Christmas cake that doesn't need feeding?

[GarlicHound]

I'm making a cake that will just about be ready for Christmas. Having just realised I'm going to need something to bring to friends' this weekend, and having a vast amount of booze-soaked fruit to hand, I thought it might be an idea to make an extra cake. But I'll need it to be ready on Thursday!

Can someone point me to suitable cake-dough recipe, please? It must be strong enough to hold all the fruit together - and NOT a boiled cake. This fruit contains £30 worth of alcohol, I'm not boiling it all off!

I'd say just pick any recipe so if you're not going for a boiled one which would have been my first suggestion for a last minute cake. Mind you I wouldn't call it boiled really, brought up to simmer with the butter/sugar/juices and usually alcohol and then just switch off and let it soak and cool, as you've already added the alcohol it wouldn't need extra. I always use the BBC simmer and stir recipe with a few swaps

I think my mum makes Delia Smith's Creole Christmas cake - it involves lots of presoaking (which it sounds like you've done) then no feeding.

Sorry saw you didn’t want a boiled cake, which is what I was going to suggest.

Have you got some mincemeat?
https://www.deliaonline.com/recipes/collections/quick-and-easy-recipes/last-minute-brandied-christmas-cake

My regular is a kilo of dried fruit soaked overnight in 600ml fluid (have used tea when not drinking, but usually half and half Bailey's and condensed milk, apparently ginger beer also works). Stir in 3 cups plain flour. Probs 1.5- 2 hours at around 150C.

So if you've already got the fruit soaked I'd wang in a few cups of flour and just whack it in the oven.

I made 3 of these yesterday plus a loaf tin sized sample! I bought pre soaked fruit and then added quite a lot of spiced rum. Just had a slice of the sample and it was delicious 😋 www.deliaonline.com/recipes/occasions/christmas/christmas-cakes-icings-and-toppings/classic-christmas-cake

I’ve just made three of these and then made another as it looked so good. I was right, it’s delicious! Simple too. It’s very light and fruity, I’ve tripled the spices though and that’s perfect for us, it’d be under spiced with less 🎄🎄🎅🏻🎄🎄

https://www.recipetineats.com/christmas-cake-moist-easy-fruit-cake/

This rum, sultana and pear Christmas cake is delicious and doesn’t need feeding. It calls for sultanas and dates but I’ve varied it based on what I had in the cupboard before. I’d recommend all the recipes in this article actually - I’ve made them and loved them!

www.theguardian.com/food/2021/dec/01/andi-oliver-christmas-recipes-spice-rubbed-roast-chicken-slow-roast-carrot-and-pumpkin

Thank you all! So many great ideas - and so much boozy fruit, I can probably try at least three of them 😝