quick question ...when is the right time to bake a Christmas cake? (merged)

Pink.

Hi keza,

I don't think there is a hard and fast rule on when to bake a Christmas cake, but in my experience they keep well no matter how early they're baked...in fact I think that they improve with time.

This thread will give you an idea of when others bake theirs:

quick question ...when is the right time to bake a Christmas cake? (merged)

This thread has recipes:

Recipe for Christmas Cake

And this thread has advice on feeding and keeping the cake:

Christmas cake last-ability

I'll add your thread to the first link later to keep the replies together.

Pink

elf06

I go with the others and say its a matter of personal preference!! I like to give my pud at least 8 weeks and feed every 2 weeks

CurlyTop

I'm doing mine this week after having sent DH to Aldi to get 2 boxes of eggs last week only to find that they have best before date of 27/9/2010 on them. Eggs being the one thing that I don't eat after the date, guess who'll be baking all week!!

nannyboo1

nicki wrote: »

Family tradition dictates that I'll be making mine around October Half-term (last week of October this year).

Ditto - i always make mine during October half term as that was when I made mine with Mum when I was little (more time in school holidays)

On another note...I've already picked up the stuffing, Turkey roast (there's only me and DD), cranberry sauce, gravy and pickled onions for Xmas dinner

We no longer have the traditional dinner as we lost my Dad 2 years ago and it didn't seem right the first Christmas without him and this year we have lost hubby's Dad. When I did the full works for Christmas then I would prepare everything in the few weeks up to Christmas and freeze it so it only needed defrosting Christmas Eve and reheating on the day.

nicki_2

nannyboo1 wrote: »

We no longer have the traditional dinner as we lost my Dad 2 years ago and it didn't seem right the first Christmas without him and this year we have lost hubby's Dad. When I did the full works for Christmas then I would prepare everything in the few weeks up to Christmas and freeze it so it only needed defrosting Christmas Eve and reheating on the day.

I cheat - its the one of the few times I buy pre-prepared/ just add water stuff as a gift to myself. Its just a glorified roast dinner anyway

toontron

I am the ultimate money saver here - we never have a Christmas Cake!

SUESMITH_2

i will be making mine soon - don't worry about it going off, i've found ones from a couple of years ago and we've eaten them and they tasted lovely, possibly due to the amount of booze i soak mine with lol

niklepic

Is there a recipe anywhere for a boozeless cake? I'm not that keen on traditional christmas cake because of the sherry/brandy in it.:beer:

Christina_F

I made my Christmas Cake during the first week of September - just before I went back to work. I will prob make my Christmas pudding in OCtober half term, (I work in a school so the hols are the only time when I have the time to make them)

katholicos

Fortunately my mum always makes an enormous Christmas cake, so i have never had to make one as we always get a massive chunk....though i never used to like it myself, it's gorwing on me.