22 Dec 2011

Whitworths Christmas Cake Kit


Whitworths Christmas Cake Baking Kit


Christmas Cake is like Marmite - either you love it or you hate it, I 'like' Christmas Cake, its not my favourite but its not Christmas without a cake to devour with cups of tea, port and cheese.


I have always fancied making my own, starting months before and then pouring alcohol over it to keep it moist (and very boosy) for weeks and weeks.  As always I forgot and so 3 days before the big day I am now embarking on making my cake.


To help me out I am using a Christmas Cake kit from Whitworths.  Inside is almost everything I need: Soft Brown Sugar, Mixed Fruit with Rum, Black Treacle, Chopped Almonds, Plain Flour, Mixed Spice and the recipe card.    You also need to provide yourself the baking tin, baking parchment, butter, 3 eggs and lemon zest and juice.
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To make the cake just follow the instructions - simple :)  (I'll let you know how I get on)
I have read online to lower the temperature in my oven a bit as I have a fan oven and also to put a circle of baking parchment on top of the cake (not touching the mixture) so that the top doesn't get too brown.  The pack states 150*C so I'll knock it down to 140*C instead.  The total baking time is 3 hours so I will watch that too as it may cook a little quicker in my oven.


What annoys me is that the decorating kit has to be brought separately.   The cake kit is around £8 which is a lot cheaper than buying all the ingredients on their own (plus you have no half packets of ingredients hanging around or being wasted), then you have to buy a decorating kit (or all the icing sugar etc... to make your own) the icing kits are at least a further £5+ to buy.    


To be honest its cheaper and easier to buy a ready done cake .... but its not so much fun :)

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