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Christmas

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Original poster

Christmas cake When and how?

45 replies

fourtothedozen · 14/08/2015 21:03

OH and I really enjoy christmas cake over the festive season, but always disappointed with shop bought ones. Considering baking one this year. How soon in advance? Any good recipes, I like most fruits/nuts, although not too many raisins or sultanas.

OP posts:
NeverNic · 19/08/2015 11:30

I do Nigella's cake (the chocolate fruit Cake) and Delia's puddings with family tweaks. Normally soak the fruit for at least 6 weeks with stout.

smellylittleorange · 19/08/2015 17:55

this is the recipe I use it is a simmer and stir affair v easy yum

goblinwalk · 20/08/2015 16:31

Does anyone have a link to the Nigella recipe? I have googled it but there are a few different versions.

queenrollo · 27/08/2015 07:27

I use a Nigel Slater recipe as I wanted something that wasn't so dark and heavy as the Delia I always used (it just never got eaten).
I soak my fruit in a good port and then feed the cake with it too. It makes for quite a sweet cake but I don't like brandy or rum. We do have whisky but only v expensive malts and they are too peaty for a cake (imo).

The first year I halved the recipe, in case we didn't like it. Last year I made full size and it was gone by New Year. I'm making two tiers this year.....

weaselwords · 27/08/2015 07:45

I do the Nigella one from Domestic Goddess, usually right at the last minute and I only soak the fruit for an hour or so as I forget to do it the night before, in whatever wine I've got in the house. Half a bottle of prosecco was good and the other half went in me. It always turns out lovely! I am constantly amazed. I make three so I can give my mum and my sister one. I think they eat them Cake

Now I've cracked slovenly cake making, I need to get better at icing the things. I want them to look fabulous, with minimal effort.

dementedma · 27/08/2015 07:52

I can never remember from year to year which one I've used but they generally all taste OK. Last years was lovely and moist and think it was the summer and stir one......

The only time one hasn't worked was when I tried a box mix one.

NoisyOyster · 28/08/2015 22:35

Good housekeeping recipe from 30 odd years ago, passed down the family.

Soak the fruit in sherry and brandy for 3/4 days until it's soaked up bothenough of the bottles

Started the soaking today

DirtyMugPolice · 29/08/2015 08:14

If I said that I used Satan's recipe - would anyone here know what I meant?!

goblinhat · 29/08/2015 08:18

Named after someone's MIL I think?

DirtyMugPolice · 29/08/2015 08:22

Yes! From another forum I used to visit and I wondered if anyone from there was here Smile

soloula · 29/08/2015 18:51

I've used Felicity Cloake's Perfect Christmas Cake recipe the last few years and it's always been a big hit with everyone. :)

Kryten2X4B523P · 30/08/2015 07:43

I use my Gran's recipe and cake tins as I now have the job of family Christmas cake maker. I usually try and get them done in September/early October and then somebody else does the icing nearer to Christmas. It's a fairly basic recipe, no cherries or nuts or any of that crap. But I love it, partly because it's the taste of childhood Christmas to me Smile

Tips for baking - low temp for a long time. My cakes bake for at least 4 hours, covered with foil and then a few layers of newspaper/brown paper. The first time I made them, I burnt the edges by cooking it too high. Not very tasty.

chaplin1409 · 02/09/2015 18:21

Hi, I would like to make my own cake this year too so have been reading the thread but had a few questions, I was looking at the Mary Berry recipe and cant you just use mixed fruit bags then add apricots?

Also is I want alcohol free do I just change the brandy for exactly the same amount of orange juice and will it last using orange juice not brandy?

70isaLimitNotaTarget · 02/09/2015 18:31

I don't drink alcohol (though I do cook the cake/make the marzipan with Amarretto)

If I was doing an alcohol free cake, I'd soak the fruit in strong black tea to plump it , then keep the cooked, cold cake wrapped well in fresh greaseproof and foil.
Or sometimes I put it in the freezer if I don;t trust it Smile

ThenLaterWhenItGotDark · 04/09/2015 17:59

Delia and am aiming for this weekend! Tried the Nigella one with dates a few yrs ago, and despite being a huge Nige fan, it was hideous.

KinkyDorito · 04/09/2015 19:24

70 I have just read your first post about what you put in your cake and it sounds spot on for what I want to do. Have you got a recipe?

CrumbledFeta · 06/09/2015 16:40

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

LumpySpacedPrincess · 06/09/2015 18:36

This is a wonderful cake made with cherry brandy, really moist and delicious.

ThenLaterWhenItGotDark · 07/09/2015 11:15

Feta, the Nigella chocolate one is the one I made once. It's just wrong, prob a nice enough cake, but odd.

Namechangenell · 07/09/2015 13:56

I use the Dundee cake recipe in my mum's little old Bero book. It's lovely. Always make at October half term time as that's when my mum (retired teacher) used to do it!

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