Christmas Gift Ideas - Christmas Cakes

Christmas cakes need to be prepared in advance. First you need to soak the fruit, then bake your Christmas cake then feed your cake in the lead up to Christmas. Packaging is important too and we've seen some great ideas around for this and if you make it look really pretty, your Christmas cake will make a great Christmas present! It's a good idea to make a large mixture then spread this among a few smaller tins so that you can have multiple gifts for friends and family at a portion of the cost.

Finding a Good Recipe

Find a good recipe (there are plenty of recipe's online). You'll want to decide whether your Christmas cake is alcohol-free or not. There's also gluten-free options available. If you are going to spread your recipe over several smaller tins try to find a recipe that accomodates the smaller sizes or cut down your cooking time so they don't burn.

Feeding your Christmas Cake

Once your Christmas cake is ready (golden and delicious) you will begin feeding it weekly (like a small, hungry monster) with the liquid your recipe calls for. Don't overfeed your cake as this can make it soggy but feeding it a small amount keeps it moist until it is ready for Christmas.

Decorating your Christmas Cake

Prior to the big day arriving you'll want to decide on your decorating technique and pre-purchase any necessary items. It can be as simple as using stamped, brown wrapping paper with twine or red ribbon and add some plastic holly or fresh lavender from the garden.

Now your gift is ready for giving - your gift recipient is sure to love your handmade effort and boundless creativity! 

We update our Christmas hamper options every year. You can check out our up to date Christmas range on this page

Written by Joanne Emery from Jo's Kitchen.