Has everyone already made their Christmas cake?

Maggiemaybe

When it comes to boozy cakes, it’d be hard to beat Delia’s Creole recipe, which I use every year. It doesn’t need maturing, so I usually start it a month before. I mix and match the booze, depending on what I need to use up.

I used to make that but since OH died I don't bother, he was the one who really loved Christmas cake, same with puddings, I used to use an ancient recipe from Dorothy Sleightolmes Yorkshire Farmhouse Kitchen, a tv prog yonks ago, her parkin recipe is superb too.

Oh yes, the dreaded mixed peel!

Allira

Does everyone buy separate dried fruits or the mixed fruits?

I used to measure out all the different dried fruits carefully.

I use separate dried fruits. as I don't like mixed peel.

When all the family lived at home I used to make the cake, almond paste and royal icing from scratch, plus Christmas pudding and brandy butter, mincemeat, sausage rolls and mince pies. I’m the only one who actually likes any of it and now I happily live alone I don’t bother.

tbh I just love marzipan and scoff it as I roll it out.

Me too, well someone has to eat the scraps. 😀

I made mine last month and soaked the fruit in brandy the night before. I've fed it this week and will do next week. Maybe once more after that. I will leave it a few days then marzipan it and let it dry out before I Royal Ice it.

I make a gluten free Christmas cake using almond flour and baking powder. Lots of dried fruit steeped in brandy, and I have to use marzipan and icing, tbh I just love marzipan and scoff it as I roll it out.
Will start next week. I used to start much earlier but this year has been a bit tricky to say the least so am playing catch up.

A loaf cake or two might be a good idea, CanadianGran
🤔

Does everyone buy separate dried fruits or the mixed fruits?

I used to measure out all the different dried fruits carefully.

Thanks everyone. I just bought the fruit today, and will mix it up with some rum to soak overnight. I've always used a nice Jamaican dark rum instead of brandy.

I use a recipe from Canadian Living Magazine which I cut in half. It makes a nice loaf size cake. Looking at the recipe, it is very similar to Mary Berry's. I never bother to use either marzipan or icing, so I guess I should just call it fruit cake!

My Mum used to make a dark one and a light one, but I always loved the dark one the best. I seem to remember she made them in a tube cake pan, I think because it was faster to bake, and easier to cut.

Maggiemaybe

When it comes to boozy cakes, it’d be hard to beat Delia’s Creole recipe, which I use every year. It doesn’t need maturing, so I usually start it a month before. I mix and match the booze, depending on what I need to use up.

It's a lovely cake, I too have been making this, since I was given her Christmas Cook book. The inscription inside to me is October 1990.
I even used the recipe to make a tier of my DD wedding cake.

Funnily enough I took the book out this afternoon as I started a Christmas Pud, it's have a nice soak in some Booze.

Does anyone put nuts in their Christmas cake?

Yes.

Cake is Mary Berry plus extra cherries.

Pudding is Nigella plus extra nuts. And brandy and port used to soak fruit instead of sherry.

I started making christmas cakes before I was married about 60 years ago, then a couple of years ago I used loaf size tins as there's only myself and 2 daughters like them,,,

Well, not as old as me 😁
But getting on a bit.

Allira

Sorry, not very old - quite mature.

Like us? 😜

Stir up sunday is when puddings were traditionally made

justwokeup I don`t worry about the cost of making it, everything in the cake is organic and it would cost an awful lot of money to buy. Making it is far cheaper

Sorry, not very old - quite mature.

I daren't ask about the rather old home-made pudding in the cupboard again .....

ExDancer

When IS stir-up Sunday Whitewave? For some reason I thought it was in September. Anyway I made mine yesterday but my mixer broke half way through.
It's turned out well all the same.

Last Sunday in November😊

What a lovely scent of baking in my house still lasting and the Delia cake has turned out wonderfully. I prepped in the old way, with a doubled band of brown paper around and some greaseproof on top. I did check the oven temperature and it was a perfect 140 degrees. Had to check because I rarely use the big oven

I am not going to ice it, that amount of sugar is a step too far but I will be putting the decadent marzipan on

I won`t be making pudding or mincemeat

Fartooold

I have made mine but dropped it when I took it out of the oven!!! Have squashed it together and poured sherry over it. It doesn’t look too bad but needs marzipan.

Pour some brandy over it, wrap it ip tightly in baking paper then tinfoil, then in a tin.
By the time it needs marzipanning, it might have stuck together 🤞

I have the urge to make one now, but not today.

I will be making mine a week or so before Christmas as it is a whisky Dundee fruit cake, and will dry out if made too soon.

I have made more traditional rich fruit cakes in the past and it has been around now when I’ve made them, so, no, you haven’t left it too late to make yours, CanadianGran.

Fartooold

I have made mine but dropped it when I took it out of the oven!!! Have squashed it together and poured sherry over it. It doesn’t look too bad but needs marzipan.

I know the feeling. I had a similar accident with a simnel cake some years ago. i had a junior moment and tipped the cake out of the tin before it had cooled, I piled the cooked cake, all back into a straight sided casserole dish the same size as the tin and then iced the top. and cut the slices while it was still in the casserole

Ours were madex3 weeks ago. 3 cakes in fact, one for me and DH, one for DS and his family and a further square one which will be cut in half prior to decorating and then given as a gift to two friends at the appropriate time. Weekly feeding with brandy between now and just before Christmas when they will all be decorated. Before that I gave grandsons 5th birthday cake to make!