Quick query about making my own Christmas Cake

Penelope_Penguin

I wouldn't worry either

As this has fallen from the front page of OS, I'll add it to the existing thread, so that it may help others in future.

floyd

It will be fine without, fruit cakes like Dundee cake do very well without the treacle, it just gives the cake a darker crumb and rich taste but it will still be beautiful without (I make the Delia cake every year)

MrsE_2

Xmas cake is too black for me. But I like boiled fruit cake.
I wonder could you do a boiled fruit cake & feed it booze?
Or would it be better (lighter) without the booze?

Then it could be iced & decorated like a xmas cake.

MrsE_2

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/food/article-1093913/Delias-frugal-Christmas-The-Classic-Christmas-Cake--recipe-cost-8-55.html

In case this is any use to MSEers

MrsE_2

http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/stickydatecake_93149

This looks good too

Lippycow

I am doing Delia's Christmas cake (never done one before) she soaks her fruit in Brandy but i only have Whiskey will it be ok if i use that and how often do i feed it...thanks:)

ubamother

easy answer - yes! both are similarly alcoholic, and with the spices and fruits in the cake, the actual taste of the alcohol is very limited - I make a whisky Christmas cake quite often and it tastes just fine.

Penelope_Penguin

Lippycow wrote: »

I am doing Delia's Christmas cake (never done one before) she soaks her fruit in Brandy but i only have Whiskey will it be ok if i use that and how often do i feed it...thanks:)

I wouldn;t use whiskey - too strong a flavour for me. You can use cold, strong tea, or orrange/apple juice

As this has fallen from the front page of OS, I'll add it to the existing C-cake thread where it might help others.

Pitlanepiglet

I've used orange juice for ours this year (in the oven now!), when I came to soak the fruit we didn't have any brandy or whisky other than a small airline style bottle so I bunged that in and used orange juice as I couldn't be bothered to go out in the rain to go to the shops!

morganlefay

Small sad (or funny) story: I make delia's 'creole' Xmas cake every year - and very wonderful it is too - and I wrap it in two layers of greaseproof, and then make a big, tightly wrapped, foil parcel of it. I store it in the nice cold garage and don't look at it (it doesn't need 'feeding' with alcohol as there's lots in there already) from early November when I make it, till Xmas eve when I put a fruit and nut topping on it. Two years ago when I came to get it out of the garage (it was very high up on some shelving) I noticed that the foil covering had been disturbed, and on exploring I discovered that a mouse had not only found it, chomped its way through the foil wrapping and the two layers of greaseproof but had eaten away a whole corner of the cake and then apparently SETTLED DOWN TO LIVE THERE IN THE SMALL ROUND SPACE IT HAD CREATED. (How did I know ? Mouse poo everywhere, that's how :eek: ). I hope he had a terrible hangover.
So that's a warning really - if you make your cake nice and early beware drunken mice ! I am now the proud owner of a Lock and Lock cake box thing - which I had regarded as much too expensive ; however not nearly as expensive as having to whip up an inferior Xmas cake on Christmas eve and throw away all that lovely fruity, boozy Creole cake.