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Christmas

From present ideas to party food, find all your Christmas inspiration here.

Original poster

Christmas cake other than fruit???

38 replies

AnSionnachGlic · 16/09/2020 17:52

Just thinking of all lovely baking I will start next month. I usually make a Christmas cake in October and all my kids ( teenagers) help in some way. However I'm the only one who eats it ( and my mother) so I end up throwing most of it out in January. Is there any alternative to traditional fruit cake, that I can make in advance.....that will also fill house with lovely 'Christmas ' baking aromas? I don't want to miss out on baking a cake, as it's one of our traditions, but I hate the waste! Any suitable alternatives that my ( big) kids might like??

OP posts:
W00t · 16/09/2020 17:55

Gingerbread cake with cream cheese frosting?

MyOldBeansy · 16/09/2020 17:59

Other than you getting sick of it, it shouldn't be wasted. I've still been eating Christmas cake in March without issue. All that booze and sugar gives it an almost endless shelf life. Like wedding cake. Grin

TeddyIsaHe · 16/09/2020 17:59

Ooh yes to gingerbread cake!

How about spice cake? V similar to gingerbread but with more spices. Lovely with a white royal icing topping for snow.

slipperywhensparticus · 16/09/2020 18:02

@W00t

Gingerbread cake with cream cheese frosting?
Recipe???
lughnasadh · 16/09/2020 18:04

Ginger cake, or a caraway seed cake?

StellaOlivetti · 16/09/2020 18:05

stollen? I know it contains some dried fruit but it’s much less fruit dense than Christmas cake. It smells lovely and Christmassy when baking and the non Christmas cake lovers in my family like it. You have to like marzipan though.

mathanxiety · 16/09/2020 18:05

How about making a much smaller Christmas cake?

Though I agree it lasts forever so there's no need to throw it away.

Original poster
AnSionnachGlic · 16/09/2020 18:05

Ooohh...Gingerbread cake sounds interesting. Would that last for couple months if I made it in October W00t? MyoldBeansy , the problem is I would keep eating it, and end up 2 stone heavier....it wouldn't last months😳!!

OP posts:
grool · 16/09/2020 18:08

I have a carrot cake in the oven right now, it's a recipe from a Bake Off Christmas book and is filling my flat with that lovely Christmas smell 😊

Fingers crossed it goes well, its my first time making carrot cake and I thought I'd go wild and add ginger to it so it could be vile. Still smells good though 👍

Original poster
AnSionnachGlic · 16/09/2020 18:08

Any recipes for these lovely recommendations 😋??

OP posts:
Bargebill19 · 16/09/2020 18:20

A spiced sponge cake with a chocolate filling?

FaffingForEngland · 16/09/2020 18:24

What about a clementine cake? Am thinking of this one: ottolenghi.co.uk/recipes/clementine-almond-syrup-cake
It's probably the best cake I've ever eaten.

Original poster
AnSionnachGlic · 16/09/2020 18:36

FaffingForEngland...that looks amazing. Only problem is it only lasts for a week. Does it freeze well?

OP posts:
FaffingForEngland · 16/09/2020 18:42

Sorry I don't know, it's never listed long enough to get anywhere near the freezer Grin Pretty sure you could freeze the sponge and then ice it when thawed.

FaffingForEngland · 16/09/2020 18:43

lasted

mynameiscalypso · 16/09/2020 18:48

I made this last year and it was v popular in my Christmas cake hating family: www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/salted-caramel-christmas-cake

CloudyGladys · 16/09/2020 18:50

Tunis cake.

Never made one, but it's basically a Madeira cake with a thick layer of chocolate on the top, decorated with marzipan or icing fruits. The cake should freeze without the topping so you can make it as early as you like and finish it nearer the time.

tentative3 · 16/09/2020 18:59

Another one to say you don't need to throw the Christmas cake away in January. My parents still haven't finished the one I gave them at Christmas!

Tigger001 · 16/09/2020 19:01

It may sound old fashioned or boring but we love a really nicely decorated yule log, where the kids help decorate with snowmen, santa, reindeers and holy and ivy.

Absolutely lovely on the Christmas table.

Happynow001 · 16/09/2020 19:10

@tentative3

Another one to say you don't need to throw the Christmas cake away in January. My parents still haven't finished the one I gave them at Christmas!
I love a rich, fruity (but not too sweet) Christmas cake. In the past when I've had (a lot) left, I cut into slices/wedges and frozen the portions in small freezer bags so I have Christmas cake for months. Great with either some excellent mature cheddar, Stilton or Wensleydale cheese.

I can't leave it out of the freezer as it would keep looking at me and I'd end up eating it for breakfast. (I really did that! 😁)

TheVeryHungryTortoise · 16/09/2020 19:14

My fiancé refuses to eat anything with dried fruits in so I make a boozy christmas chocolate torte each year and sprinkle edible gold glitter over the top in a crazy attempt to make it as festive as possible.

TheSeedsOfADream · 16/09/2020 21:37

Delia's Jamaican gingerbread. It's the most used recipe for any cake I have, it's in her "Cakes" book but probably also online. Easy peasy and lasts about a day in our house. But you could make lots!

mathanxiety · 17/09/2020 05:02

Some lovely Scandinavian Christmas recipes here:

www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2011/dec/11/nordic-christmas-baking-recipes

mathanxiety · 17/09/2020 05:06

tasteofnovascotia.com/recipes/lunenburg-fruit-cake/
This is a nice cake too. I made it once, but just used plain (all-purpose) flour, not rye flour.

www.myrecipes.com/recipe/cranberry-liqueur
Cranberry liqueur recipe here.

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