Christmas cake

I know you can leave the fruit soaking overnight, but not sure about the whole mixture.

Oooo i just love homemade christmas cake and the smell of it cooking. Sadly I no longer make one DH doesnt like fruit cake and none of the kids eat it. My Mum and Dad and MIL used to love it but they are long gone My Nan always made homemade puddings as well which were amazing, or is that just a childhood memory??? My best and oldest friend always use to make them on'stir up Sunday' but she no longer does as people's eating habits have changed and pudding now regarded as too fatty and full of what we shouldnt eat. What a shame.

I'd have thought that the mixture would be OK overnight, either in the fridge or just somewhere cool if there's lots of alcohol in it! Give it a gentle stir before putting it in the oven in case the fruit has sunk to the bottom.

I'd say give a go. If you do it soon, there'll be time to - secretly - make another if it's a disaster!!

I would not think so, and it's an awful lot of waste if it ends up in the bin.

Yes, absolutely you can. The recipe my MIL gave me stipulates that the mixture should be left to mature for 24 hours before baking. I've been making the recipe for 45+ years and no one's ever been ill!

This is the 2nd time I have had to write this, don't know what happened the 1st time but it disappeared. Thank you all for your replies.
Sue you have given me the confidence to give it a go. When the children were younger we would have 'themed' sleepovers and one of them would be for making the Christmas cake, they all had a stir and made their Christmas wishes. Even though they are now all at grammar school they still want to make their wish, and the only time I have them all together in one place is on a Monday when I pick them up from school and give them their tea so I was hoping to make it for when they came and let them make their wish, By the time they go home it would be too late to cook it.
Fingers crossed

I always use a Marks and Spencer recipe from 1980 which says "the cake may be covered with cling film and baked the next day". Never tried it though.

I always leave it overnight ( sometimes longer). In the 50 years that I have been making them it has never caused a problem.

You can leave Xmas pudding mix overnight, covered. Not so sure about cake mixture as I think some of the air mixed in would be lost, resulting in a flatter, heavier cake. Could you weigh out the fruits and soak them overnight in the booze of choice in one bowl, and weigh out the dry ingredients separately , cover and leave overnight. Then when you are ready to bake, combine them with the butter and eggs as per the recipe you are following? You could prep the tin the day before, too, to save time. Once your GC gave made their wish, the cake could go straight in the oven whilst they continue with their tea.
It would be a shame to go to all the effort and expense of combining everything the night before if it then failed to rise adequately during baking.
Perhaps you could check online using Delia online or Mary Berry. (Just a thought).

Yes, I agree. The mixture can easily survive overnight. At winter times, usually anything can survive. I used to make many cakes before but no more.

I've just looked at my ancient stork cookery book and the recipe I use says if it is more convenient very rich cakes can be made one day and baked the next!! Hope this helps.

Thanks for that lily pollen, I will do that

Thank you nonnasusie, it's looking very positive.

Thank you for your reply ginny, I'm feeling more positive about it now

Thank you all for your positive replies,, I'm certainly going to give it a go

I’m with the majority here. I really can’t see any reason why a rich fruit cake mix would come to any harm overnight.

Mind you, I use Delia’s Creole recipe, which is basically just fruit and booze with a little cake mix thrown in for the sake of appearances.

Nanaval4G whatever you do, enjoy stirring the wishes with your GC, so special and they will remember and treasure it in the future.

Yes you can. Cover and somewhere cool.

If there is baking powder in the recipe then you definitely cannot leave it standing, but must put it into the oven immediately. Otherwise it should be all right.

The recipe I use is basically fruit (and almond flakes) just glued together with mountains of butter, some eggs and a little flour! It’s a very dark dark brown. In mine the alcohol goes in after baking over a period of weeks, ideally months. I would have NO hesitation leaving this mix overnight in spite of the ingredient costs as it’s not intended to rise much at all and there’s nowhere for any fruit to “sink” to!

IF I was expecting it to rise or used baking powder in the recipe I would not want to do it - but if forced to do so for convenience would give it a go. If the fruit did sink, it’s not what you may want but does it really matter? Made with love, everyone will still enjoy it.

Good luck.

I'be always believed it is the Christmas pudding mix that you all stir to make a wish, always has been in our family, have we been doing it wrongly all these years?

Yes, I've done it . It's fine.

I always do as Mapleleaf does about the cake, and am among those who do the stirring and wishing routine with the puddings, tho I no longer make these. Used to do them every two years as taught by my mother. Always tasted better the 2nd year.

We do a similar wish thing but with the christmas puddings. As they live too far away to stir in person we do a 'virtual' stir using face-time! They phone when they are all together, then watch me stirring the pudding and make their wishes . It works for us!