Right I am going to bake a CAKE for christmas (never have baked one before) - has anyone got any tips?

[GetOrfAKAMrsUsainBolt]

I am emphatically not a baker, a confident cook but cakes are beyond me.

I want to bake a really lovely cake and feed it with booze. Something nice for me and dd to do together.

I have got several Nigella books and the recipes read nicely however I have made a few things from Nigella which seemed off, so I would like to use a tried and tested recipe.

And when do I make it? Do I make it in October and then throw booze all over it ? And what booze can I use? And how best to ice it (no artistic or dextrous talents).

Thanks in advance for any tips.

Really a christmas cake is very easy, its just stiring it all up. I would stick with Delia, you can omit some bits and add more of something, change the booze etc. Again candid peel etc yuk.

Top tips - Make sure your tin is thick always a good investment to have a quality deep tin (must be deep)
Line with greaseproof
Make a collar - I use recycled brown envelopes and cover with foil make it a tiny bit higher than tin. Tie with string. Very important any cake in over over 45mins needs a collar otherwise it will burn.
If the top starts burning then over lightly with foil. Dont worry you can cut top off to level.

There is no waste either, all ingredients are long life stores. All my died fruit gets used throughout the year. If you are buying from scratch then it seems a lot but it cant cost more than £12 for the actual cake.

I always add vanilla paste (from waitrose) its the best stuff I can find but use it weekly here for all cakes and puddings. You can use dried cherries or the cake ones all again used for baking, flour - essential basic, fruit (lots of zest) - basic, booze again used over christmas.

I have never had any luck with the fruit soaking boiled fruit cake always end up stoggy so now stick to Delia but changing and tweeking to my own fav recipe.

I am another fan of Delias. The one I make is not actually listed as a Christmas Cake. Its in her Complete Cookery Course book and I think she calls it an Extra Rich Fruit Cake - but she says she uses it for Xmas and I always do with good comments from family etc.

I like it because its normally a success when most make cakes are fails!

XP sherry (pedro X) is sold in Sainsburys under their taste the difference brand. Its lush!

I'vew made the Delia one loads of times, you can't go wrong with it, it's always turned out well

Make sure you line the tin well and sometimes it seems to take longer to cook than you'd expect, and feed with plenty of booze and it'll be lovely :)

I have a great recipe, getorf. it was MIL's mums and is lush.

I usually make mine in the October half term - but, I make 2, and the second one is always better. Maybe I'll get round to starting early this year!

I have previously made Gary Rhodes' cake which always turned out well. Last year I did Delia's creole cake, which was yum. I read a good tip recently that you can make a paste from mixed peel and use that. I loathe the texture but don't mind the flavour. I will try that this year. Also, I soak feed the cake with golden rum, and also Courvoisier and it makes it really moist and has a wonderful flavour. HTH.

Don't use a Delia recipe.

Sorry, Deels, but you failed me EVERY time I used your recipe.

Now trying to work out if I can get Shirls to bake me a Xmas cake. Will start stalking her until I find something that I can blackmail-worthy.

I have tried lots and Delia's is the best-always works. Make October half term.