christmas cake..... advise please!!

[livinginadreamworld]

Today I have cooked my christmas cake, and it actually looks perfect... this is the first year I have done it, as it has always been my df's job to bake and my dm's job to ice.

This year I am on the other side of the world and they are coming here for christmas, so I decided to do one for them. I have baked and it looks good, I understand I should 'feed' it with brandy every week until christmas, but have also been told i should marzipan it 3 weeks before and ice it a week before. can I still 'feed' it once marzipaned?

I'm curious/confused as to the timing for 'feeding', marzipan and icing as I have had/read lots of conflicting advise.... Someone tell me what to do!!!

I feed once a week - or week and a half

put holes in top with skewer and drizzle brandy over

I always marzipan and ice mine a couple of days before the big day, with the DC - never done it 3 weeks before and it always tastes great

No idea but I really admire your effort!

I don't think you can feed it once the marzipan's on. What I did last year was feed it until about 2 weeks before christmas, then marzipan, then wait a week before icing. I think you have to wait a bit between marzipan and icing so the colour of the marzipan doesn't bleed into the icing (possible I may have made that up)

Anyway last year I did that and the cake was gorgeous apparently. I don't eat the stuff but my mum is still raving about it.

It will taste lovely whatever, don't worry. Homemade christmas cakes are so much better than bought and people always appreciate the effort you've gone to.