It's that time of year again, when my thoughts turn to baking our Christmas cake. I had planned to make it earlier - the longer it has to mature, the better it tastes, but I had a few problems obtaining the ingredients.
On Saturday evening, I prepared the dried fruit by sorting through and removing any stalks after washing and rinsing thoroughly. I then soaked it in brandy and left it overnight.
Moving to a new house has also involved getting accustomed to a new oven, which has proved to be somewhat inaccurate. I bought an oven thermometer and I'm so glad that I did, as it took quite some time to get the oven to the correct temperature and the results were amazing.
The cake took over five hours to bake and came out perfectly. It is the best Christmas cake that I've baked in years; if not ever. Now I can store it and give it weekly feeds of brandy until it is time to add the finishing touches.
Your cake looks wonderful, you will enjoy feeding it each week, the mell will be wonderful. I must think about making a cake and pudding soon:)
ReplyDeleteThe smell of baking Christmas cake is very special and it will only get better with added brandy! I wait until Stir-Up Sunday to make my pudding. Happy baking!
ReplyDeleteLooks like a lovely bake. Enjoy!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Bonny. We look forward to enjoying this cake in a few weeks. Marie x
DeleteOoo...such a lovely cake, Marie! It turned out beautifully! I baked ours at the top of October and very much enjoying giving it its weekly feed. The top got a teeny, tiny bit too brown this time, strangely, but it will taste good. Is it time to frost and eat yet?! ;) ((HUGS))
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