:nerves: 2012 Christmas cake
Okay, today i'm baking a cake, not any old cake either and the worst part of this is that i've never baked a cake before.
I'm attempting a Christmas cake bassed on a Jamie Oliver recipe.
I soaked the fruit over saturday and sunday night with Captain Morgans Spiced and this morning made the cake mix that has just gone in the oven at 09:10...
Had a scary moment after mixing the butter and suger in that when i added the eggs it looked lumpy so i whisked like a loon and it still looked the same. Haven't a clue if it was supposed to look like that or not so i pressed on regardless. Adding the flour and fruit after made the mix alot better, but i'm worried .
Now i have 2 1/2 hr wait until i check it with a skewer to see if its cooked, if not bake in for 20 min stints till it is.
Hope this works...
Looks about right. Good luck.
I don't tackle the cakes although I'm pretty good at mince pies.
Wife is making chutney next weekend. I love the smell of chutney and it cleans the enamel inside the casserole pot a treat!
I'm not looking forward to the cakes/chocs/pies part of Christmas this year. I have kept to a diet since February that has resulted in me losing 3 stone (and keeping it lost). I haven't eaten chocolate since having one choc truffle at Easter and I haven't eaten cakes, desserts, biscuits, crisps, fizzy drinks, sausage rolls, bacon sandwiches or any other 'junk' since February either.
I can't get my head around a 'junk free' Christmas diet but I also don't want to undo 8 months of good work.
Maybe I can just look at pictures of your Christmas cake when it's finished 
Cheers fella's.
Just been walking the dog to kill some time.
The smell is nice but i daren't look, 15 mins and counting.
Pics on the way!
Well?
Pat a cake, pat a cake, baker's man, bake me a cake as fast as you can. 
I'm in state of panic at the moment.
I took it out and skewered it and it came out clean but moist, so i pulled it out of the tin and wraped it but it sank a little. The trouble is it is supposed to be a moise cake, thats the version i took and i dont know if its moist because it uncooked or not.
Its now back in the tin and in the oven for another 20 mins out at 12.15
Its back in again, this time the skewer isn't clean and going on Delia's cake the top should spring out and not leave a mark, thats not happening.
On top of that most cakes i'm looking at on-line are 3 hrs +, not concerned at the mo.
Will update when im happy 
Don't wrap it when comes out next time. Leave it in the tin for 15 mins and then get it on a wire rack and let it cool completely.
You can always make another one.
My wife uses the recipe from my mum's old Dairy Book of Home Cookery (1968 p154 recipe 771). It's never failed.
Done!
What was Jamie thinking, 2.5hrs my derriere 
3.5 hrs and out, spongy top and finished off with some Cointreau which is on top of the left over Morgans i put on the first time out 
Just letting it cool for a few min's then i need to wrap it then seal it up until Christma. I will feed it some more booze over the next few weeks.
A few days before i'll decorate it with fruits and nuts and hopefull it will look like the pic below. Only time will tell if it tastes good and its cooked through.
You can always make another one.
I could but i'm not sure the wallet could take another battering 
Nice one - looks good!
I could but i'm not sure the wallet could take another battering
Battered wallet? Nah, I'd stick to cakes mate!
Today the topping is being done! Over the last few weeks the cake has had top up of booze and is smelling very nice, even though i say so myself 
We have pineapple, papaya, figs, apricots, almonds, pine nuts and walnuts, we'll use apricot jam to coat the top of the cake and fruit and nuts.
Pics will be posted later
Well chuffed and with loads of fruit and nut left over for picking at over the coming days though i've polished off the figs already, forgot how good they taste.
Well chuffed and with loads of fruit and nut left over for picking at over the coming days though i've polished off the figs already, forgot how good they taste.
Good luck!
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