What are your favourite Christmas Cake recipes?

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I use my mother's recipe, which she had from a friend of my grandmother's. One year when we were moving, I realised that stuff I had 'boxed up early' included her recipe book.
So I went to the blessed Delia, to discover the same recipe - I compared them side by side the following year, and the only difference is the use of muscovado or demerara sugar!
In recent years I have varied the fruit, by including things like dried cranberries to replace some of the raisins.

One year, when I was about 10 or 11, my sister and I raised funds for our church by baking a Christmas cake, and challenging 'guess the number of currants'. We put just 1 in, which was when I realised you could play around a bit with fruit quantities. I live in such a nice old-fashioned place, that the story is still told occasionally!

I also use Delia's recipe and customise it with a few of my own ingredients- i.e. whatever I happen to find in the cupboard at the time, plus a certain amount of brandy. I have one in the freezer from last year since my DS, who was driving me down to spend the festivities with the family, managed not to pick up the bag of goodies I had left beside the door. This year, I will force-feed it to him.

I used the Delia Smith recipe for many years.
But now, liberated, I go to Tesco's and buy one.
Yippee!

The recipe I used for years, as a hand me down from MIL, was Philip Harben's recipe. DH seems to think the sky will fall down if it's not used. Last few years we're still eating it at Easter. Have suggested I don't make one but that idea doesn't go down well. . . . .

.....also it's now about the time to make it....bottles lined up at the ready maggiemaybe ?

Loosely, I return to Delia Smith's C-cake recipe time and again - but re-interpret year on year by adding other fruit combinations to make up the weight. AND I do think the cooking time guide is wring - it used to burn - even with a change of oven so now I cook for less time.

Definately with Shirleyw and Maggiemaybe on this one.
Delias creole cake. Made it last yeat, best cake ever.
As Maggiemahbe says it is a very "forgiving" recipe, chuck it in and off you go!! Perfect.

Mine is a very quick and easy recipe. I nip into Morrisons and buy their un-iced round fruit cake. I pop it into the cupboard for a few weeks then nearer to Christmas I cover it with marzipan and royal icing.

Thanks very much for your recommendations... now I just need to decide!

I've used my MIL's recipe for more than 40 years. It's never failed yet! I'm sure it's somewhere here on GN.

I've just been checking the bottle collection - there's some black raspberry liqueur and some limoncello that needs using up this year.

Yes, Shirleyw, I was going to recommend Delia's Creole cake as well. Great if you like lots of liquor in your cake, and you don't have to stick rigidly to the recipe. I just chuck in whatever alcohol I've got and it never fails - mine had Amaretto and apricot brandy in last year.

I stick to one that I have used for fifty years, from Mrs Beetons Book of Household Management.?Sounds old fashioned, and probably is , but if you would like the full recipe Oriel just let me know.It’s easy and delicious.

Haven't made a Christmas cake since I was at school
Only family member who really liked it was dad.

The one I use most years is from an old st.michael book of cakes. Delias 'Creole Christmas cake' is also very good.

I have done a Mary Berry Victorian Christmas cake a couple of times. Quite light in colour, fruity and not a lot can go wrong.

I like this recipe as you can use whatever dried fruit you prefer. Last year I used dried apricots, glace cherries and sultanas for a golden cake.

Have a look at

​http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/2607642/make-and-mature-christmas-cake