Bakers! I want to do my first ever Christmas cake. When? How? Help!

[LabubuLabulabulabubu]

I want to bake a Christmas cake.

When should I bake it? How do I 'feed' it?

Can I use Ameretto? Its the only alcohol anyone likes.

Best recipe?

Thanks!

Delia Smith has a recipe that uses a jar of mincemeat. Really easy and delicious.

In the same vein, Nigella Lawson has a lovely chocolate orange cake recipe that uses marmalade.
Love a short cut!

Delia Smith's recipe. I am no baker, I seldom bake anything at all but Delia's recipe never goes wrong if you follow it accurately. It's in Delia's Complete Cookery Course and doubtless also in her Christmas-themed recipe books.

I like the Phil Vickery recipe. I’m not an expert but I think you need to bake it around the start of Nov and then feed once a week.
I’ve used Amaretto before. It was great.

X-post with @Cuppachuchu 😀

I’ve tried many and always come back to Delia’s celebration fruit cake. I use any alcohol that’s to hand and have used amaretto before, so yes to that.

As to when…start soaking the fruit anytime, and bake when you have a few hours to spare to keep an eye on it. I did mine last week because I had time, but I have also made it a few days before Xmas.

Yes Delia’s recipe is excellent. Use good quality ingredients. Candied peel is much nicer if you buy big pieces and chop them yourself. Her pudding recipe is foolproof too.

Delia,Mary Berry or Good Houseleeping, or BeRo.
I make mine just after Halloween.

I like Nigel Slater's recipe
I wouldn't do it now but only for the same reason I object to seeing mince pies in the shops now
I might do a pudding this early because I think they need more time to mature (ideally a year)
anyway, congratulations OP, there is nothing as good as a home made Christmas cake. Make a huuuuuge one and it might last you till Easter
You will never look back!

I don't think I'd use amaretto, its got too distinctive a flavour. I use the second to cheapest brandy in the supermarket, its fine.

Delia Smith’s Caribbean fruit cake. I have been making it for 40 years and it is always a winner. Very easy. It takes a lot alcohol for which I substitute anything that I have in the house. Because there is so much you don’t have to feed it anymore. Make inn late oct, early November wrap in greasep roof and foil and put it in a cool place

Yes agree with Delias recipe ( the traditional one ) and you can start any time , the earlier the better !
I feed mine by putting a skewer through the cake all over , but not out the other end as it might just come out again , and drop your chosen alcohol through it .
Do it a few times but don't over do it as it might go soggy .
If you want a traditional one ( marzipan / icing ) Then marzipan it about a week before you ice it as the marzipan needs to dry our a bit before the icing goes on .
If you like a hardish icing , that needs time to harden off as well .

Ameretto, love or hate it.

Delia's Classic Christmas cake is the one I always make

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

I ice it with royal icing, which is much easier to do than trying to get a flat surface

https://www.deliaonline.com/recipes/occasions/christmas/christmas-cakes-and-toppings/royal-icing

If I do want a flat surface, I buy ready-rolled icing.

delias traditional recipe, but double the alcohol you soak the fruit in. It’s the easiest, nicest Christmas cake recipe out there.

My mother in law uses Amaretto because it’s the only alcohol I like.

The cake doesn't really taste of brandy/whisky if you used that but I'd be really cautious about using amaretto because you're introducing a strong flavour that's not a 'Christmas cake' flavour.

You can make it any time from now onwards, I used to do mine on August BH Monday but didn't get round to it this year. Might try the Delia jar of mincemeat recipe as we've some left over from last year.

Be careful with oven timing and follow the advice about shielding with layers of paper. Some older recipes have very long oven times but I've found that they take nowhere near as long so you wouldn't want a burnt cake. I think they sometimes say 3-4 hours, but I'm sure mine have been baked in under 2 (use a skewer to test).

Delia but I’d use cheap brandy as well

I actually made mine today. I usually do it last weekend of September but we're camping then so today it was!

I use whatever alcohol we have lying around. This year it was cheap whiskey, sometimes it's brandy or sherry.

I use a recipe of my mum's. She photocopied it from a cook book of her colleagues 40 years ago and the colleague had it for 30 years herself🤣.

I've never looked at Delia's but this one has 1kg of dried fruit in it!

Yes my ancient recipe is 3.5 hours. I put tin foil on top and take it off for the last hour

I do Nigella’s Christmas cake from “How to be a Domestic Goddess” but am too disorganised to presoak the fruit and just bung in a bottle of wine as I’m mixing it all together. Works a treat.

id try feeding with Amaretto and see what its like, but I like taking risks. Or, invite a friend round in November for a cake making party and bake both together whilst getting pissed on Amaretto?

Jane Ashers last minute Christmas cake recipe is the best I've ever tried - the recipe is on the internet - make sure it says to add 5 eggs as one website omitted them! It never fails and you really can leave it until the last minute!

I always use the Mary Berry classic recipe. It always comes out lovely.. J am doing mine sometime in the next 2 weeks so it is one less thing to.think.of down the line.
I always try to do it on a dull overcast day and listen to christmas music. It is one of my favourite jobs of the year.

I don't care that I am repeating.

Delia.

Get her Christmas book - it really is excellent

I usually make mine in October half term. Delia convert here too (I used to use a different recipe, but prefer Delia's.)

I do nigella Lawsons recipe and I pre soak the fruit the day before. I always do it in October half term, not sure why it’s just my tradition! Then feed it a few times with brandy before Christmas.