Has everyone already made their Christmas cake?

Cressy

I made mine with my two little GDs last week. They absolutely love weighing and mixing the ingredients using an oversized bowl inherited from my mother. It means that they can use their well scrubbed hands to mix it! I usually buy the ready rolled fondant icing and marzipan and then allow them to decorate it as they wish. I used to spend ages deciding how to decorate before they were old enough to ‘help’ but now I just hand them various shape cutters, decorations etc. For obvious reasons no one ever eats the icing but the cake is always delicious.

Yes I hated cooking when I was little but treasure memories of making the christmas cake & christmas puds! We used to make a wish when we stirred the mixture ( I think it could be the puddings traditionally but either).

These days I do lightly fruited christmas cake from the WI big book of baking, doesn't need long to mature, it has a week in the freezer as part of the prep. I wasn't keen on the "rich fruit cake cooked for hours" traditional christmas cake recipe, the fruit in this one is jucier because the cooking time's shorter & it soaks up just as much rum (or brandy)!

None of my family like rich fruit cake. I sometimes make a boiled fruit cake though. with cherry pieces added to the normal recipe. This year we’re away from home so things will be very simple.

Iv made two square ones which I can divide into four and ice etc and give away.
I made aversion of Delias recipe but I added cranberries and chopped ginger to the fruit mix and steeped one lot in brandy and cherry brandy and the other lot in just brandy..both for a week.

silverlining48

Ex dancer I Havnt heard the archers mention stir up Sunday yet, so there must be time.

😂😂😂

Good grief, no! This is something to think about in December.

Davida1968

Good grief, no! This is something to think about in December.

I used to make mine in half-term week.

Gives them time to mature

I made ours today, a couple of weeks later than usual.

My fab wife has made 3 log cakes already. Christmas cake mix, covered in marzipan, then chocolated. An old Cornish tradition I think, but much appreciated in our household

Made my cake a couple of months ago and have been feeding it with brandy. For last many years have not decorated it just left it plain used to decorate when family young but not anymore. Don't know why I bother anymore really since DH passed away as only me to eat it, still had some at Easter last year.

Stir up Sunday comes from the last Sunday before Advent.The collect of the day begins “Stir up we beseech thee ,oh Lord”

Just made mine today but that’s early for me!

I always make mine round about 25th September-3 months before Xmas! It’s now sitting soaking up brandy and will do until the end of the month when it will be marzipaned. I don’t eat it myself so it’s only for husband and daughter but I love the marzipan and royal icing!

Made mine this week from the Bero book. I’ve not made one for years but I used to always make one with this recipe. Buying all the ingredients cost as much as a small car 😂 I bought the cheapest small bottle of brandy to feed it, but when I got home I realised that it still had the security lid on (it was only £7!) I tried everything to prise it off - pliers, metal cutters, knitting needles - to no avail. Luckily it was a plastic bottle so I sawed the neck off. This cake better be worth it! 😂

Me too?

I stopped making them a few years ago - much of them would end up on the bird table. Christmas puddings, OTOH - with plenty of brandy butter…😋

I don't make my cake early as we like a lighter one than the full blown molasses version. My cake won't keep so long so I do it Christmas week.

silverlining48

Ex dancer I Havnt heard the archers mention stir up Sunday yet, so there must be time.

What are you doing when Jill is no longer around to remind us to make our Christmas pudding? 😉

I meant to say, what will we do….

I make a Christmas cake with 2 jars of mincemeat with all the flour etc cherries ( if liked) and don’t make to about a week before Christmas , lovely and moist ,

LadyGaGa

Made mine this week from the Bero book. I’ve not made one for years but I used to always make one with this recipe. Buying all the ingredients cost as much as a small car 😂 I bought the cheapest small bottle of brandy to feed it, but when I got home I realised that it still had the security lid on (it was only £7!) I tried everything to prise it off - pliers, metal cutters, knitting needles - to no avail. Luckily it was a plastic bottle so I sawed the neck off. This cake better be worth it! 😂

I have a vision of Gangsta Granny sneaking a very small bottle of brandy out of the supermarket and scarpering fast when the alarms went off 😂

I make mine in September, feed it with brandy from time to time.

Just made made mine yesterday. I don’t eat it so have made it for my son in law and his parents.. I love making it and the smell is amazing

I used to make Delias cake but it never got eaten and I always seem to end up taking it into work where the staff demolished it. The only time I really enjoyed eating it was when I had a January baby, was breastfeeding and always hungry.

I realised last night that we are well into November so I'm just making a shopping list of ingredients. I'm using my mother in law's recipe, which has been our cake for the last 50years.

No i dont do them now adays but have some fruit with rind to use up. Will probaly do some mince pies.