MARY berry Xmas cake....

[makingmiracles]

Having a bash at the Xmas cake, does anyone else know what she means by the dimensions as she says 23cm/9” deep.....as you can probably tell I’m a complete novice, so does she mean 23cm round and 9” deep? As that seems massive for a cake and I can’t say I’ve ever seen a cake tin that big, wouldn’t the cake be massively tall?

I’ve a got a 23cm/9” round tin but no way does it look like even just the fruit would fit in there (currently weighed out and in a big bowl soaking in brandy)

Help!

23cm/9" (the two measurements are just for your personal preference of Imperial Vs metric) diameter, surely?

9" round and a deep tin not a sponge cake tin. A deep tin is about 8/9/10cm deep

The 9" is the tin size and the 'deep' bit is just referring to a tin that has more depth than a e.g. sandwich tin - so it will be ? 4" or so rather than 1.5/2" or so.

She means the size of the cake tin ( across) as in its width.
When she says deep, it means not shallow like a sponge tin.
Imagine a reasonable sized round cake you cut into wedge sized portions and the cake tin that would be needed to make it. A deep one.
Also Christmas cakes do not rise in baking so you can fill to just a few cms from the top without worry.

“Grease and line a 23cm/9in deep, round tin with a double layer of greased greaseproof paper. Preheat the oven to 140C/120C Fan/Gas 1.”

Is what it says on the recipe. So I have got a tin that size, still not convinced it will fit with the rest of the ingredients added...maybe I’ll have to split into two tins and make two...

Another question, do they rise at all or can you fill it almost to the top of the tin, or should there be a bit of a gap between the top of the cake mix and the top of the tin?

Ah crossed post, thanks!

The actual cake doesn't take up much more space than just the fruit - all the cake goes in the gaps between the fruit.

But yes, 8/9/10cm deep sounds about right, and 23cm diameter.

You can fill it practically to the top. I always make mine slightly dipped in the middle, and it does rise slightly, but then ends up flat.

Sorry not answering your question but just to say I've read the re iOS today and just soaked my fruit! So snap! Although as always I amended, added candied peel and soaked in brandy and cherry brandy, not sherry. Planning to cook it at the weekend. House smells lovely already though

I make the Mary berry cake and half done for years! Every year I look at the giant bowl of fruit and think it will never fit in the tin, but it always does
Enjoy! It’s a gorgeous cake.

*have done