topic Re: Christmas cakes in Community Spirit

Christmas cakes

jean2579 — Sun, 02 Nov 2014 11:45:22 GMT

My DIL has agreed that I can make the Chrissy cake this year for family dinner.
How soon should I start, and how long does it need to stand. There will be sherry or brandy in it.

Re: Christmas cakes

j*oono — Sun, 02 Nov 2014 11:50:50 GMT

Jean, I have a recipe here and I've got to say first that I have never made it. It contains Underproof dark rum.

The recipe says that it can be kept for 3 months in an airtight container in the fridge.

Re: Christmas cakes

kas-au3 — Sun, 02 Nov 2014 11:55:42 GMT

buy a panettone. so much nicer than that pommy goo.

Re: Christmas cakes

imastawka — Sun, 02 Nov 2014 11:59:51 GMT

I usually make mine in October. Pour booze on 'em when they're hot

and still in the tin. Cover with foil and cool overnight in the tin.

Then remove from tin. Do not unwrap brown paper(you line the tin with two layers and

two layers of greaseproof - not waxed paper.)

Cover completely with foil. Seal airtight and don't open till Christmas.

Keep in cool, dark place. Doesn't need to be in the fridge

Re: Christmas cakes

beryl_green — Sun, 02 Nov 2014 12:02:59 GMT

make it soon, the longer it stands, the richer it becomes. As an aside I bought a fruit Christmas cake one year from woolworths and kept it in one of those plastic boxes with the blue flip ups on the side, I finally finished eating it 3 years later and it was still good.

Re: Christmas cakes

kas-au3 — Sun, 02 Nov 2014 12:07:29 GMT

@beryl_green wrote:
make it soon, the longer it stands, the richer it becomes. As an aside I bought a fruit Christmas cake one year from woolworths and kept it in one of those plastic boxes with the blue flip ups on the side, I finally finished eating it 3 years later and it was still good.

eeeewwwww but each to their own.

most english food has to be aquired like kidney pie, haggis, tripe or other disgusting things that no one would dare eat unless on the verge of starving to death.

Re: Christmas cakes

imastawka — Sun, 02 Nov 2014 12:10:00 GMT

Sorry, I forgot to say - make it with love and enjoy your Christmas

Re: Christmas cakes

amber-eyed-girl — Sun, 02 Nov 2014 12:13:06 GMT

That's sweet, Stawka

(Cannot see your piccie though 😞 )

Re: Christmas cakes

imastawka — Sun, 02 Nov 2014 12:24:42 GMT

Darnit. Where'd it go. I left it right there. It was spinning and everything.

Worked a treat. Now, just a memory. But I digress - try this one.

Not as nice, but still,,,,,,

Now it's back.

Re: Christmas cakes

cherry*135 — Sun, 02 Nov 2014 12:23:33 GMT

Keep in cool, dark place. Doesn't need to be in the fridge

Stawka - do you think for areas with higher temps/ higher humidity than where you live it might still be best to keep the cake in the fridge?

I took a large piece of Christmas cake (first one I ever made) on holiday with us (away a week) once. It was pretty much had it by the time we came home, affected by heat I think.

Re: Christmas cakes

imastawka — Sun, 02 Nov 2014 12:31:03 GMT

Did ya pickle it with booze? Alcohol preserves it. I use sweet sherry myself

Never had one go bad in 30 odd years (and they were odd)

I live in Melbourne - does get humid here. But if you're timid

then keep it in the fridge, but make sure it's airtight or it will dry out

Re: Christmas cakes

cherry*135 — Sun, 02 Nov 2014 12:34:55 GMT

No, no booze.

I was thinking more of the temps in QLD/Nth Qld.. the tropics.. hard to find a cool spot in houses there in summer.

I haven't made a Christmas Cake for years now... younger generation don't like it.

Re: Christmas cakes

imastawka — Sun, 02 Nov 2014 12:42:51 GMT

I heard a story once about the Anzacs at Gallipoli

Mums/wives made fruitcake for their boys at the front.

But because Sherry/Rum or whatever was too expensive,

they made their cakes without it. By the time the cakes

arrived they were rotten and inedible.

Only the ones made with booze survived the trip.

Always, always make christmas/fruit cake with alcohol if it needs to keep

Re: Christmas cakes

kas-au3 — Sun, 02 Nov 2014 12:48:15 GMT

@imastawka wrote:
I heard a story once about the Anzacs at Gallipoli

Mums/wives made fruitcake for their boys at the front.
But because Sherry/Rum or whatever was too expensive,
they made their cakes without it. By the time the cakes
arrived they were rotten and inedible.

Only the ones made with booze survived the trip.

Always, always make christmas/fruit cake with alcohol if it needs to keep

you also have to be blind drunk in order to want to eat it.

like poi floater.

Re: Christmas cakes

imastawka — Sun, 02 Nov 2014 12:52:32 GMT

Aww, c'mon, kas. Ya can't compare a Chrissy cake to a pie floater

Re: Christmas cakes

gleee58 — Sun, 02 Nov 2014 13:10:15 GMT

@imastawka wrote:
Aww, c'mon, kas. Ya can't compare a Chrissy cake to a pie floater

My theory is that they used to put coins in to blackmail the kids to eat them. No coins no eat.

Re: Christmas cakes

kas-au3 — Sun, 02 Nov 2014 13:13:19 GMT

@imastawka wrote:
Aww, c'mon, kas. Ya can't compare a Chrissy cake to a pie floater

it's POI floater. can't ya spell awstrawlian?

and yes i can. it's just as disgusting.

if you want to eat something nice buy a pannettone.

..or anything else except cat food.

Re: Christmas cakes

kas-au3 — Sun, 02 Nov 2014 13:24:13 GMT

sorry i was a bit sloppy with the words there.

what i meant was that you can buy anything else including cat food that will taste better than pommy food.

if you have that aquired taste - uuhhmmm ok i don't want to insult you but....

it's just that there is so much nice food out there that eating english food is like eating cat food when there is a gourmet menue in front of you but you chun it in favour of the cat food.

my point is: why eat somethine EEEWWW if you can eat something yummy instead?

Re: Christmas cakes

jimmy*part4 — Sun, 02 Nov 2014 13:25:37 GMT

I googled Christmas cake. Can't say I'm a fan, and if I was starving to death I'm sure I'd love some. 🙂

I also googled a spinning Christmas cake....none found, but This did come up. What kind of noise do you think a porcupine makes? Weird!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=_dnB3IapeAA

Re: Christmas cakes

j*oono — Sun, 02 Nov 2014 13:31:08 GMT

This thread is funny. The Christmas cake wasn't the only thing that needed more booze 😄