Christmas Cake.

[beardsrock]

Not sure if there is already a thread about Christmas cakes, I had a quick look but can't see anything so thought I'd start one!

Here is the cake that I will be making.

This will be the third year that i have made it and it has always been a success. I plan to shop for the fruit this week and then make it next week, I think it's bad luck to make it before October

Lat year I used a mix of raisins, figs, dates, currants and cranberries for the fruit and I was very happy with the result. I'll use the same fruit this year and plan to feed it with Glenfiddich and port.

The smell whilst the fruit is steeping in the pan is incredible! and has to be taste-tested of course

www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2008/dec/07/baking-dessert

I use this Nigel Slater recipe as my base. I find the Delia just too rich and heavy and it never got eaten. This recipe is a happy medium and this year I'm making two cakes because we scoffed it all before New Year.
I soak and feed with a Tawny Port.
I'll make mine as soon as I get my kitchen back (currently running three weeks over on a total rebuild). Hopefully next week!

Oh my god, Showofhands, look at that! Beautiful.

Mine is more, hmm, let's say rustic.

Just trying to upload a photo from last year now.

What is all this about people making batches of Christmas cakes?

Do you work for Santa? Are the elves big cake fans?

I should make FIL one but I'm just too lazy/don't think he'd appreciate it enough (French)

Thanks beards That looks ruddy lovely and I bet it tasted fantastic too.

When I was growing up my Mum always made a Christmas cake. It used to be iced like a snowstorm with little fake plastic trees, reindeer and a Father Christmas and I adored looking at it. I used to just stare at it in wonder.

Since I've grown up and moved away, nobody makes one. My MIL works very hard and isn't a fan of fruit cake, my Mum says it's a lot of faff when my Dad's diabetic and they see fewer people over Christmas and nobody needs Christmas Cake.

Last year I decided enough was enough and thought I'd make my own diabetic, non-alcoholic one (we're all teetotal). It was devoured. At about 9pm on Christmas Day, all that was left was crumbs. It was strangely satisfying and made me feel like things have come full circle in a way.

Bad luck to make it before October..... Oops.... Mine is leftover from a birthday cake I did in March! Has been maturing for 6 months already haha :) I use the Alan Dunn recipe.

YouandMe - I'm coeliac and use Delia's recipe with Dove flour, gf baking powder etc. and it turns out perfectly.

I soak the fruit for a bit longer, and add a splash of liquid if it looks dry but otherwise no change.

The same applies to the Mumsnet lemon drizzle cake, happily.

ShowOfHands that looks wonderful!

beardsrock mine looks just like that! I do ice the one that I have at mum's because my brothers love the icing. This is the one I did last year (first Christmas with DS!)

This is mine from last year. Previous years I've just done the snowstorm effect and stuck a bit of holly in the top, but I felt like doing something different last year.
Will be variation on this theme this year I think.

If anyone is interested - I used Mexican Paste for the tree.
It sets a little harder than fondant, so the tree wouldn't droop as much. I cut the stars out the night before and laid them out on trays to air dry overnight so they were easier to work with. They were then threaded onto a kebab skewer stuck in the cake. I used a bit of icing sugar mixed with water as a kind of glue and to get a little height between some of the layers.

queenrollo that looks absolutely lovely I absolutely love tawny port so I bet this tasted divine!

I had a quandary over what to feed our cake. We have a cupboard full of whisky, but we like super peaty single malts and I find the smokiness overpowers a cake. We don't really do brandy (though we have some calvados from a trip to France...I might do a cake with that). We got two bottles of Tawny port as a present....and so I decided to give that a go, and it really worked.

I think I will give tawny port a go at some stage. Maybe even this year. (That would be 4 Christmas cakes! I've got three lots of fruit soaking in gin, calvados and whisky at the moment). I agree about the peaty whisky... We are big single malt fans, but not of the peaty variety. Last year I used a lovely Welsh whisky after visiting their distillery with friends. I've run out but have found that Sainsbury's and Waitrose stock it so I can replenish! I can definitely recommend calvados for a cake.

Ok you all whipped me into a cake making frenzy, thanks for that!

My fruit is steeping in whisky as we speak. I put the dosage recommended plus another good glug, but it isn't really soaked iyswim? It is just at the bottom of the Tupperware. Do I need to ignore the alcohol advice and drown the fruit or just keep turning it every so often while It soaks?

I'm so excited, this is way more Christmassy than present buying!

TheOddity I do the same and often then top it up! I find that an overnight soaking in booze is NEVER enough and tend to have the fruit and booze steeping for at least a week in Tupperware. I give it a good shake each day. You'll see a huge difference after a week! I have a second lot of fruit soaking to make another cake this weekend

Thanks for that Snausage, it makes me feel better. Meanwhile I am waiting for mixed spice in the post (DH went to UK and bought mixed herbs instead. Doh.) DM has kindly saved the day by putting it in an envelope. Hope customs don't think it is drugs!

Has anyone made Nigella's chocolate Christmas cake? I have friends visiting in the run up to Christmas and it will be nice to have a substantial and festive cake to have with a cup of coffee without it being actual super boozy Christmas cake. Hers looks lovely but I've not made it before.

Update: I am tweaking Nigella's cake recipe and am soaking my fruit now (rather than heating in a pan with booze and butter. Although I will heat in a pan with butter, sugar and honey before cooking) in COINTREAU. Yep. Cocoa and Cointreau.

I wasn't going to bother this year (I'm the only one who eats it in our house) but having looked on this thread I'm now looking at a bottle of vodka that someone gave us with cola cubes dissolved in and I'm starting to wonder...!

Oh, Fluffy, that would probably make a delicious cake...

I am so looking forward to making my Christmas Cake! I've made all my jam that I'm giving as presents, but need to do apple chutney before my cake.
I'm going to drown the fruit in brandy and leave to soak for a week while we are on holiday.
I try and avoid the Christmas threads until about now as DH goes mad "It's Halloween first!!!" but I can't help myself

snausage Cocoa and Cointreau? hmmm Can I visit please?

I cannot bake. All my stuff is still in storage and I can't open and close it myself so I have to wait for DH to go over and collect stuff.

queenrollo I will let you know how it goes! I have high hopes... the first one will be a test run and I'll make another one if it's any good. You should make a list of all the baking stuff for your DH so that you can so some!

That is my method, too, Lariflete; soak fruit for a week and then bake. It works a treat!

The problem is that having packed it all away with the 'help' of a 2 year old I'm not exactly sure what is in which boxes. And we haven't actually finished the kitchen yet. The floor needs to be laid so we are trying not to move too much back in as it will all have to go out again for 4 days while they prep and fit.
And we're on holiday for a week next week...

Ahem... a week is a good length of time to soak your fruit for...

The port is in storage. I'd have to buy a new bottle of port. Oh that would be terrible