When's the right time to make XMas cake/pudding?

[suityou01]

The cook takes care of this, Shirley?

[MaryPoppins]

TBH I think we probably will buy a pudding, they are not expensive and generally of great quality.

Ooh crikey no, I don't think so. I'm not fussy about much but I'd never eat shop bought xmas pud. Get cracking now!

[alluvial]

The only Christmas Pud I like:

Marguerite Patten's recipe for microwave Christmas pudding

Ingredients (serves 4-6)
50g Butter
50g plain flour
Half a teaspoon of mixed spice
75g white breadcrumbs
100g soft dark brown sugar
150g sultanas
75g Raisins
50g Dates
50g Cherries
125g currants
25g coarsely chopped peel
grated rind and juice of half lemon
2 eggs
2 tablespoon treacle
1 tablespoon golden syrup
50ml Orange Juice
50ml Apple Juice

Method:
Sieve all the dry ingredients together and mix well.
Stir in all remaining ingredients until completely mixed.
Lightly grease a half litre (1 pint) pudding basin and fill with the mixture.
Cover with cling film and make a slit in the top to allow steam to escape.
Cook on microwave high for 10 minutes.
Allow to stand for 10 minutes after cooking.
Sprinkle with brandy and serve.

[norrahe]

We normally buy a pudding and don't bother about a cake even though we love it, but this year my mother and brother are joining us for Xmas so maybe it's worth the effort.

Is it too soon or even too late to make these? Should I have started last Xmas?!

Now is normally a good time, you just need to keep moistening the cake with brandy once week until xmas. My mother used to use poitin.

[mudskipper]

The only Christmas Pud I like:

Marguerite Patten's recipe for microwave Christmas pudding

Ingredients (serves 4-6)
50g Butter
50g plain flour
Half a teaspoon of mixed spice
75g white breadcrumbs
100g soft dark brown sugar
150g sultanas
75g Raisins
50g Dates
50g Cherries
125g currants
25g coarsely chopped peel
grated rind and juice of half lemon
2 eggs
2 tablespoon treacle
1 tablespoon golden syrup
50ml Orange Juice
50ml Apple Juice

Method:
Sieve all the dry ingredients together and mix well.
Stir in all remaining ingredients until completely mixed.
Lightly grease a half litre (1 pint) pudding basin and fill with the mixture.
Cover with cling film and make a slit in the top to allow steam to escape.
Cook on microwave high for 10 minutes.
Allow to stand for 10 minutes after cooking.
Sprinkle with brandy and serve.

Marguerite Patten? Isn't she ancient? I thought she pre-dated microwaves.

[barrydidit]

It's called 'stir up Sunday'. Wikipedia says it's 24th Nov this year. http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stir-up_Sunday

Seem to recall my mum always did it at half term, which would be about now.

[mudskipper]

Marguerite Patten? Isn't she ancient? I thought she pre-dated microwaves.

She's 97. Here she is 5 years ago aged 92



Looking fine, so must be doing something right. Mich?

[norrahe]

Ooh crikey no, I don't think so. I'm not fussy about much but I'd never eat shop bought xmas pud. Get cracking now!

I'd never eat home made, never mind shop made, anything with dried fruit of any kind is evil.

Don't get me started on mince pies

[MaryPoppins]

I'd never eat home made, never mind shop made, anything with dried fruit of any kind is evil.

Don't get me started on mince pies

I shouldn't eat it given the reaction it gives me but I love it, figure its worth the risk/time on the loo

[socialworker]

If you want a serious answer, I would either:
A) buy a good one, or
B) get a good recipe e.g. Delia, buy double the ingredients, make one cake and note the temperature and time it took, then try it. Adjust the oven temperature for the next one if necessary. Ovens vary and in my experience that's where things go wrong.

The good thing about making one is that you can leave out things you don't like, e.g. I cannot stand candied peel, vile stuff.