Bit early to be thinking this, but a cake question (Christmas Cake obviously) :)

[70isaLimitNotaTarget]

Last year I made my lovely light fruitcake (sultanas not currants, caster sugar not brown, Amaretto not sherry) with lemon/orange rind and cherries and nuts

But I was the only one who ate it, DH and DC don't eat fruit cake, it ended up being wasted

So, this year, I want to do a fruit cake with no marzipan or icing and eat it with cheese. I had this in York years ago, it was lovely (drool).

What type of cheese do I need? What sort of cake should I do?

open to suggestions.

And to not do without the marzipan (homemade) I'll do little chocolates- put a walnut piece on it and dip in plain chocolate.

I eat cheese with normal christmas (rich fruit) cake, I just eat the marzipan and icing separately.

I make a rich fruit cake (from the Aga Cook Book) but never use marzipan as I hate it and I am selfish. We carry on eating it for weeks and weeks, with cheese - a nice mature cheddar, or a good crumbly Lancashire.

What type of cheese do I need?
In York it was a crumbly, pale cheese that was gorgeous with cake. Both sliced really thin.

Is it a Yorkshire cheese?

cross post

Chances are if you had it in York it may have been Wensleydale
(Love that - and its always bought at Christmas for us - I introduced my Lancashire In Laws to it last year!)

Oh yes - a nice bit of Wensleydale always goes down nicely.

70isaLimitNotaTarget if you're about where did you get your cake recipe from the lighter one you mention in your op.

everyone- I'll have a look at some Wendsleydale (might go to Waitrose and see if they'll give me a sample )

shiney it's a sort of version of the Delia Smith cake- but I change the fruit to make it as light as possible.
I use Amarretto soaked sultanas, caster sugar, no treacle, no spice.
Double the mount of cherries,Rinsed with boiling water) almonds,walnuts, brazils and macadamia nuts. Fresh orange and lemon rind not candied peel.

I do the Delia marzipan with Amarretto.
I did this for my parents Golden Wedding (they don't like dark, heavy rich fruit cake. IIRC I used mixed spice in theirs)
I'll look out my Delia book for the original recipe.

Any of the crumbly sour cheeses would go well.

A Lancs, Wensleydale or Caerphilly. Especially if you find a specialist cheese maker or shop.

Yum.

My Deliah cake, traditional recipe was a massive hit last year in the school concert nibbles. German and Swiss parents hadn't really experienced a traditional British cake. Could have been the lashing of brandy I'd fed it for weeks tho'!

I'm going to make her quick rum cake this year. I quite fancy her Italian Choc Christmas cake too.