Maybe the daftest question ever asked here

[Ducky2003]

Ok...... I accept that this may be the daftest question asked on here ever, but for the first time in 4 years, I'm making a Christmas cake and wondered what to do about the booze. I havent had any alcohol since the AF landed 4 years ago (even though I don't think it's a trigger for me) I have had shop bought cake and Christmas pudding but I dont think they had much alcohol in...........and certainly not as much as I would probably feed the thing up until Christmas. Am.I over thinking this? 😁

[jeanjeannie50]

There is no such thing as a daft question on this forum Ducky, so rest assured. Are a lot of other people going to be eating this cake other than you?

Jean

[Ducky2003 in reply to jeanjeannie50]

Just me and hubster but we only have small pieces at a time 😊

[jeanjeannie50 in reply to Ducky2003]

Then I think I would leave the alcohol out. It will still taste nice. Of course you could give it a try, but then there'd be no more Christmas cake for you if it did trigger an attack. Or you could make two smaller ones, one with and on without alcohol.

Jean

[BobD Volunteer]

Skip the cake for the sake of your waistline as I will.

[Hidden in reply to BobD]

Bah humbug!! 😉

[Shrek1974 in reply to BobD]

Glad I’m not going to your place for Christmas! Haha.

[BobD Volunteer in reply to Shrek1974]

No room anyway after turkey, three stuffings, five vegetables and yorkshire puddin plus bread sauce and home made horseradish. . Don't need to eat again till day after boxing day usually.

[Cha275rL in reply to BobD]

Oh Bob! Could never in this world skip the cake, even if you paid me. Favourite thing of all time 😋

[Ducky2003 in reply to BobD]

🤣🤣🤣. I've lost 4 stone and make my own fat and sugar free sponges usually but we like a bit of traditional stuff at Christmas. Just small slices at a time and still mindful of calories in and out.😊

[FancyPants54 in reply to Ducky2003]

You said above that you don't think alcohol is a trigger for you. Booze in the cake before baking will burn off in the process and quite a bit of what you dress the cake in will evaporate anyway. Put the booze in. It's just a fruit cake without. It's a once a year thing. Enjoy it.

[Letofeyd in reply to FancyPants54]

The booze goes on Christmas cake *after* it is baked.

Often people soak the fruit in tea and or alcohol first, but then, once it is baked, the idea is to poke holes in it with a skewer and ladle rum or brandy over it once a week or so for a few weeks before Christmas.

I feel like I may never experience this again. 😞

[FancyPants54 in reply to Letofeyd]

But alcohol isn't a trigger for the OP or for many of us so I vote for applying it however preferred. It's not like drinking a glass of it.

[Hidden]

I’d just have a slither else how can you make a wish 🙄

[Jalia]

Make the cake and enjoy it ! You're not going to eat the lot in one sitting (....are you??) Life's too short to worry about a slice or two of Christmas cake once a year . It's hardly going to be 70° proof!

[Ducky2003 in reply to Jalia]

You havent seen how much alcohol I can pack into it 🤣🤣🤣. Definitely not eating in one sitting. It would usually last a couple of weeks as it's a huge Nigella cake, but that's why it needs the booze. As I said, I'm probably over thinking 😁

[Jalia in reply to Ducky2003]

Go for it, especially as it looks like another lockdown ! My Christmas cake usually lasts until Easter. It's always well lubricated...

[Auriculaire in reply to Ducky2003]

Why not make it but put a reduced quantity of booze in it? Or heat whatever you lace it with to boil off some of the alcohol . Then you get the taste but a bit less alcohol. If the alcohol goes in before cooking it will evaporate off in the oven anyway. Or you could soak the dried fruit in alcohol before baking.

[FancyPants54 in reply to Auriculaire]

Actually that's a way to ensure the booze stays potent. You get a kick from alcohol soaked fruits. You don't from a cake that had it added to the mix or drizzled in afterwards. Soaking the fruits in cold tea first is a great way to ensure really plump fruit though.

[Auriculaire in reply to FancyPants54]

Yes I should have known! I make home made fruit liqueurs when we have a glut of blueberries or figs . When I drain the fruit I keep it to serve with ice cream. The figs being larger are particularly boozy. I would have thought some of the alcohol from soaked dried fruit would evaporate off in the oven . My Christmas cake is a spin off from a lemon polenta cake recipe that I found in the Radio Times donkey's years ago. I add raisins and cherries and a bit of treacle to turn it into a Christmas cake . To finish it I make a syrup with honey and brandy and pour it in through fork holes. Here in France they have Christmas logs which are a sort of superior Swiss roll highly decorated .

[FancyPants54 in reply to Auriculaire]

That sounds lovely. Polenta cakes can be really nice.

Yes, if I make damson gin or plum brandy those soaked fruits get eaten with ice cream, or custard, or stirred into rice pudding. Way too good to waste.

[Dodie117 in reply to Ducky2003]

Make it as normal. Small slices will not do much harm I would guess. Happy Christmas🤶

[LordGabriel]

Go for it!

[Hidden]

Hiya Ducky,

Now I am drowning in guilt having read your post ............. my wife drowns our cake each year and I am doing very nicely - just like the cake. 😂😂😂

John

[Ducky2003 in reply to Hidden]

No need to feel guilty about enjoying something and still being well.😊

[Desanthony in reply to Ducky2003]

Do you feed the cake afterwards with the alcohol or put it in the cake before baking? If you put it in before cooking there probably won't be much alcohol left after the baking process.

[Desanthony in reply to Desanthony]

Maybe you could try using an essence as I believe there is little or no alcohol in the essence so you would get smell and taste?

[Frances123]

Make it and enjoy it. The alcohol is burnt out with the cooking and just the flavour left. If you are making it yourself you know what’s in it and you could always mix half alcohol and apple juice to help as well if you wanted. I made mine before I went in for ablation and are nicely maturing now. I figure my waistline can have a holiday too for a couple of days as long as I’m sensible.

Hugs

Frances x

[Stinky1953 in reply to Frances123]

Frances are not feeding your cake with brandy/whiskey after baking?

[Frances123 in reply to Stinky1953]

I am but even though I don’t drink now alcohol now by choice but was never a trigger for me, likewise with coffee and many other triggers others have. Also a lot will evaporate and last feed will be about beginning of December before marzipan and icing go on. I even make Irish coffee Boxing Day but heat ( so sorry people) the brandy/whiskey. Still has a great flavour. My only real alcohol indulgence would be liqueur chocolates! xxx

[Ducky2003 in reply to Stinky1953]

I was going to ask the same question as it's the feeding alcohol that I was more concerned about.......... very little of that would evaporate

[Desanthony in reply to Ducky2003]

Then that's what you don't do if you think it will have an effect on you. When you eat it then have a glass of brandy/whiskey or whatever so that you can smell it while you eat it! LOL Try not to worry about it whatever you do because worrying makes you poorly and would have more effect than the alcohol you do or do not put in.

[Shrek1974]

Just make the cake & enjoy it. There’ll be little to no alcohol left in it by Christmas because it evaporates. Even if you doused it the night before, by the time you portion it out you’d be consuming very little... Have fun!

[CDreamer]

About to make my cake this week-end - which will be fed with loads of alcohol - I favour rum.

It’s a feast and if we can’t have Christmas Cake, with alcohol, to look forward to - this miserable winter what hope is there?

[2000RedRose in reply to CDreamer]

Hear -Hear .Well said !👍I thoroughly agree .xxRed 🌹 Rose

[CDreamer in reply to 2000RedRose]

The great thing about Christmas cake is that it keeps and I often have leftovers up to Easter, a little bit occasionally.

[secondtry]

The boring voice of moderation here. I recall two Christmases ago I had a large slice in the morning, felt very 'pre AF' strange so won't be doing that again!

[Ducky2003 in reply to secondtry]

I dont just get strange, when mine goes off, it's there pretty much all the time until cardioverted but I've been ok with shop bought so small pieces are probably the way to go.

[fabjabfab]

Good morning. I don’t drink by choice and am still quite poorly following my recent procedure but Christmas Cake is so essential in this house I made sure I started it on the 8th Oct. (my procedure was on the 10th) The husband brings all the bits to me in bed on a tray so I can continue feeding it, it’s going to be a good one this year as I started it early. So I say crack on, I am sure it will be perfectly OK In moderation for medicinal purposes. 😉

[Ducky2003 in reply to fabjabfab]

Thank you. Hope you feel better soon.😊

[Stinky1953]

I think the secret is in small slices. Little and often.

[Ducky2003 in reply to Stinky1953]

Think that's probably the way to go but maybe little and not so often 😊

[Flossie72]

I too avoid drinking alcohol as some, spirits in particular were a trigger for me sometimes. I made our Christmas cake a month ago. The fruit had been soaking in rum for a month before that and the cake has been fed twice since. The amount you would eat at a sitting is tiny, in my experience it is impossible to overindulge in one sitting! I enjoy small slices with a cup of tea regularly through the festive period. Similarly I put sherry in my trifles, wine in casseroles and a fruit liqueur in fruit salads. I have never had an episode as a result. Make your cake, feed your cake and then let it feed you, and enjoy!

Happy Christmas, Sue

[Ducky2003 in reply to Flossie72]

Thank you. I'm going to go for it and just do small pieces now and again.😊

[Cha275rL in reply to Flossie72]

A woman after my own heart. I could eat wedding cake/Christmas cake all day long for days, and still want more! Not a trigger for me tho, which would make a difference.

[wilsond]

Have your cake and eat it too! If you ate the whole cake on one sitting it would probably make you ill in more ways than one but you would be taking in portions . If you imagine pouring the amount of alchohol in the slice into a glass ..tiny..that might help.

Enjoy your cake in these miserable times .. xx

[Opoho]

You could soak the fruit overnight in ginger ale instead of using alcohol, makes it lovely and tasty and moist 😊

[CDreamer in reply to Opoho]

That’s a good idea but I have some organic ginger cordial so will use that, but I’ll still feed with rum!

[Madscientist16]

If the alcohol is added BEFORE the cake is baked, the alcohol will evaporate off during baking. It will be safe to eat. If the alcohol is to be added AFTER the cake is baked, skip it for yourself, but serve it to others as the recipe calls for.

[tunybgur]

Hi Ducky.

No stupid questions here....if you haven't had alcohol for some time it can have an exaggerated effect on you, so be careful, but no need to abstain totally imho.

The alcohol in a Christmas cake is virtually all evaporated during cooking, but some people add more after cooking like a Christmas pudding, sometimes swimming in it....yum yum, but in moderation always.

One note of caution, if you do suffer from any heart condition, eating large meals is really not a good idea, it puts a huge strain on the body.....and that's from personal experience.

Good luck and don't eat all the cake in one go!

[daysyday1]

Ducky, you don't think your AF was triggered by alcohol, but I understand the concern. I personally, would make it as usual. You only have a small piece at a time and I doubt if you would be eating it on an empty stomach so it would take longer to absorb the alcohol. If it does trigger your AF, then sorry, no more of it and you will know for the future otherwise you may resent not having it and you will never find out one way or the other. If it doesn't trigger it, relax and enjoy it. But don't spend time worrying and stressing over whether it is going to cause an episode, as that alone can trigger one.

[DrOxford]

I tell my students that the only daft question is the one that isn't asked. How else are we to learn??

[Ducky2003]

Thank you everyone. I wasnt stressing about it, probably just overthinking it. I have bought some sherry to use in the mix and to feed later. Figured that was a good compromise %alcohol wise. I've never been a big drinker, just a glass on high days and holidays but I do miss a brandy and Babycham to toast the cake as it goes into the oven 😁.