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Christmas cake

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  • 03-11-2013 1:18am
    #1
    BANNERMAN98
    Registered Users Posts: 242 ✭✭


    As it's the 3 rd of November is it too late to make a christmas cake ? I've been reading online and I keep seeing make it in October then feed it weekly.


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    #2
    Jellybaby1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 7,108 ✭✭✭Jellybaby1


    If you make it now for Christmas day it will get more than seven weeks to mature - sounds good enough to me.


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    #3
    BANNERMAN98
    Registered Users Posts: 242 ✭✭BANNERMAN98


    I've never done this before so any advice on the maturing or feeding of the cake are very much welcomed


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    #4
    phormium
    Registered Users Posts: 3,301 ✭✭✭phormium


    I never 'feed' fruit cakes, I make a Christmas cake where the fruits are plumped up in liquid first, this in my opinion eliminates the need to try and put moisture back into the cake, unless you like the flavour of raw alcohol in a cake, personally I don't.

    I use a version of this recipe http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/1160/simmerandstir-christmas-cake, I put in almonds instead of macadamias, you could use whatever nuts you like and any alcohol you want. The ground almonds are important in this cake too as they keep it moist as well, I do pour a spoon or two of alcohol over the top of the cake the minute it comes out of the oven, I don't stick holes in it, it pretty much evaporates away with the heat but it does soften the top of the cake so there is no hard crust. After that I just wrap it up and put it away, no further feeding needed.

    Be careful not to overcook fruit cake, stick a knife in it after recommended time and if there is no uncooked cake mix and the knife is hot then it is done, the knife will never be totally clean as the stickiness of the fruit will be on it, so don't mistake this for uncooked cake as by the time you would have a totally clean knife you would have cooked all moisture out of the fruit and turned it to chewy gummy bear texture. :)

    This cake cuts well a week later or months later, I would never bother freeze fruit cake, it will last for ages uniced.


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    #5
    freshpopcorn
    Registered Users Posts: 30,277 ✭✭✭✭freshpopcorn


    We use a recipe very similar to this. Turns out good!

    http://www.dochara.com/the-irish/irish-christmas/traditional-irish-christmas-cake/


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    #6
    Jellybaby1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 7,108 ✭✭✭Jellybaby1


    I have my dried fruit, nuts, peel, cherries steeping in 4 tablespoons of rum at the moment for a week in a plastic covered container in the fridge. Tomorrow I will remove from the fridge early to bring to room temperature, and then just add the final dry ingredients and eggs. I haven't made this particular recipe for years so hoping it turns out as well as it did for me before. The note I made in the margin the last time ('lovely') is no longer relevant as I had a different cooker then. Fingers crossed it will be lovely this time too! :)


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    #7
    Brideenie
    Registered Users Posts: 13 ✭Brideenie


    Hi all,

    I'm going attempt my very first cake this weekend - I know a lot of people would say it's too late but I don't care, am going to give it a go!!! I like the idea of soaking fruit as it seems to eliminate some of the need for feeding.

    Just wondering if you have any thoughts on type of alcohol, any tried and tested methods? I've been reading recipes and there are so many varieties - brandy, sherry, whiskey.....

    My mother makes pudding with brandy and it's delicious! But just wondering if there is much variation in the taste depending on alcohol and what you would recommend?


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    #8
    jeanrose770
    Registered Users Posts: 70 ✭✭jeanrose770


    I dont understand, why would you want to make the cake so early?
    Christmas is still weeks away? There is a way to make cake early like that, that makes it better?!


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    #9
    phormium
    Registered Users Posts: 3,301 ✭✭✭phormium


    jeanrose770 Traditional fruit cake Christmas cake is usually made months in advance to allow it time to mature, it tastes fine fresh and can be crumbly but tastes even better when aged.

    I don't think it's too late to make them, mine are in the oven right now. I have used every type of alcohol and to be honest I don't think it matters, you don't really taste the alcohol used to steep the fruit in with the possible exception of rum. I use sherry at the moment simply because of cost but other than that anything will do.

    Different if you are doing that 'feeding' lark (which I never do) then you will be getting the taste of raw alcohol so what type you use might matter depending on your taste. It's unnecessary imo if you have plumped up the fruit properly first, again though I suppose it's a matter of taste but I dislike the taste of the raw alcohol in the cake and you have to be careful not to turn it soggy.


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    #10
    MoiraC
    Registered Users Posts: 1 ✭MoiraC


    hi all


    I need to make Christmas Cake for a Diabetic, anyone have a nice recipe


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    #11
    Dizzyblonde
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Politics Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators, Regional East Moderators Posts: 12,108 CMod ✭✭✭✭Dizzyblonde


    I haven't made it myself, but there's one on the Odlums site and their recipes tend to be very reliable.

    Edit: Sorry, that's a gluten free one.

    Here's one on the BBC Good Food site http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/9225/diabetic-fruit-cake


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    #12
    Toto Wolfcastle
    Registered Users Posts: 25,005 ✭✭✭✭Toto Wolfcastle


    Maybe check with the person you're baking it for first though. There's a lot of sugar in that cake from the dried fruits. Most of the reviews say it's not suitable for people with diabetes and my husband is diabetic and wouldn't consider it suitable. Regular cakes in moderation is what we (try to) stick with. Depends on the person though, and the type of diabetes.


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