pleeease.

[BliggOfTheDump]

I've never done Christmas Cake before and I am making it up. DD1 hates raisins so it is all dried cranberries and cherries. No alcohol either just used a bit of vanilla essence instead. Anyway, its vaguely based on Delia's christmas cake but with half the quantities. Her cake takes 4 hours so I thought mine might be ready after 2 hours. AIBU?

It's been in 2 hours now. Will it be ready??

Thanks for reading.

emergency bump.

What size tin did you use? Have you checked it?

7 inch tin I think. Checked half hour ago. Looked a bit pale.

Actually it smells really nice. I'll go and have another look.

You can test it by sticking a sharp knife or skewer in the middle. If it comes out clean, it's cooked. It will cook more quickly if it has less depth, ie tin too big for the amount of mixture, which I think yours might be.

Yeah. I just did the knife thing. Not ready!

mmmm I can slemm it from here bligg. Is it ready yet.

DD1 has rolled out the Marzipan ready for icing tomorrow. I think it will be a good'un.

Its turned into a giant biscuit. DD2 Is in tears.

Oh no

I make the delia cake every year and it always comes out perfectly. I do usually use raisins and booze though. Trying to think where it might have gone wrong.

Debka could be right about the depth making it cook quicker. Did you cover the cake with greaseproof paper like the recipe said? The raisins would make the mix darker which is why it might have looked pale maybe.

Did you use enough fruit? From memory, there's about 900g total in the normal recipe, that would be a LOT of cherries and cranberries but the sponge-y mix is only to fill the gaps really, if you cut down on the amount of fruit, it would sink dramatically.

I used a ton of fruit but I think I overcooked by about an hour . My strategy is to serve it with plenty of cream. Also, I only made the bloody thing because DD2 made one at school that DH scoffed without thinking. The whole bloody thing! I'll know better next year. Plus its all about the activity of making cakes with kids, innit. If it is inedible I'll use it to beat DH about the head with.

yes, the trauma and the tears, all part of the fun.

Reminds me of my recent Lemon Drizzle that became a shiny side of ham with birthday candles on the wonk.

If raisins are the problem, I'd probably attempt something other than fruitcake next time too

Maybe a gingerbread house? Festive and raisin free

Yes, Agnes. Very similar. I just didn't think it would happen tome.

Thanks, Blather. Personally, I hate christmas cake. Course DD2 is diametrically opposed to DD1 so hates everything the other one loves.

It's the sibling rules. How else would they make your life complicated?

yes! Life is strange and challenging.