Oops, forgot to make my Christmas cake!

[AliasGrape]

Completely forgot this year, there’s been a lot going on.

Wont get chance to do anything now till next weekend and not sure if it’s still worth doing the traditional one then (I usually do it sort of mid October ish but aware there are some that consider even that too late!)

Does anyone else make there’s later and it still comes out ok?

Any recommendations for either -

• the best shop bought version
• a still Christmassy alternative that I can make later on, even just before

im a bit sad because it’s kind of a tradition that I always make it, but also strongly feeling ‘can’t be arsed’ vibes this year!

Isn’t stir up Sunday November 24th? I’m sure it will be fine

I always do mine then and it’s always delicious!

It's really not too late. Just do it when you have time.

Plenty of time. Made me laugh really what century are we in?

Stir up Sunday is for the pudding not the cake, isn't it?

I do mine end of November or first weekend in Dec. Soak the fruits in loads of alcohol. Use Nigel Slaters kitchen diaries. Don't feed it because it's mainly for the kids. Get loads of compliments. Not dry.

Make one anyway - it's not too late! I don't think the shop-bought ones come anywhere close. Soak the fruit in plenty of brandy this week and then make next weekend. Wrap it up and stick it in a tin until you need to do the marzipan - no need to bother about feeding it if you pre-soaked it.

Nigella has loads of alternative traditional Christmas cake recipes, they'll all be online by now I'm sure. The only one I don't recommend is the cheat version using a jar of ready made mince meat- too sweet and also, well, a bit too cheaty!

Not too late at all - Mary Berry says three weeks ahead and feed it four times during maturing. I’ve done mine as late as the week before (I don’t feed it, so it doesn’t matter to me).

The secret is to cover the dried fruit with boiling water and let it sit for 15 mins. This plumps it up.

Drain well, add booze, leave it in an airtight tub over night.

Make the cake as normal the next day, tip in the boozy fruit and any leftover liquid in the tub.

I’ve never had a miserable dry cake yet!

I soak my fruit in Tropicana pineapple juice
No alcohol allowed . It's very juicy and tastes fab.
Shop bought doesn't cut it although
Betty's of Harrogate is delish.

It'll be fine, I've made mine late before.

I saw a recipe online the other day for an Australian Christmas cake made with condensed milk - it looked a bit lighter in colour (more like a farmhouse fruit cake) but delicious! I'll see if I can find it.

Just had a look and there's loads for "Australian Christmas cake condensed milk" - also a lot including Baileys, not sure about that 😳

I'm making mine this morning. Guy Fawkes is my annual reminder to do it.
It will be fed with brandy in the coming weeks 😁

Would anyone who makes theirs around now care to share their moist recipes?

I'd rather have Yule Log anyway, Christmas cake gives me the quicklies.

Thanks all - honestly thought it was a bit late, was drilled in to me by my Nana and great aunt (both amazing cooks who were ‘in service’ in posh houses back in the 30s/ 40s) that you had to do it early. I’ll get the fruit this week and do it next weekend!

The best type of last minute recipe is a boiled fruit type, always moist no matter when you make it, freshly made fruit cake can be a bit crumbly to cut so a couple of weeks before Christmas is preferable but hell if you can't make this until few days before it will still be lovely and moist even if crumbly when cut.

Use any boil the fruit first recipe (well they really mean simmer!) I use a version of the BBC Simmer and Stir, switch the nuts and alcohol to any you want, can play around with the fruit too once you keep the overall total weight the same. I make up the mix and simmer then leave it overnight and add rest of ingredients and bake next day, ensures maximum plumpness of fruit.

As long as you presoak your fruit it will be fine. And if you are really pushed on time, I get the presoaked in brandy mixed fruit, add some chopped dried apricots and more glace cherries. Stick it all in a plastic bowl with more booze (I'll add amaretto this year along with more brandy) and some fruit juice or tea cover firmly with cling film, and microwave to heat everything up. Or heat the liquids and add if its all too much to get in. Leave for as long as possible, but just to cool down is enough

I never make mine until mid/late Nivember and it's always delicious!

I use this recipe https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/simmer-stir-christmas-cake

Eddie Spence MBE, maker of cakes for the Queen's Golden Wedding and diamond jubilee and cake maestro supreme who is an undisputed legend of royal iced classic cakes gave a tip on one of his courses that I attended.
if you pour the alcohol over while the cake is hot you don't need to faff around feeding the cake as it will soak it up fine in one fell swoop. You could do that the week before you need it and it will still be lovely.

i make a simnel cake for Christmas which I cover in marzipan Christmas flowers and leaves made into a wreath. I put in some fancy candied fruit to make it more special. Why not try that instead ? We love it and it's gone in a week.

Here is the one I made last year

@AliasGrape I am not planning on making a traditional Christmas cake this year, instead making Nigellas Guinness cake but with a fondant icing top with decorations instead of the cream cheese one. I will still make some of the cream cheese topping, but keep it in a bowl in the fridge to add if wanted.

Last year I made this fruit cake with a centre of marzipan through it, sort of a cross between a simnel cake and a Christmas cake.

https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/marzipan-middle-bundt-cake

That said, I might make a fruit cake of some sort, just to have with some strong cheese and a glass of port

For a very moist cake I always do James Martin’s Classic Christmas cake. It’s on the bbc good food website.
I’ve made it for over 10 years.
I make it in Oct but as long as it’s got a few weeks to sit you’d be fine making it next weekend OP.
The only thing, it says a 20cm tin for 2 and a half hours, but I always make it in a 23cm. Same oven time, but i find it better. Some reviews on the 20cm say it needs alot longer in the oven. Also cover the top with a sheet of greaseproof paper.
Marzipan about 10 days before Christmas & Ice a few days before.

That’s beautiful, my decorating skills only extend as far as ready roll icing and a few ancient plastic decorations unfortunately - I’d love to be able to create something so lovely!