[Working_Mummy]

Is it too late to make a christmas cake in time for christmas?

I've never made one so will need a good recipe, but i know my grandma use to make hers a good few months before christmas.

Any help would be appreciated.



ETA - What is the white icing that i would have had on my piece of christmas cake at Shingle Inn yesterday? I'd like to put this on my cake.

This post has been edited by Working_Mummy: 19/11/2012, 12:24 PM

[Becky Thatcher]

I started the fruit soaking in brandy last Friday. I will make the cake this Friday, so no, not too late at all.

My recipe is from Marian Keyes "Saved by cake book so not easy to link, sorry

[Fire_fly]

I finished mine today so defiantly not to late. Mine is an old family recipe but there is lots of yummy ones out there.
I dont put icing on my recipe so cant help you there.

[Two Sunflowers]

I try and make my Christmas pudding by October but a little late this year - I just made it on the weekend. I use DH's grandmother's recipe there are some nice recipes on tast.com etc.

LindsayMK - soaking fruit since Friday.... yummmmmmmmo! Only the second year I have made this recipe, no soaking mentioned. I think I will add my little spin on the recipe next year and soak the fruit.

My recipe calls for sherry OR brandy - is there much of a difference between the two? How would I base my decision on which one to use? Does soaking the fruit make much of a difference?

[tamjk]

If you are the type to use alcohol you're cutting it a bit fine, but if you don't plan on using alcohol in it it's certainly not too late.
.
As to the white icing used by The Shingle Inn, it's called Fondant or Plastic Icing. You can try making it yourself or you could buy it from Coles or Woolies. It's found in the baking section in a 500g box from memory. If it's your first time tackling the cake I would suggest buying it so you know what consistency the fondant is supposed to be.

[PrincessPeach]

The recipie I use is out of a 1983 women's weekly magazine & it's called catroina's christmas cake.

It's not too late - 1 month to mature is fine.

Then again, you can never make just 1...so there will always be time to eat one later.

[meggs1]

Not too late, I made mine yesterday. I make a Sri Lankan one. It has rosewater and cardamom as well as all the usual flavours.

[froglett]

My grandmothers Christmas Cake recipe is one that you can make as close to Christmas as you want (it's a boiled fruit cake recipe - delicious - but better made closer to when you want to eat it - otherwise I find it a bit dry). You can get the recipe here http://thecookbook.com.au/2009/01/15/tradi...as-cake-recipe/.

The white icing you mention is probably fondant, you can buy this premade at the supermarket and just roll it out. Roll to around 1/4 - 1/2cm thick, brush the cake with warmed apricot jam (sticks the icing to the cake), then lay the icing on the cake and smooth down.

[Working_Mummy]

I have 1.5Kgs of fruit in 1.5cups of brandy as of last night.

So hopefully it will be ok.

Just to find a recipe to take it, not sure how to tell a 'good' recipe. Would love one that has been tested.

[cward]

I used this recipe last year and it was lovely