Have I missed the boat with my Chirstmas cake?

[kikidee]

I haven't made the Christmas cake yet. Realistically, is it too late now and not worth bothering?

I was thinking exactly the same thing!

I haven't found any shop ones that I like the look of enough though (it wouldn't be a proper Christmas cake without our worn out hand me down little figures on top) so I'm making it anyway tomorrow.

I figure it will still be a rich fruit cake with marzipan and icing (and the very important decorations), it just won't be as matured as it should be ideally.

Nah. I'm going to do Nigella's boiled one with prunes. You can make it whenever you want and it's much moister with a more pleasing mouthfeel than your standard Christmas cake.

Delia does a lovely last minute cake that you make with mincemeat and extra fruit. I made it last year and will be doing it again in a few weeks time.

I made nigellas chocolate one on Christmas Eve last year was lovely!! Definitely not too late

there's loads of recipes for emergency christmas cakes.....lots of them have mincemeat in, so you can skip the fruit soaking days if you like...

I did the delia quick mincemeat sherry cake.

Or to be truthful I looked at the recipe, changed most of the ingredients to what i had in the cupboard, felt that sherry was not nearly alcoholic enough and used slivovitz instead....but i have a beautiful smelling cake in the tin :o

Last year I made a 20cm square one and then cut it into 4 mini cakes and gave them as gifts. I'd really like to do it again so I think I'll just crack on this weekend. I think it will still be nice and will have 4 weeks maturing. Thanks for all suggestions - I'm going to search for those other recipes.

This Sunday is stir up Sunday - is thst just puddings or cakes too?

I'm sure it will be fine if you make it this weekend.

Use more booze than the recipe states and it will be lovely and rich and moist.

Agree on the nigella chocolate Christmas cake with prunes. Really moist and yummy - not really chocolatey more rich and dark and smoky (use the posh-est darkest cocoa you can get your hands on) - it's almost a hybrid between Christmas pud and Christmas cake.

I'm doing a Nigella one with 600ml of bourbon in, and you heat the fruit in that and leave overnight so the fruit goes in all lovely and plump.
Mines going in the oven later

Nope, still got a month.

If you steep the fruit in alcohol for longer (i.e. not just overnight but for a few days to a week), or if you heat the fruit in alcohol as mentioned above, the cake will need less feeding.

This year I'm horribly behind and haven't done our cake yet either. It will probably be next weekend before I can, but I'm not worried :)

I've made one the week before Christmas and everyone loved it. I did soak the fruit for a couple of weeks first though.

I usually weigh the fruit into ziplock bags and drown in whiskey when I remember and then store in a cake tin for a few weeks before making the cake. I find doing it this way stops the cake being too dry.

I made one on BBC Good Food that's full of sherry so doesn't need feeding. I think that could be made now.

I like your confidence Issystark

If you soak the fruit in your booze overnight, then whizz half of it with a blender it makes the cake more moist and rich. It was a Jamie Oliver tip I tried last year last minute - worked for me! Plus feeding it every other night.

I'm doing mines this weekend.

I always do it around now. We don't like it TOO boozy though.

I made mine on Monday, I just soaked the fruit for longer in more brandy (my sultanas and raisins were a bit dried up too!). I then cooked it for a bit too long by accident while I was watching the walking dead but it seems alright.

I do mine much nearer the time but it's not a dark fruit cake.
Lots of Amarretto to soak,feed and in the marzipan.
It completely forgets its age

I never make mine too early any more. Can't see the need.
I have been making Christmas cakes for 25 years and actually prefer it if they aren't too rich.