If anyone is thinking of baking a Christmas cake this year, it's still not too late. With the dark nights upon us, one way to lift the spirits would be to start thinking about delicious Christmas fare. I have already made my cake and stored it away to mature ready for icing. Here are some following tips for making that perfect Christmas cake.

1. Always use the correct size cake tin for your chosen quantity of ingredients.

2. Line the cake tin thoroughly. I use three layers of lining paper for the inside and two layers of brown paper for the outside. Grease it well.

3. When you have put all your ingredients in the tin, smoothing it over, take two further layers of greaseproof paper for the top, and cut a fifty pence size hole in the middle of both layers. Place these over the top of the cake tin, and either pin it or cellotape it in place.

4. Soak any fruit overnight or a few days before in a little alcohol or other juice so the fruit absorbs the flavours before baking.

5. Add the eggs slowly at the creaming stage to try to avoid curdling, although if it does curdle the cake will not be a disaster.

6. Before baking, place a tin at the bottom of the oven with two pints of water in it. This will keep the air moist in the oven and will produce a better cake.

7. Use an oven thermometer to check the heat in the oven every so often during baking.

8. If you have a fan oven, turn the temperature down. Fans ovens tend to be hotter. I baked my cake in a fan oven and it turned out excellently and was very even. So fans need not be bad news when it comes to baking cakes.

9. Do not open the oven door until the cake is three-quarters of the way through its cooking time.

10.To test if the cake is done, press the top lightly with your little finger. If it springs back into place the cake is cooked. You could also insert a skewer into the centre and if it comes out clean it should be cooked. However, I think the first method using your finger is more reliable.

11. After baking and when the cake is cool, sprinkle a couple of tablespoons of brandy or other alcohol over the cake. If you don't drink alcohol, use orange juice as a substitute.

12. Store the cake in two layers of greaseproof paper, followed by a layer of foil and place it in an airtight container. Store until you are ready to ice the cake. The flavours will develop during storage.

13. Sprinkle some more juice over the cake occasionally during storage if you think it is drying out.

Happy Eating.
Sue.

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'No one can make you inferior without your consent.'
Eleanor Roosevelt.

Not too late?
Susan, for some of us, it is far too early to start thinking about Christmas. :)

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Capitalize on this good fortune, one word can bring you round ... changes.

Not too late?
Susan, for some of us, it is far too early to start thinking about Christmas. :)

Yes, but you could make the cake now, if you feel inclined, store it away and forget about Christmas until the time comes around. The sooner you do the cake the more delicious it will be.

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'No one can make you inferior without your consent.'
Eleanor Roosevelt.

i should get my moms cake book...

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Scorpions - Wind Of Change