Mary Berry Christmas Cake Mix - Tesco's - NOW £2!!

valk_scot

These are a great offer...I bought three bags of cake mix, made 15 mini cakes using pineapple ring tins (I collect these to make tea light holders for the garden), marzipanned and iced them, chucked some cheapo red paper ribbon round them and some £££ shop Christmas cake decorations that I bought for 10p last year. Bingo...nothing more to do for the school Christmas Fair on Saturday. And though they cost £15+ to make I can easily spend that on marshmallows and chocolate and such with less impressive results and a lot more faff.

Nintey

Thanks OP I managed to get the cupcakes and christmas cake. I have never baked a christmas cake before and I'm quite excited (how sad!) I want to do the cake to eat on Xmas day so when is the best time to bake it? as I'm sure I've heard somewhere that you are supposed to bake a few weeks in advance and keep feeding with brandy? is this correct? I don't think I will be feeding mine with anymore brandy, just the amount that is included in the pack (not much on the taste of it) so shall I do it a few days before xmas? or is it better to still do now and let the flavours develop?

katskorner

Make it now and add brandy or rum or whatever spirit takes your fancy! It will mature nicely for Christmas.

Picasso7

Nintey wrote: »

Thanks OP I managed to get the cupcakes and christmas cake. I have never baked and christmas cake before and I'm quite excited (how sad!) I want to do the cake to eat on Xmas day so when is the best time to bake it? as I'm sure I've heard somewhere that you are supposed to bake a few weeks in advance and keep feeding with brandy? is this correct? I don't think I will be feeding mine with brandy (not much on the taste of it) so shall I do it a few days before xmas? or is it better to still do now and let the flavours develop?

Do it now. The cake gets less crumbly the longer it is kept. I was told to make mine in September -- actually did them a month later -- and you can't guess at the amount of self control it is taking not to 'test' one! I poured vast quantities of brandy into them too so they can't fail to be yummy -- I hope!

Still hoping someone will say if the coupon works against this. Going to Tesco later and will test it myself if no-one else has done it first.

Nintey

Thanks Picasso and katscorner, I will make it tomorrow in that case. Does it have to be stored in an airtight container? Or just in a dark place?

pavlovs_dog

i've bought one of these, looking forward to baking it during the week leading up to christmas

Picasso7

Nintey wrote: »

Thanks Picasso and katscorner, I will make it tomorrow in that case. Does it have to be stored in an airtight container? Or just in a dark place?

I wrap it in greaseproof paper and also in foil. I think! Certainly in foil. You want to keep it as airtight as possible because it needs to stay moist. I suspect it might dry out in a tin without any other protection. But, hey, this is the first year I've made Christmas cake before Christmas eve, so what do I know?!

pretzelnut

My apologies in advance if these pictures are small, but photobucket is being a pain in the rear, and I cant figure out how to make them bigger.

Here are my finished cakes;

Images removed - as I was contacted by someone concerned that all my pictures on photobucket could be viewed.

I made some tags and printed them on 6x4 photo paper and cut them in half, think it finishes them off nicely.

wiltslass

They look lovely. Well done!

loobylou232

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Gorgeous, well done you! I HAVE to have another go now although I love the rescue remedy for the ruined cake too. Happy Christmas!