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Christmas

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Original poster

Christmas cakes - alternatives to fruit

25 replies

Seawaver · 13/10/2023 15:27

What Christmas cakes do you make as an alternative to traditional fruit please? I’m looking for ideas as I’m the only one who eats it in our house so I’d like to try something else this year.

I’ve heard of Nigella’s chocolate fruit cake and wondered what that’s like. Other thoughts are Yule log or ginger cake with fancy icing.

I’m only an average-ability baker so nothing too complicated please.

OP posts:
Zzizzisnotzeproblem · 13/10/2023 15:29

Big squishy fudgey Yule log.

polenta and almond and lemon

FadedLaurels · 13/10/2023 15:44

Tunis Cake!

Helenahandkart · 13/10/2023 15:57

I like the way a traditional Christmas cake looks, but don’t like fruit cake or marzipan so I made a lemon cake and then covered it in royal icing and traditional decorations. It worked really well.

Toooldtocareanymore · 13/10/2023 16:06

Husband and one child wont eat any fruit or mixed peal etc. One child will eat fruit and nuts but doesn't like marzipan , so we have a chocolate biscuit cake made in a bowl, with white choc icing so looks like a plum pudding - as its Christmas I usually make it a bit extra lush over my usual standard choc biscuit cake buy using mixes of better quality chocolate, add Maltesers etc . and then a plain white icing, on a madeira or lemon sponge, because it looks the part and to be honest the chocolate one can be very rich , both are very easy to make.

BaronessBomburst · 13/10/2023 16:09

I made Nigella's chocolate fruit cake one year but I don't rate it. It's neither one thing nor the other.
I'm thinking about making a Yule log this year as I've not had one since I was a child!

Nothingbuttheglory · 13/10/2023 16:13

I love a homemade stollen, nothing like shop bought. If that's not cake-y enough then I'd just make whatever kind of cake you most like then go Christmas-themed with the decorations and have custard/squirty cream/ whatever with it.

Thecatisboss · 13/10/2023 16:30

I make a fruit cake usually but am planning on making a stollen this year as made one a few years ago which was fantastic a traditional German recipe (I even made my own candied peel which was going a bit over the top!).

www.daringgourmet.com/stollen-german-christmas-bread/

SM4713 · 13/10/2023 17:13

Are you thinking of a dessert to serve with a meal, or something that can be sat on the side and be nibbled on like a mince pie?

Last year as desserts, I did a lemon meringue pie and a chocolate tart served with a berry coulis. Both of which I used a pre-made tart case to save time. Plus- I'm not a great pastry maker 😬

https://www.taste.com.au/recipes/white-christmas-cheesecake-recipe/tl89e0ym

As side nibbles, here are some ideas:
https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/christmas-rocky-road
Rum balls
https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/fruity-biscotti

Christmas rocky road recipe | BBC Good Food

Adapt this festive rocky road however you like. It’s great for using up leftover Christmas sweets and biscuits, and you can get kids involved in making them, too

https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/christmas-rocky-road

FishPie2 · 13/10/2023 17:45

Thecatisboss · 13/10/2023 16:30

I make a fruit cake usually but am planning on making a stollen this year as made one a few years ago which was fantastic a traditional German recipe (I even made my own candied peel which was going a bit over the top!).

www.daringgourmet.com/stollen-german-christmas-bread/

My husband always made Stollen and his own Almond Paste, bought a large stollen mould from a company in Germany which would have kept us in stollen for years. I didn't mind the cake bit but would take out the paste. I bought a yule log from M and S for me.

longtompot · 13/10/2023 17:45

Thecatisboss · 13/10/2023 16:30

I make a fruit cake usually but am planning on making a stollen this year as made one a few years ago which was fantastic a traditional German recipe (I even made my own candied peel which was going a bit over the top!).

www.daringgourmet.com/stollen-german-christmas-bread/

Thank you for this link. I'd been thinking about what Christmas cake for this year and wasn't really wanting to go through the whole making, icing and then it pretty much only being my and my ed who eat it. I think more of the family will eat this, and I can still use my cake decorations on top🎄

FeltCarrot · 13/10/2023 17:47

Magicmagician · 13/10/2023 16:01

Nigella’s clementine cake is lovely - Link

Definitely this cake! Have made it a few times and it gets better after a few days so you can make in advance.

Artesia · 13/10/2023 17:49

Another Nigella suggestion- the chocolate gingerbread is delicious. Sounds weird but really works. And is robust enough to take icing like a Christmas cake if you want to. I did a big square one a few years ago, and iced it to look like a wrapped Christmas present.

rocknrollaa · 13/10/2023 17:52

I'm a big fan of a ginger cake. You can add other things to it like orange to make it more christmassy.

Mumaway · 13/10/2023 18:05

Huge appreciation here for Nigella choccie one. Yummmmmy

Farmageddon · 13/10/2023 18:14

I love Nigellas Chocolate Christmas fruitcake, and I hate fruitcakes generally.

It's really rich and boozy, got a slightly chocolatey orangey flavour and there's no mixed peel or anything weird. Will definitely be making it this year - can't wait.

timtam23 · 13/10/2023 19:48

I don't like very heavy dark fruit cake but my mum used to give us a lovely home made Dundee cake for Christmas so for the last few years I've been making my own. It does have sultanas in but no other dried fruit, if you follow the authentic recipe. It has grated orange rind, marmalade and ground almonds in the mix so the taste is delicate and a bit citrusy.

Nonplusultra · 13/10/2023 20:10

It’s a chocolate biscuit cake shaped like a plum pudding in our house too. I make it with some chocolate orange, toblerone and crushed up crunchies, and I use condensed milk rather than golden syrup and butter. I cover the outside with maltesers and then add some melted white chocolate to the top and a sprig of holly.

Myhusbandearns150k · 13/10/2023 20:21

Nonplusultra · 13/10/2023 20:10

It’s a chocolate biscuit cake shaped like a plum pudding in our house too. I make it with some chocolate orange, toblerone and crushed up crunchies, and I use condensed milk rather than golden syrup and butter. I cover the outside with maltesers and then add some melted white chocolate to the top and a sprig of holly.

YES PLEASE

FallingAutumnLeaf · 13/10/2023 20:25

Another vote for chocolate fridge cake as a Xmas pudding for desert.
Chocolate version for me and DS1. Fruit cake for DH and DS1.

Hibernatalie · 13/10/2023 20:51

Gingerbread cake with brandy butter icing

Qwerty21 · 14/10/2023 11:43

Toooldtocareanymore · 13/10/2023 16:06

Husband and one child wont eat any fruit or mixed peal etc. One child will eat fruit and nuts but doesn't like marzipan , so we have a chocolate biscuit cake made in a bowl, with white choc icing so looks like a plum pudding - as its Christmas I usually make it a bit extra lush over my usual standard choc biscuit cake buy using mixes of better quality chocolate, add Maltesers etc . and then a plain white icing, on a madeira or lemon sponge, because it looks the part and to be honest the chocolate one can be very rich , both are very easy to make.

This sounds lush. Do you have a pic/recipe? 🙏

Qwerty21 · 14/10/2023 11:44

Nonplusultra · 13/10/2023 20:10

It’s a chocolate biscuit cake shaped like a plum pudding in our house too. I make it with some chocolate orange, toblerone and crushed up crunchies, and I use condensed milk rather than golden syrup and butter. I cover the outside with maltesers and then add some melted white chocolate to the top and a sprig of holly.

Ditto this

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