It's that time of year again! I usually bake our Christmas cake during the half term holiday, but with my Husband on holiday too, I was rather busy. So this week I made the cake using my usual recipe - Delia's Classic Christmas Cake. Breaking with tradition, this year I used Sherry instead of Brandy in the recipe.
It is a 7.5" cake and I baked it at 130'C for 4 hours.
Once cool I fed the cake. One for the cake, one for me ... :)
Each year I try to decorate my cake differently. It is getting more and more difficult to think of something, but this year inspiration struck in the form of an advert in a cake magazine that I was flicking through in the supermarket. This year our Christmas cake will have two tiers, so I baked a second cake. This one is a 5" cake, made using half of the ingredients in the above mentioned recipe. I baked it at 130'C for 2 hours. Once cool I fed and wrapped it up. Each week I will feed the cakes until I decorate them.
While the cakes were cooling I kept a close eye on Maurice the cake-stealer! But he and Ella were doing what cats do best -
snoozing in patches of sunlight!
Craft-wise I am trying to make items for some Christmas swaps, but I have been rather accident prone lately and I have hurt my left forearm so I can't crochet! :( In the past few weeks I have been eaten alive whilst gardening and had an allergic reaction, some flat-packed furniture fell onto my right hand and I have a bruised fingernail and I have stood on some broken glass and cut my left foot (still hoping no glass is left in there!)!! What I am most upset about is not being able to crochet! Craft addict or what! :) Hopefully it will improve soon - at least it is my left arm and I am right-handed.
Next up on my To-Do List is making Mincemeat and Christmas Puddings ... and still watching those cats! ;)
5 comments:
Such a lovely post. I like to see how everyone is preparing for christmas. Your cake looks lovely. I can't wait to see how you decorate it. Lots of Love xxx
Do so love Christmas cake. I used whisky in mine this year instead of brandy. Love the idea of a tiered cake!
Victoria xx
I like the sound of one for me one for you when feeding the cake!! I've just put the fruit in it's brandy bath tonight, and the smell of the orange and brandy is making me feel so christmassy!
Can't wait to see the two tiered decorating!
The Christmas cake looks wonderful! So sorry you have hurt your arm and can't crochet...hope it gets better very soon.
Take care and have a lovely weekend.
Helen x
Thank you for all of your lovely comments. Whisky in a Christmas cake sounds yummy Victoria. I might try that another year, but I would have to hide the bottle from my husband as he likes whisky! :) Best wishes to you all, Pj x
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