Christmas Cake Recipes

leck

I'm planning to make a Christmas cake over the weekend. Usually follow a Neven Maguire recipe, but can't remember which one I used in the past.

There's one out there called MacNean Christmas Cake (uses four eggs)

The other one is called MacNean Traditional Christmas Cake (uses six eggs). The latter is obviously a much larger cake but it also had proportionately more fruit. This one if from Neven Cooks (Chapter 9: Christmas in Cavan).

Anyone else familiar with these recipes and have a preference for one over the other?

Hodors Appletart

I'm doing one from an old cook book of my mother-in-law. My wife normally does it, but her dad had a stroke so she's busy with visiting him, I said I'd give it a go this year.

20cm/8in Round

• 650g of Raisins/Sultanas/Currants
• 100g Glace Cherries
• 100g Mixed peel
• 100g Mixed Nuts
• 1 Grated Lemon Rind
• 60ml Brandy

All of that into a mixing bowl, stirred up and left overnight

• 225g Plain Flour
• Tsp Mixed Spice
• 50g Ground Almonds
• 200g Soft Brown Sugar
• 200g Butter
• 15ml Treacle
• 4 Eggs

All of that into another mixing bowl and use a mixer to get it smooth and glossy, then combine the two bowls, folding the mix together making sure the fruit is evenly through the batter.

Into a cake tin prepared/lined with greaseproof paper, then into the oven at 140c and test after 2.5hrs, if it's not ready give it another 20mins and check again, then at 10min intervals

Allow it cool fully in the tin, take it out and leave it wrapped in the greaseproof. You can poke holes in the top of the cake now, and start to feed it with Brandy, Whiskey or Rum every couple of weeks.

Hodors Appletart

So I baked the above recipe again this week, and realised that I made a mistake last year, leaving it for 2.5hrs, the book I used actually says 2hrs.

I did think it was overdone last year , too dry and tasted slightly burnt, this year I took it out after 2hrs and used a spike to check, which came out clean. It looke much better.

Wrapped up and I'll be feeding it with brandy until xmas week, when I'll ice it.

ellejay

Hi Guys

How'd you get on with your cakes this year?

The outside of mine overcooked so I'm going to try again but I'm looking for a different recipe.

I prefer a richer cake, this recipe I have is a lighter cake

Madd002

I use Delias recipe never fails, made mine last week in Sept fed every week, made homemade marzipan 1st time this year huge difference and so easy, done that on Saturday and iced today ready to post off Wednesday to intended recipients, I don't like xmas cake so didn't keep one.

ellejay

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122915505#Comment_122915505

Thanks for that, I was looking at Delia's recipe, might just go for it.

Chris_5339762

Delia Smiths receipes are good, but Mary Berrys ones are easier to do in practice.

leahyl

I make Mary Berrys every year - used a different recipe one year and it wasn't great so stuck with MB since. Just fed it a little booze there the other day so hopefully it'll be nice and moist 😀