"Wayne Boatwright" > wrote in message
...
> "baglady" > wrote in news:418fba34_4@mk-
> nntp-2.news.uk.tiscali.com:
>
> > Today I have cooked a Christmas cake following Delia Smith's Traditional
> > cake recipe and I fear that it may be a bit dry. I fed it a little with
> > brandy when it had cooled. Will my cake moisten up a little in keeping
or
> > will it still be dry come Christmas??? I lined the cake tin with paper
> > inside and out.
> > Any advice anyone?
> > Thanks.
>
> Quite honestly, you've probably baked this too late for Christmas.
> Christmas cakes are best baked shortly after Christmas for serving the
> following Christmas.
>
> Having said that, however, it's probably not too late to do something
about
> your cake. It needs to be wrapped in something absorbant like cheesecloth
> or a clean, thin, flat-surfaced kitchen towel. The wrapped cake should be
> placed in a tin or plastic container that can be tightly sealed. When
it's
> been prepared this way, the cake's surface should be moistened with
> whatever spirits you prefer; e.g., brandy, rum, irish whiskey, etc. The
> wrapping should also be doused with spirits, then the container sealed
> tightly. This annointing ritual should be repeated weekly, moistening the
> fabric lightly each time.
>
> You should have a fairly moist cake by Christmas, but I wouldn't cut it
> until then.
>
> --
> Wayne in Phoenix
>
> You can easily add brandy or any of its kin several times between now and
Christmas......sometimes I think it tasts better if it sits out about 30
minutes befor you serve. A tradition started here when people gave me
too much zucchini bread....I started putting apricot brandy on it about
every two weeks or so and when the holidays arrived it was just about the
texture of cheap fudge (not grainy though) a bit potent but great taste
......quite rich and strong. I add a little whipped cream on top and a
little grated chocolate ...........a great coffee dessert. I have used
other flavored
brandies, bourbon, whiskey and rum depending on the bread but apricot is my
favorite. Southern Comfort is pretty good if the bread has lots of nuts
especially pecans.
>
>

> *If there's a nit to pick, some nitwit will pick it.
> *A mind is a terrible thing to lose.