Want to make a Christmas Cake on Stir Up Sunday but one thats not as Heavy as the Traditional Type

[moonblushtomato]

Thats it really

Basically it needs to be a cake that will last until Crimbo but not stuffed with too much dried fruit.

Are there any lighter alternatives out there oh wise ones ??

when is stir up sunday?

Why not a Dundee cake?

I always make a Delia Dundee Cake for our Christmas cake. Have done for about 10 years now.

I soo much prefer it to the normal cake (that my mum makes). It always gets eaten (until my mum's which doesn't)

It's soo good that I made an extra large one last Christmas to sustain me and DH through the first few weeks of having a newborn..Mmmm 2am christmas cake.

Ooh and it gets better and better the longer you leave it.

Mouth is watering now at the thought.

Think Stir Up Sunday is November 27th.

Isn't Dundee Cake still a fruit cake?

Maybe I'm asking the impossible??!!

I need a cake that I can make at the end of November but that will last until Christmas.

Basically I luuurve the making of the Christmas cake but no bugger will eat it - including myself!!

In other words - I don't like fruit cake

In other words are there any cakes that aren't fruit cakes (at least not the heavy ones, but aren't they all heavy?) that I can bake in advance??

Why not make something that you will like, and then freeze it for Christmas?

what else would last that long except dried fruit covered in alcohol?

I sympathise as I have the same problem and have had to give up making them. Which is a shame because I really enjoyed the tradition of making them with dds

only fruit cakes last that long. they need to be very heavy to last a month+.

Think I'm beginning to admit defeat.......

Delia does a light fruit cake I seem to remember.

Its the sheer waste of it I can't abide. Even if we ate a slice each there would be masses left.

But on the other hand its such a nice memory for them to grow up with.

at everyone who can't finish a Christmas cake. I have a slice a day for breakfast until it's all gone, typically mid January. You could always send the remains of your cake on to me. I promise to waste none of it and it might even keep me smiling till February!

There's only me and dd1 (4yo) and 22 month old dd2 to eat it. I wish I had a massive family that would devour it but its not to be.

STBXH would happily take it off my hands but I think I'd rather feed it to the dog.

Sending it on might be the solution!

If you like Christmas pudding I would highly recommend making one of those rather than a cake. I dislike Christmas cake and all bought Xmas puddings, but homemade ones (think I used Nigella's recipe) are bloody delicious. So light and moist. I was amazed at result when I first did them. They also mature beautifully and if my inner pedant is correct Stir Up Sunday refers to making the pudding rather than the cake.

Nigel Slater does a fantastic christmas pudding which people who "don't like christmas cake/pudding" like. Its got no currants in which seems to make the difference. Maybe that's what you don't like?

Might not be your thing, but would you consider making the cake or some small cakes on stir up Sunday and give them to a charity or something? Get advent off on a positive note. You would need to get them to agree first. Help the Aged, shelter, women's refuge etc. Homeless charities probably don't want one with alcohol in, but soak fruit in OJ, still lasts for ages. Or bake stuff then and just eat / freeze it.

3duracellbunnies thats a fabulous idea! Last year I tried to teach the children the idea that not everybody is as fortunate as they are or has such a great Christmas so giving the cake away would be lovely!!

Thanx loads

I like the idea of giving the cake away but its such a hassle finding the time to phone around and find someone who wants it.

We make extra cos my cake is all mine for elderly parents, we make a couple of 6 inch ones for them and a great big one for us If there is a good neighbour scheme that might be a good place to start, they might know someone who would appreciate a cake and a visit, or your local church. Or if you have primary school age children then see if the pta will let you bake the cake for school fair guess the weight and raise some money for the school. I do like the idea of setting a day to make the cake so you don't end up like me rushing around grabbing the last packet of saltanas in mid dec!

Even better duracell - yes, Will make a cake then donate to school christmas fair. Fantastic!!

Thanx loads