How to feed a Christmas cake (2024)

FAQs

How to feed a Christmas cake? ›

Feeding a Christmas cake involves poking small holes into the cake and then pouring liquid, usually alcohol, into those holes.

What should you feed your Christmas cake? Traditionally Christmas cake has a rich, spicy fruity taste, often associated with brandy but whisky, sherry and fortified wine such as Madeira or port can be used.

It is possible to use orange juice instead of alcohol for feeding Christmas cakes but we would suggest as a precaution that this is only done a couple of months in advance of the cake being eaten.

Serving cheese with Christmas cake

Traditionally, Yorkshire folks found that the sharp and crumbly Wensleydale cheese worked perfectly either perched on top or eaten alongside a moist, rich slice of Christmas cake.

There's no hard and fast rule about when to ice your cake, but it's best to do it between 24 hours and a week ahead of the big day.

You can use rum, brandy or whisky for spice, or if you like citrus flavours, try an orange liqueur. Cherry brandy and amaretto will also work well if you prefer these.

Feeding the cake is a matter of personal preference but it is a good idea to feed it shortly after baking, while the cake is cooling in its tin. Then you can feed the cake one a week or once a fortnight. Use 1-2 tablespoons of alcohol each time and it may help to use a skewer to poke some holes in the cake first.

Some say you should make your Christmas cake 6 weeks before eating, but the advice given on Nigella.com is that 12 weeks before is the optimum time to get baking. Your Christmas cake should be fed every 4 to 6 weeks but in the meantime, after baking, it should be stored away in a secure, air tight container.

The parchment paper and brown paper linings provide some insulation against the heat of the oven, which means that the cake bakes more evenly. If the tin is not lined in this way then the outside of the cake can cook too quickly, leaving the inside undercooked.

To fix your dry problem, poke holes into the cake with a wooden skewer and brush some brandy or port on top. If you are so inclined, make a simple syrup as well and brush both on the cake.

How long should fruitcake be aged? ›

Fruitcake aficionados will tell you that the best fruit cakes are matured – or “seasoned” in fruitcake lingo – for at least three months before they are cut. Seasoning not only improves the flavor of the fruitcake, but it makes it easier to slice.

Christmas cakes are also commonly made with pudding while a fruit cake uses butter, however there are Christmas cake recipes that do contain butter. The traditional Scottish Christmas cake, also known as the Whisky Dundee, is very popular.

Once cold, poke holes into the top of your cake, and spoon 3 tablespoons of your chosen alcohol over it. This will soak in nicely. At this stage, you can eat the cake straightaway or keep it to mature until Christmas time.

Wrap the cake in greaseproof paper or baking parchment then wrap it in kitchen foil. Store cake in a second layer of foil or in an airtight tin. You can repeat the feeding process every couple of weeks for three or four feeds. However, if the cake makes the work surface damp, appears wet or stodgy, discontinue feeding.

Apricot glaze is popular, but marmalade makes a great alternative as the orange flavour echoes the flavours in the Christmas cake. Making a glaze is simple - warm some apricot jam or marmalade in a sucepan with a little water, stir until melted, then pass through a sieve. And that's it - told you it's simple!

If you're looking for something more dessert-oriented, pick up a bottle of Tawny Port. Aged in oak barrels, this fortified wine develops nutty, spiced, and caramel notes that make an excellent match for a slice of fruitcake.

Cognac is probably the best substitute for brandy in fruitcake.

Keep the cake well wrapped, then feed once a fortnight with 1-2 tbsp sherry. Poke holes into the cake with a skewer and slowly spoon over the sherry. If you don't have time to do this, this cake is delicious freshly made, and can be covered and decorated as soon as it has completely cooled down.