Time to start baking

I do not approve of starting Christmas too soon, but an exception has to be made for Christmas cakes and puddings which need a bit of time to mature.  Traditionally these are made on “Stir up Sunday” which is the last Sunday before Advent- or in fact this Sunday coming.  The reason for it being on this particular date is that the traditional text for the day is “Stir-up, we beseech thee O Lord the wills of thy faithful people”.  Also I presume that this is quite a good ageing period for a cake.

Here are some of my ingredients.

Lidl are selling what seems like a good idea – dried fruit ready soaked in brandy.  Unfortunately by the time I discovered it I had already bought a bottle of cheap brandy – doubtless it will get used over the course of the year.

I am keeping making my main cake until the traditional day – but I am going to see my sister in law on Sunday and I always take her a cake.  As she is a vegan – obviously the recipe needs a bit of modification and I have tried loads of variants on it in the past.  None have turned out that well – they always seem dried up and some how a bit “healthy” looking which you don’t want in a cake.  However this year’s seems a bit better – here is the mix (made with the ready soaked fruit).

And here is the finished cake.  I am going to put marzipan and fondant icing (homemade royal would be better but it is not vegan) and then decorate it with home made crystalized fruit.