Recipe for Christmas Cake

kethry

Bargain_Hunter wrote: »

Am I too late to bake my christmas cake now? I have a few days off work so thought I'd have a go at the Delia cake since it's so highly reccomended on here but notice people seem to start them back in August! Any advice appreciated as new to baking cakes.

nope. not too late at all. knock yourself out! People start em in august cos the more its fed, the better it is.. (all that booze you know) but you don't have to. Just feed weekly between now and when you marzipan it - I'd marzipan around first to second week in december, then ice a few days later (depends on whether you use ready rolled marzipan or not i think). That's if you use marzipan of course. you don't have to!

keth
xx

Pipkin

Does anyone have any ideas for an alternative Christmas cake?

All my family hate fruit cake, so for years I've not bothered to make or buy one, as it seems pointless if theres only me will eat it, but this year I'd like to make the effort.

So, it'd probably be a sponge cake (maybe marzipanned) definitely iced, but I don't want to make just a bog standard one -any suggestions greatfully recieved!!

Eumenidies

I always find it makes a real difference if you use butter rather than marge in cakes like this - tastes sooooo much better!!:drool:

Skint_Catt

Excellent - I might start making one this weekend then if I'm not too late either! To be honest OH and I will probably eat it gradually ourselves and I think Mum and Dad still have theirs from last year! With all the other food we rarely eat it at all!

heather38

Pipkin wrote: »

Does anyone have any ideas for an alternative Christmas cake?

All my family hate fruit cake, so for years I've not bothered to make or buy one, as it seems pointless if theres only me will eat it, but this year I'd like to make the effort.

So, it'd probably be a sponge cake (maybe marzipanned) definitely iced, but I don't want to make just a bog standard one -any suggestions greatfully recieved!!

i made a madira cake for DDs birthday and made butter icing for between the layers, i added almond flavouring to the mix to make it taste like marzipan. yum

Pipkin

Oh yum, that sounds lovely.:D

Thats a great idea, thank you!

Rossy2692

Hi all,

Sorry for my inexperiance with this sort of thing but do you HAVE TO have brandy in a Christmas cake? We don't like it and I am making my cake tomorrow, can I not soak the fruit in something non alcoholic, but still have the same effect? (if that makes sense!!)

Thanks in advance

Michaela

Alfietinker

I'd like to know the answer too - I'm pregnant and as I suspect I'll be the one eating most of the cake I don't want to put too much alcohol in really. I was just going to do a standard fruit cake nearer the time but I'd prefer to do one way in advance if it's possible.

heather38

the alcohol stops the cake from drying out so you might have to make it close to christmas.

Alfietinker

Thanks - my thanks button won't work! Back to plan A then - no boozy stuff for me