Christmas Cake

yogogran, The fruit cake sounds good I would like the recipe thanks.

I have a fan oven and it doesn't take as long as the recipe, and I also have to cover it lightly with baking paper after about 2.5 hours.

15 cakes - just putting off making 2!

Yes, soak the fruit in brandy! However, if you do not drink alcohol you could probably use apple juice.

I've just finished baking 15 Christmas cakes for friends and relatives. Over the years people have put in requests for me to do their cakes for them and the list gets longer every year. I always use Delia's recipe from her Christmas book but I never buy the fruit separately. I just buy economy mixed fruit and make sure the total weight of fruit is the same as her recipe.
Soaking the fruit in brandy ( Aldi's is good ) helps considerably. I also don't over mix- turning the fruit over into the batter in a big bowl seems to make the cake mix itself - no need to beat the living day lights out of it. smile
One big change I make to the recipe is the cooking time. I find in my fan oven(at 140) it only takes 3 hrs to bake .
It's become quite an enjoyable ritual and doesn't take as long as you'd think especially if you bake in batches. Yum .smile

I made mine last week! I always use the same basic recipe from "The Art Of Home Baking" a Stork margarine book that I sent for just after I got married 43 years ago. Since moving to Italy I have to adapt it slightly as all the ingredients aren't easily available here. I "feed" it with brandy regularly too!!

I should have mentioned in the recipe that I sometimes add nuts as well which adds a nice chunky texture

I'm glad it wasn't just me MiniMouse, perhaps GNHQ would like to make it a but more straightforward then perhaps we would use it more. There are some very tasty recipes there (when you eventually find the right section!)

yogagran I've been all round the houses trying to find the recipe section, so I hope you won't mind if I put it on here as a link (I'd like to think that I'm not the only numpty who can't navigate the site )

www.gransnet.com/recipes/dish/6551-Fruit-cake-no-added-sugar-no-fat

I will be cooking my cake soon too. I usually soak the fruit for a day or two in brandy first ......what do others soak their fruit in?

kitty and teetime - I've added the recipe for the fruit cake on the recipe page (I did have a bit of bother finding the page!). I've called it "Fruit cake - no added sugar, no fat". Very unoriginal title I admit but I didn't want to use the name that it's know as in my recipe book as a it's named after the friend who passed it on to me and she might not like being recognised!

I remember my mother getting that - and the freezer jam was delicious. I remember her saving yoghourt cartons to freeze it in small amounts.

Yes, I did find the recipe section eventually, but it's a real faff trying to remember where it is. I'm sure it would be used more if it were easier to spot.

I too rememeber Home and Freezer digest.

I kept them all with labels on the front .

Do you remember freezer jam made with Rasps.

My kids loved it

me too

I'd like that recipe yoga.

My recipe is from Home and Freezer Digest too, such a useful publication, I had a subscription to it and was sad when the magazine was no longer available. I had cut the recipe out and selotaped it onto a card for my recipe index. The date that I put on it was 1976!

aromart I have a fruit cake recipe that has no added sugar - just lots of fruit. It's made in a loaf tin and it's one I make all year round. I can it my "healthy cake" as it has no fat or sugar in it. I can let you have the details if you think it may be useful.

Recipes - hover over Life and Style at the top, choose food and then the bit you want.

It would be easier if there was a direct link though, I agree!

I think that's one of the reasons why I like it, it feels more luxurious to eat, also the cherries. In fact, the last time I made the Delia one I added loads of cherries and also some whole hazelnuts.

Its very similar but I like the whole roasted almonds they are a big favourite here.

But why isn't there a link to the recipes section? I can never find it, that's why I don't use it.

Good idea, I keep on forgetting to do that.

Maybe post it on the Recipes bit JR, then it will always be available!!

Oh dear, that's a bit big.

My MiL makes a wonderful Christmas cake, better than Delia's in my opinion ( I had often made hers). It's Jane Grigson's, and this is the only link to it that I can find.

britishfoodhistory.wordpress.com/2011/12/05/christmas-cake/

Ingredients:

1 ½ lb mixed dried fruit

4 oz of whole roasted almonds

4 oz chopped candied citrus peel

4 oz rinsed glacé cherries quartered or left whole

10 oz plain flour

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp grated nutmeg

the grated rind of a lemon

8 oz salted butter

8 oz soft dark brown sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 tbs black treacle (or molasses)

4 eggs

1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda

1 tbs warmed milk

brandy

Preheat your oven to 140⁰C (275⁰F).

Begin by mixing all the dried fruit, almonds, candied peel and cherries in a large bowl. Next, sift in the flour, turning in and coating the fruit, then mix in the spices and fresh lemon rind.

Now cream the butter sugar in a separate bowl, then mix in the vanilla and black treacle. Beat in four eggs one by one until incorporated, and the mix in the fruit and the flour. For the final stage, dissolve the bicarbonate of soda in the warmed milk, stir it in, and then add enough brandy to slacken the mixture slightly, so that it achieves a dropping consistency – you don’t want a dry cake, now do you?

Line an eight inch cake tin with greaseproof paper and pour the mixture in, hollowing the top a little to compensate for it rising in the oven. Cover with a layer of brown paper to prevent scorching and bake for 3 to 3 ½ hours. Test it after 3 hours with a skewer. When done, leave to cool in its tin overnight. Wrap in greaseproof paper or foil and keep in an airtight container.

Ideally the cake should sit for at least a month to mature, but 2 or 3 weeks is also fine. Whilst it sits, you need to feed it with a sprinkle of 2 or 3 tablespoons of brandy, turning the cake every couple of days or so.

The cake is ready to eat when it has been ‘fed’ for a little while, however, you might want to add a layer of marzipan and royal icing.

I thought I might try it this year, but I'm not sure how much of it would get eaten (apart from by me ).

None of us like Christmas cake much despite the fact that Mum made lots every year even when we asked her to stop.

My pudding recipe is a Fanny Craddock recipe that she did on TV in 1970/71 and can be made as late as 4 days before you want to eat it. It's brilliant and even better made well before and allowed to mature!!

Rubysong, my mincepies are from a Home and Freezer Digest Magazine recipe. I have tried to decipher the date but can't. I did love that magazine!!

My post should have read ' no nuts and no BOOZE !'

Yes I do that as the blessed Delia taught me- I think the cake is just there as a vehicle for all the booze I put in it pre during and after cooking!