Christmas cake!

[vegtable newbie!]

Hi

Could someone please help me, i am about to cook my Christmas Cakes!! The recipe says for an 8" tin cook for 4 1/2 hours, howver i am splitting the recipe over 12 small tins, to make mini cakes, could anyone please advise me as to how long i need to cook them for? Thank you.

Also the recipe says to tie baking paper round the top with a hole in it - do i need to do this?

Thanks

sue
xx

[Dobby]

I do ours in 2 loaf tins for about 2 hours, I tend to go by smell if you can smell them take one out and use a squer or fork if it comes out clean its done
I never put anything on top while cooking

[vegtable newbie!]

lovely thank you very very much

Sue
xx

[Alison]

I always put a bit of grease proof paper on top during cooking to stop any currants etc that are sticking out the top from burning. I also always find that they take a hell of a lot longer than you think they're going to to cook and have often ended up sitting there in my pjs desperately wanting to go to bed and the damned thing still isn't cooked. Last year cooked 4 half sized cakes and they took about 3/4 of the time of the larger one but obviously you're going for a lot smaller than that. As said above, you'll need to keep testing but am sure they'll be lovely.

[Hilary B]

The paper is to slow down the cooking of the outside while waiting for the heat to reach the middle. Just how big are the tins you intend to use? I would have thought an hour would be plenty if they are really small.

[vegtable newbie!]

i was really surprised they took about two hours!! But they are perfect - exactly what i wanted!!! Whahoo!! I didnt put paper on them. I put them in the small individual pudding moulds.

Sue
xx

[lottie dolly]

a few years ago i made a small one,the same width as a bean tin,i made my own tin using cardboard,about 5in high tied up with string,this was lined with 3 layers of greaseproof,fill to a depth of about 2.5in,cover top up later on during cooking,this was posted out to son no1 when he was over seas with the army,a welcome treat for him,hence the size,but postage eek,was worth it,have heard of people using bean tins as well.

[percy charlie]

i cheat with christmas pudding and save a bundel on the gas bill dont work with the cake though ! i make up the mix the night before and refridgerate, then line a pyrex glass bowl (puddin basin) half fill with mixture place grease proof paper on the top and then place a plate on top of bowl then microwave for 4 or 5 minutes small 5-7 minutes large depending on microwave wattage. once cooked drizzel with booze and serve or if required later cool wraped in the grease proof paper once cool drizzel with extra booze if you like (i put it in the mixture and on after as well) then warm each peice individually for approx 40 seconds tastes just as good and beats steaming for hours also do this with sponge small 3-4 mins large 4-5 mins. same as nearly all my veg gets steamed 3 pans on one ring a winner! ( sorry just had the gas bill this morning better than i expected so its working)

[Alison]

Always cook my Christmas pudding in the cook pot over night.