Christmas cake questions - urgent!

[TelephoneTree]

I've just cooked Delia's cake and it says to cool for 30 mins in the tin then wire rack it then feed and wrap when cold. BUT - I want to go to bed early tonight. Do I just leave it unwrapped and 'cooling' all night and deal with it in the morning or do I just leave it in the tin to cool down overnight, then deal with it in the morning?

Also - I am going to cut it in half as I need to get half of it delivered to my parents all iced etc in 3 weeks time so how often do I feed it etc and when do I marzipan and ice it in that timescale. I want it as boozy moist as possible with the time given.

Get it out of the tin and put on a rack then cover with a tea towel and go to bed. Wrap in the morning.

With just 3 weeks, I'd feed it twice a week at least. Marzipan it two days before giving away, ice the day before. Marzipan needs a day to dry out on the cake.

Oh and the remaining half I assume you're keeping? Keep feeding that half right up until when you want to eat it - them marzipan and ice as before.

oh is it only a day of marzipan drying? I thought it might be a week! so will the first half be remotely boozy by the end of it do you think?

If it were me, I might let the bottle slip a little each time, iykwim. [hwink]

ok - crunch time - the bottle had another big slip in to the cake 2 days ago. It needs to be iced by next saturday, so when shall i marzipan it? is there time for another feed?