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.

baglady wrote:

> 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.

How dry is it? My mother has been making dark Christmas cakes for years. I
remember once trying it when it was freshly made and it was a little on the
dry side, but she always puts brandy on it and lets it sit a month or two
before use.

baglady wrote:

> 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.

How dry is it? My mother has been making dark Christmas cakes for years. I
remember once trying it when it was freshly made and it was a little on the
dry side, but she always puts brandy on it and lets it sit a month or two
before use.

"Dave Smith" > wrote in message
...
> baglady wrote:
>
>> 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.
>
> How dry is it? My mother has been making dark Christmas cakes for years. I
> remember once trying it when it was freshly made and it was a little on
> the
> dry side, but she always puts brandy on it and lets it sit a month or two
> before use.

......but was it still dry??? I don't know how dry my cake is as I haven't
cut into yet. I wish I could as I want to know now.
Thanks.

baglady wrote:

> .....but was it still dry??? I don't know how dry my cake is as I haven't
> cut into yet. I wish I could as I want to know now.

No. The liquor moistens it. Try a piece and see how dry it is. Add liquor
accordingly, and keep it wrapped up. The liquor will permeate it with moisture
and flavour.

"baglady" > wrote in message
...
>
> "Dave Smith" > wrote in message
> ...
> > baglady wrote:
> >
> >> 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.
> >
> > How dry is it? My mother has been making dark Christmas cakes for years.
I
> > remember once trying it when it was freshly made and it was a little on
> > the
> > dry side, but she always puts brandy on it and lets it sit a month or
two
> > before use.
>
> .....but was it still dry??? I don't know how dry my cake is as I haven't
> cut into yet. I wish I could as I want to know now.
> Thanks.

Don't cut into it! Keep it well covered with brandy-soaked cheesecloth and
add brandy a few more times before you want to use it. Keep the whole thing,
including the cheesecloth, well covered. It won't dry further and the brandy
will moisten the cake throughout. Delia's recipe is super and if you
followed it, you shouldn't have a problem. It isn't a super moist cake
anyhow. It is just moist enough to not catch in yer throat. A Christmas cake
should be firm - moist, but firm.

Charlie

"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

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

"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

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

"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.

"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.