What Christmas cake recipe do you use?

[Umami]

I usually make my Christmas cake at the end of September, so I'm just about to stock up on ingredients. Last year I made the traditional Christmas cake recipe from Nigella's Christmas book. It was nice enough, but was practically a light fruit cake next to my Mom's 1980s Good Housekeeping recipe.

So I'm in the market for a new recipe, preferably something seriously packed with fruit. Any recommendations?

I think a bit of treacle is essential tbh - Christmas cake should be darkish

Delia for me usually too although I replace some of the currants with a few prunes and feed with amaretto instead of brandy.

This year, however, I think I will make the Nigella chocolate fruit cake. Just had a trial run and DH, who normally detests all cake, especially fruit cake, thinks it is delicious. Also much quicker to make than traditional CC.

I use one with mincemeat in it which doesnt store well, in fact it can be made about a week before christmas. But that's because I'm piss-poorly organised and never remember to make it til December. This thread should inspire to be different this year...but probably wont

OP pretty sure this is very very similar to the one I used
christmas cake recipe

Yes, agree with darkish. The maternal Good Housekeeping one is v.dark. Delia's looks a bit pale.

I'm surprised Mary Berry has only just had her first vote.

Jax, I am in awe of you scanning and typing recipes. I can only dream of being that organised!

Hugh Fearnley Whittingstall
Here
Also made pudding from this - excellent.

Amaretto sounds wonderful! Or Frangelico! Might Malibu be beyond the pale?

Thanks for the link Jax.

Delia for me as well. Have been using it since 1986 and it works every single time.

minimarmite - oh oh

amaretto instead of brandy?

< faints with excitement >

APPLE BRANDY! Good work HFW! Like the look of his mincemeat recipe also. IIRC he has an actual meaty mincemeat recipe in one of the books too. Quite fancy that.

Delia's one does go very dark if made well in advance and fed lots!

Umami - tinternet is my friend, I LOVE that I can save recipes that work and that all the family will scoff without a squeak of discontent.

I am Nigella in disguise.

Just asked DH if he would like me to make it again this year and he said yes please.

Might try Nigellas recipe...

I've never used apple brandy in HFW's cake but lashings of ginger wine is good

Can't remember how I hit on that one but now I never use anything else (hic)!

Have a vague recollection of doing Nigella's choccy one, I think. Obviously should keep tasting notes.

Are we moving on to Christmas puds now? Because if so I use my nan's recipe which came out of a magazine in about 1968 and is utterly amazing. It involves stout - and that's all I'm at liberty to say

Now last year was the first time I made a pudding. It was delicious, but I'll be damned if I know what recipe it was.

And for the record I did David Lebovitz's mincemeat which was v.good, but am also a fan of Our Nige's rhubarb and vanilla one.

another vote for delia for her fruit cake and xmas pud

I "did" my Delia xmas pud last year in the slow cooker - was lush !

Joining in late - but I use Delia's recipe and I love it.

I am the only one who truly loves christmas cake in our house and I didn't make one for years but now I do. It keeps so well and it is great to give to visitors.

I really want some now!

I might try delia's this year as well as my tried n tested GH one. It wont go to waste - but pretty sure it will go on my waist.

I use the bero book recipie with added caveats...

Firstly no marg/lard/post war deprivation whatever. BUTTER.

Secondly, fruit wise i put in other tasty stuff, cranberries, apricots, barberries, prunes, crystalised ginger, whatever.
Thirdly i use part caster sugar, part dark muscavado.

Fourthly, no ground almond dust buy whole ones, pop them in boiling water to slip the skins off, stick them in the blender, but not too fine.

Fifthly (and then i'll stop banging on) lots of booze. Soak the fruit in it, pour it over when the cake is hot out of the oven (mmm, that smell alone makes it all worth while) and more over the coming weeks.

Oh, and sixethly, use about four times the spice...of my own secret blend.

Oh, and one more, i use sr flour, or some baking powder. It doesn't rise too much, but with all that fruit a slight openness to the crumb helps.

Eat with wensleydale.

Mine is from the Good Food magazine from a few years ago.

Its very moist and no candid fruit!

Jane Honby (think thats her name). I like it because its moist, loads of nuts, and hasnt that over rich texture.

Hi kurrikurri I've been searching high & low for my christmas cake recipe which was a cut out from a mag. I think it maybe the same one you used I have tried the link on I made This but it doesn't work do you still have the recipe & if you read this & still have it will you give it to me please. I only made it once & it was beautiful.