Christmas Cake. When do you make it and how?

[Samantha Hill]

I know its three months off, but when do you start to make yours? They do say that making the fuit base earlier the btter and you can add more brandy to it. I 'accidently' made 6 individual Christmas cakes the other day. I say accidently because I was just experimenting with a fruit cake recipe. I added marizpan and icing to it and Ta Dah they looked like Christmas Cakes.

What is your favourite recipe for a Christmas Cake?

 

[RomanAnthonysMama]

My father-in-law takes care of the pies and cakes during the holiday season. I just take care of the cookies, brownies, and pastries. He makes this really awesome peanut butter cake with pudding in the middle. He makes about five within one hour, I honestly don't know how he does it!

 

[Becky]

I don't usually make a Christmas cake, but I'm going to do one this year. My mum usually makes a boiled fruitcake which is incredibly moist, but I'm thinking about making a chocolate fruit cake! There is a recipe for one in 'Feast' by Nigella Lawson, and her recipes are usually really good so I'm tempted to give it a go. Here are the ingredients:

350g/12oz dried soft prunes, chopped
250g/9oz raisins
125g/4oz currants
175g/6oz unsalted butter, softened
175g/6oz dark muscovado sugar
175ml/6fl oz honey
125ml/4fl oz coffee liqueur
2 oranges, juice and zest only
1 tsp mixed spice
2 tbsp good quality cocoa
3 free-range eggs, beaten
150g/5¼oz plain flour
75g/2½oz ground almonds
½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
Full recipe: http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/chocolatefruitcake_84675

The prunes should certainly help digest all the naughty food we'll be eating! I was also thinking of adding chocolate chips too

In terms of timing, I was thinking perhaps sometime in October so I've got plenty of time to feed it!