Christmas Cake

[ChaosAndPiss]

Does anyone have a Christmas cake recipe they don’t mind sharing?

Most of the ones I can find look more like fruit cakes rather than proper super fruity dark Christmas cake.

When do you make yours? I’m thinking it needs to be made soon?

I make the one from the pink whisk website...

I use Delia's but leave out the treacle., And I marinate the fruit in brandy for at least a week.

Good housekeeping cookbook.

I use the BBC good food one. It's not a dark one but is boozy and always complimented.

I make Delia’s too. Over the years I’ve tried alternatives but Delia’s is the best. I marinade the fruit in brandy for a week or so, so will actually make it next week. I scale it differently to fit a 20cm square cake as that easier to cut small square or rectangular slices.

www.deliaonline.com/recipes/occasions/christmas/christmas-cakes-and-toppings/classic-christmas-cake

I always use this one, really yummy and very rich and dark although I'm a wimp and use golden syrup instead of treacle as I don't like the stuff. Really easy to make, as well. www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/christmascake_2359

Is it a really dark rich cake that you're after?
Use currants and raisins
Dark brown sugar
Darker alcohol (darker sherry , whisky, brandy or rum) to soak
Make it ahead and feed it weekly.

I like a light cake so I use only sultanas, caster sugar, Amarretto.

I use Delias recipe but tweak it (as above) use mixed nuts and peel from fresh orange/lemon not candied.

I have 2kg of fruit soaking (I bought a bag of sultanas in Costco and thought "Go for it, soak all of it" )

I'll use my 12x12" tin divided into smaller rectangular sections then put a couple of cakes aside for DParents

I use pink whisk one too. She does it in two steps, the fruit then the actual cake.

Easy to follow too. The fruit recommend soak is 6 weeks but I've left it with a two week soak before and it's been fine.

I make this simmer and stir one which doesn’t need any presoaked fruit or massive muscles to mix everything together. I normally make it 3 or so weeks before icing so I can feed it and get that extra-Christmassy flavour. It’s not gone wrong yet.

Thank you. I think the delia one sounds good so I’ll go with that.

Got to love Christmas cake with a slab of cheese.

Can i ask a question re delia's cake? Have any of you made it without the booze? I'm planning on making it this year but there is a chance I could be working the xmas night. So really three questions, how boozy does it get and would i be safe to drive?

Oh and a fourth question, anyone made it with gluten free flour?

I've made the Delia cake, fed with Brandy every week, and a slice is fine to drive on! You have to remember if you're adding even say 200 ml of brandy over time that you have such a small slice of it. You can feed it with orange juice instead if you don't like Brandy, but personally I ink the Brandy makes I think taste of Christmas, so for one slice I'd go for it. Or eat your cake Xmas Eve and Boxing Day etc instead! We always start the Xmas cake the week before, as it takes ages to eat it all.

I've never made it with GF flour. I did make an Xmas cranberry bites thingy one year with GF flour as my SIL is gluten intolerant but it all fell apart.

My mum's recipe has coffee in it, not enough to taste but definitely adds a dark richness, combined with the dark sugar etc.

Oooh okay I was thinking it would be super boozy!

Hmmm no I need to consider gluten free options.

Wonder if ground almonds would be a good expensive substitute. Off to Google extensively!

Thanks for replying