Christmas cake - Delia, Nigella, Mary Berry or Good Housekeeping?

[Ruth]

This year we are going to be spending Christmas with my son's girlfriends family and I have volunteered to make the Christmas cake.

Although I used to make one annually I haven't for 20+ years as I ended up being the only one eating it.

Unfortunately, with house moves and a new kitchen I have 'lost' my mother's recipe so would appreciate any recommendations you have.

They are a family of farmers who enjoy their 'bake' so I want it to be as good as they get from mum and daughter. The only request I have is 'no big chunks of nuts or fruit' so I will steer away from dates, plums and chop the glacé cherries.

From my mother I have always remembered 'wash the fruit' so the currants, raisins and sultanas will be washed and dried before getting a good bath in sherry and brandy. (There are no young children involved so it's fine if Grandad nods off afterwards and the boys won't find any patrolling policemen as they do their rounds of the sheep, cows and chickens on the quad). Do I need ground almonds as well as flaked or black treacle?

Tin to be greased then lined with grease proof paper and brown paper to be tied around the outside. Greseproof to be put on top part way through cooking. Oven fan on or off? Water in a tin in the oven?

Sorry, rather a lot of questions but I don't want to turn up with a dud.

So, who's recipe should I rely on to get me a star baker badge?

Thanks, Ruth

[cartoonp]

This is a classic Xmas cake 🎂

bbcgoodfood/recipes/...christmas-cake

I made a few though the years diffrent ones

[Disney_time]

I'm a Nigella fan. It has a lot of alcohol in it and lots of nuts. (Doesn't the alcohol all get evaporated anyway). I soak the fruit for a week rather than overnight and I made the cake two weeks ago. It's maturing away just now and I'll ice and marzipan it the week before Christmas.

I've had no complaints for the last few years when I've made it.

[Jan]

I made the Mary Berry cake a couple of years ago and thought it was the best I have made.

[tnkrbell]

I use an old stork recipe that my gran used to make. I soak my fruit and chopped nuts in some whisky with orange zest. Then add the rest of my ingredients. Only ever used treacle once in a cake and it didn't go down to well. We prefer a lighter christmas cake in our family. Another good recipe is Kevin Dundon. I make that one for my mam as its a smaller cake.

[Tynxuk]

Another vote for Mary Berry, I bought a 'kit' a few years ago and kept the recipe as it was nice.