Stir Up Saturday / Traditional Christmas Cake

Hurrah! My essays and presentations for this semester have all been handed in, bar one that's due in January. I can rest easy for a while.

Two weekends ago I took a break from the library and three of us dedicated the day to baking our Christmas cakes, it's tradition apparently. We brought the day forward and had a 'stir up saturday', which is the traditional day for preparing your Christmas pudding/cake it seems. We listened to classic Christmas tunes, for that day only, to get us in the mood and after a few hours our house smelt deliciously like Christmas.

Originally my housemate and I were going to use the Xmas cake recipe posted on The Archers website, but when she checked the night before, the page had disappeared, it seems that the website has has a revamp. So instead she found this alternative. All the meticulous planning and subsequent smooth running of this operation are all to her credit. I'm glad to be living with an enthusiastic baker!








Hannah mixing cake number three.


This cake called for so much fruit that we weren't sure if it would all fit in the tin, but blessedly it did!


First cake from the oven (after four and a half hours)


I prepared the parchment for the tins. The layer of newspaper is to insulate the cake tin so it doesn't cook too quickly. I think it looks quite sweet and nostalgic all tied up with string.


Sitting proudly, admiring my handiwork.


My cake, unwrapped and doused with brandy.


William and Kate keeping my cake free from dust overnight.

My housemate and I are impatient for the chance to start eating this, but theres four weeks to go yet.

Most of the pictures were taken on Hannah's Panasonic DMC-L10, so much sharper quality and colours!

That evening with cake number three safely deposited in the oven, we went to see Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part I and I was not disappointed.