Delia’s Christmas cake-smaller qty how long to cook for?

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I’m making Delia’s Classic Christmas Cake
https://www.deliaonline.com/recipes/occasions/christmas/christmas-cakes-icings-and-toppings/classic-christmas-cake

but I’m splitting the mix in two and baking as two smaller cakes to give as presents. I’m not sure how long to bake it for though?

would I bake it for half the time or a bit longer?

Have you made it before? I make this cake every year and find it doesn’t need as long as the recipe states anyway (I think oven efficiencies must have changed a lot since the book was first printed) - I check mine after 2.5 hours and it’s always cooked through within 3 hours, rather than the ‘at least 4’ that the recipe states, and this has been consistent across 3 ovens/20 years.

How big are the tins you’ll be using? Assuming 4 inch tins, I’d check it after an hour/hour and a quarter. The good thing about fruit cake is you don’t have to worry about the rise collapsing if you check it too soon!

Thanks for your reply. Yes I’ve cooked it twice before and I’ll be using the same oven. Both times I’ve done about 4 hours- and I’ve been really happy with the cake. My tin for the smaller cake is quite wide and shallow- I’d been wanting it deeper.

should I just check after 1 hour do you think?
would I be looking for the knife to come out dry?

Nigella has timings for smaller cakes in feast. For a 15cm cake (which is half the quantities of her 20cm cake) she gives a cooking time of 2-2.5 hours.