Time to start feeding your cake!

Life is going to start getting more hectic as we come out of lockdown and start heading towards Christmas but it’s important that you don’t forget your Christmas cake sat wrapped up in the cupboard. Like all of us it needs feeding. There is nothing worse than a dry hard Christmas cake.
 
Why do you need to feed your cake?
 

• Feeding your cake with your favourite tipple or fruit juice will intensify its flavour.
• Adding liquid will keep your cake moist and give it a soft texture.
• The alcohol will help preserve the cake for longer.
• For those who like their Christmas cake to pack a punch, this is the time to add the punch.

 
What do you feed the cake with?
 
This really comes down to personal taste. If you are looking for traditional flavours I would add Rum, whiskey or brandy. If you like a sweeter more fruity flavour try a cherry brandy or ameretto. For alcohol free cakes you can feed with a fruit juice such as apple or orange.
 
How do you feed a cake?
 
Traditionally my mum would always use a knitting needle and having place it in the cake would painstakingly try to make the spirit run down the length of the needle into the tiny holes she had made. Although the memory makes me smile I have to admit to being more inclined to make the holes in the cake. I use a metal kebab skewer then slowly drizzle 1-2 tblsp of chosen alcohol over the cake allowing it to go down the holes.
 
I repeat this exercise 3 times with about 10 days in between.
 
Tips:

• Make sure you can leave the cake for a week after its last feed before you marzipan it to allow the surface to dry out.
• If you lift the cake before feeding and it leaves a damp residue leave it another week before feeding again, you don’t want a soggy cake.

 
For those of you who have been following the blog and have made your own cakes please remember to share them with us. Till tomorrow have a great day. Jenny x