Christmas Cake Dilemma.....Delia or Mary???

[BaconAndAvocado]

Stir up Sunday is looming (sort of) and I usually go Delia but this year.......thinking of making a controversial move towards Mezzer.

Any thoughts?

I did Nigella this year and, whilst delicious (with homemade marmalade and doused in almond liqueur) it is not a proper dark rich fruit cake in the Delia celebration cake style. It is pale!

Always Delia.

Nigella. Though tempted to try MB as well this year, just for comparison! Anyone got a link?

Got my fruit soaking ready for Delia tomorrow

100% Delia when it comes to fruit cakes!

Neither.
A recipe from an ancient Stork cookery book, published in the ‘60s which I have used every year since the ‘70s. Butter instead of stork is my only deviation. Clear lists of ingredients for every size of cake tin. Wonderful rich cake.

@pandafunfactory

Nigella from Christmas book with treacle not marmalade

@pandafunfactory is this the date and marmalade Christmas cake? Do you use the same quantity? Sounds genius

Hi no it's just the ordinary Christmas cake, don't think there are dates and if there are I've always left them out! Yes same quantity. I figured they were both equally 'wet' and I like a bit of darkness to my cake

I swapped over to Mary a few years ago and have never looked back. Lovely and moist, plenty of cherries, no evil mixed peel.

@Phillpot12 what size cake tin for this one please? I've just ordered the kit on click and collect

Love the look of the Jane Asher last minute one

I haven't made a Christmas cake for the last 2-3 years, because MIL often likes to make them for us. But this year I'm baking. So I got out my battered old go-to, ie Delia. She's my starting point for virtually every traditional English dish. To my surprise I didn't recognise the recipe at all. So I got Mary out. TBF I don't remember that recipe, either, but the page with the recipe is dotted with mucky fingerprints! Obviously that's the one I've used the most

And over the page I re-discovered a recipe for a cake that I do remember making, but couldn't remember where the recipe was: her Fast Christmas Cake. I highly recommend it - absolutely delicious.

BTW I never worry too much about the precise quantities or varieties of dried fruits. I usually use up all that years leftovers of dried fruit by subbing some of it for the same weight of fruit in the recipe, particularly the currants.

I have made Mary’s Christmas cake for years! It’s amazing and always gets rave reviews!

I always use Delia. I soaked my dried fruit on Sunday and made the cake on Monday.

Going back to the op, I thought that Stir up Sunday was for Christmas puddings. It's not until 22nd November this year. I like to make my cake in Autumn half term so that I have plenty of time to feed it before Christmas.

Delia

Delia's - the recipe with black treacle in it. I've had it every year since I could eat and will never change

I don't think I can make one this year - nobody else in my household eats it and we're very unlikely to be having visitors I imagine so I think it would be unwise to end up eating an entire christmas cake myself! Shame though - I was planning on trying the Nigella chocolate one.

Peachgreen how lovely to read a nice cheerful post from you, after everything you have been through.

Delia creole cake - I simplify it by only using a couple of alcohols and not all the fancy fruit - but stick to the quantities obviously

I made Delia's the one where you heat the booze fruit and spices in a pan before leaving to soak. Never made a Christmas cake before, and I'm very pleased with it so far. I "fed" it (wish someone would "feed" me expensive brandy lol) yesterday and it's looking good.

Aw @TrickyD what a lovely thing to say, thank you. DH being ill has definitely brought home the importance of the small things and I'm really learning to love cooking and baking again. Sadly he doesn't like Christmas cake!

I've made both several times, and Mary wins hands down for me. I think it's because there's a lot more booze in it, and you soak the fruit for a lot longer.

(Sorry Delia).

This thread is making me seriously question my last 5 years of Nigella Xmas cake commitment!

Hopeful but probably doomed question: has anyone made all 3?

@laughoutquiet You need a 20cm loose bottomed tin for the Waitrose kit but not a deep one. I used one that I would normally use for half a sandwich cake IYSWIM. The kit makes a small cake.