The Cake was declared fit. All the alcohol had been added, a thin coat of marzipan applied to its top, and the Santa perched where only a Santa should be.
Usually she uses the well-tried Guinness Cake recipe, but Lady Magnon made Mary Berry's 'Classic Rich Christmas Cake' this year; with the addition of some chopped Prunes.
It's bottom has been bathed in Armagnac for the past two weeks, and allowed to 'mature'. Ms Berry suggests making the cake anything up to three months in advance. Three months? She obviously doesn't know the Magnon household, it wouldn't last two weeks!
Verdict: Very good. 10/10.
Enjoy - looks like there lots of delicious cherries.
ReplyDeleteThe other thing I like about it is just marzipan and no extra sweet icing.
DeleteMy insistence, but I don't eat the Marzipan either. Far too sweet.
DeleteYum!! I would love a slice of that along with a hot cup of coffee!
ReplyDeleteThe gal done good this year; it's delicious.
DeleteI would love too.
ReplyDeleteIf only I could send you a slice!
DeleteYou are the most kind person in blogland Cro:)
Deletexxx
DeleteDefinitely 10/10 - I can taste it from here. And I am very pleased to see some-one who knows how to cut a Christmas cake....
ReplyDeleteAlphie
You mean the bigger the slice the better?
DeleteThe cake looks very good Cro.
ReplyDeleteTastes even better KK.
DeleteIt looks lovely. Even though I profess to hate prunes you can sneak them by me if they're chopped up small enough. It's a bit like getting vegetables down kids. x
ReplyDeleteI'm sure your hatred of prunes must be related to the distant past. Our local prunes are simply delicious.
DeleteIt looks delicious! Congratulations Lady M! I wish I could have a slice.
ReplyDeleteI love that extra touch to it too, with the holy and the berries, so 10/10 for the decorations as well.
Greetings Maria x
I'll tell her you noticed. Thank you.
DeleteThat looks delicious. Top marks and congratulations to Lady M. Will there be any left by Christmas Day?
ReplyDeleteI did suggest (very quietly) that we keep it until about the 23rd, but she won. NO chance!
DeleteFabulous....looks delicious.
ReplyDeleteIt's a classic, just as Mary Berry describes it!
DeleteWell, that bit with Father Christmas on top is my slice ..... where's yours !!! XXXX
ReplyDeleteWe couldn't find our plastic Reindeer, so poor Santa was all alone.
DeleteThis made me smile Cro (it looks delicious) - I make my son's cake too and I have to keep it here until Christmas eve because he cannot resist it either.
ReplyDeleteOnce broached, they don't last long.
DeleteDelicious.
ReplyDeleteBut today you have to be careful.
I just received a Christmas card on which was printed in microscopic text: unsuitable for children under 5 - may cause choking. It had glitter and shiny thing on it.
Eating Holly may also cause choking. Be careful. And watch out for breath tests and radar traps!
I received a speeding ticket yesterday... maybe there some connection.
DeleteGood job it sounds as if your ticket was automatic rather than a physical stop, search around and blow - especially after the boozy cake
DeleteIt's bottom bathed in Armagnac for two weeks.....I would love to try it!!!
ReplyDeleteOnly small amounts at each bathing. But I did have to buy another bottle.
DeleteI love Christmas Cake. This one looks so wonderful,
ReplyDeletethanks to the Lady Magnon
Will have to look up this recipe.
cheers, parsnip
It's from quite an old book, but I'm sure it can be found.
DeleteI wouldn't mind having a bath in Armagnac. Speeding eh?
ReplyDeleteThe Fumel cops have been hiding again. This is the second I've had on the Avenue de l'Usine. Bast*rds.
DeleteI love Christmas cake, but haven't made one this year. I have made a couple of Dundee cakes and a couple of GF chocolate brownie cakes for presents but that is all, nothing for us. Might make a choc cake tomorrow.
ReplyDeleteRe. the belly pork, should I take the skin off? I have left it on for now, but could take it off tomorrow when I drain the liquid off the brine.
Gill
It makes it much easier to slice if you take it off. I take mine off AFTER it has been through the process. I'm interested to see how you get on.
DeleteJust about all of the Christmas baking I've done so far has been distributed as gifts to other folks. I am delighted to have received a Christmas fruit cake, made to a traditional recipe of my grandmother's, this year by a team of my 98 year old Mom and my 60-something year old brother (who's a fine cook and baker.) I'll be waiting until Christmas Day for my first slice of the cake, but know it will be delicious and made with love.
ReplyDeleteTomorrow morning, I will be baking whiat might be my final batch of Christmas brown sugar and butter cookies, rolled out and cut into star shapes.
My local version of Santa's workshop might be cutting out the lights tomorrow.
Lady M's cake looks fantastic. Perhaps I will be trying a Christmas cake in 2017, and will remember the recipe Lady M has chosen.
Best wishes.
She's been making more batches of Mince pies, Parmesan biscuits, and shortbread. We're well stocked now until new year.
DeleteWe don't usually decorate outdoors too much, but this year we've ended-up with an excess of tree lights which have gone over our entrance. We tried them out last night; very good.