The first weekend of December is usually when we fetch Christmas tree from the local farm shop… and we also would probably win the award for fastest chosen tree! We seem to have a talent for quickly spotting and buying a good tree within a minute and leaving the other customers to argue over the type of tree to buy! It’s all part of our Christmas traditions now…
When we arrive home the cheesy christmas music is turned on and I eagerly look forward to unwrapping the decorations and smiling at the happy memories that emerge with each one. There’s no colour scheme or fancy theme for the tree but simply the familiar act of pinning little tokens of happiness to the branches that remind us of Christmas Past.
For some reason this year has been especially busy and the Christmas cake, which is usually made shortly after Halloween, just hasn’t been made so I decided to try a different recipe. I wanted something simple and quick to make and found a great Christmas Cake Recipe on the BBC Good Food website. As much as I love all-things-Delia I felt like a bit of a change in 2012 and I hope that the final proof will be in the pudding 🙂
The fruit, butter, sugar, zest, spices and roasted macadamia nuts were slowly heated in a large pan on the stove until combined. The flour was then sifted and gently mixed into the batter until no further trace of flour could be seen. The trickiest part of this process was lining the cake tin!
As the cake slowly baked the house filled with the delicious smell of Christmas…
It’s going to be an extra special christmas this year as we have two special furry friends to share it with. They make us smile each day and are so adorable! This morning they were curled up in the egg basket… and had even removed the inner tray to make it more comfortable. Luckily the eggs are no longer stored in the utility room!
The Pyjama Gardener 
Delightful!
Thanks Cheryl… I hope all is festive with you x
Awwwwwww, I just can’t get enough of those little kitty cats. Oh man PJ, I would not be getting anything done, just kitty lovin’ all day long. Good for you to bake and have the tree decorated. Your cake turned out well. I think your pictures are all so homey, I love that scale and your bread canister. It’s right out of a magazine. I think they should re-write that song, your version is much more fun, “it’s beginning to smell a lot like christmas”….la la la la la 🙂
The kittens are so gorgeous and I hated having to go back to work this week! I must say that I seem to miss them a lot ..more than they miss me 🙂 If only there was a little Kittie phone that I could call in the middle of the day to ask if they were okay…. I feel a webcam coming on!
I love christmas smells – christmas cake, cinnamon rolls, gingerbread, real pine tree, peppermint sweets, mulled wine and tangerines…. mmmm. Maybe we could do a duet and Macca could do backing vocals? LOL!!
Let’s ring him up….Paul, whaz up? LOL you’re adorable! x
Your cake looks really delicious! Do you put icing on it? My Mum used to put some tacky plastic models on top – a tree, a Santa and a deer!
I’ll put fondant icing on it next weekend. I used to love the really kitsch christmas decorations… especially rock hard Royal icing made to look like snow! I was going to be boring and just put stars on mine (yawn)!
Oh wow! I’d forgotten all about icing like that! I soooooo want to make a cake now and top it with those tacky plastic things!! Amazing! 🙂 I love your post, it makes me feel Christmassy! x
Ah, the Christmas pud! There is great trepidation in our American house when my English husband brings out the pudding for Christmas dinner. He says a good one is not ready unless it is at least two years old. Every few months he pulls one out from the gloomy recesses of the pantry and pours another bottle of liquor over it. It’s like eating a large wedge of solidified brandy. We have to blow out the candles at the table before taking a forkful or we’d all ignite.
Wouldn’t mind trying yours, though. That’s what we all swear his SHOULD look like. 😉
Ours is usually scoffed before New Year… even if we have to stuff guest’s pockets with the stuff as they leave the house! It’s a fruit cake rather than pudding so will be iced next weekend.
I must confess to not particularly liking Christmas pudding (shocked gasp!!!) and don’t want to break a tooth by accidently biting into a sixpence 🙂
I’m guessing that’s why there’s so much liquor in it. It’s an analgesic. 😉
What fun Christmas traditions! We have an eclectic tree too…filled with ornaments that we pick up from all the places we’ve traveled or lived. I always look forward to my sister’s package that she sends from the UK with mince pies and a Christmas pudding, YUM!
Mince pies are my favourites – especially homemade ones. I always admire beautifully co-ordinated trees but know mine will always be a hotch potch of different coloured baubles and lights so I no longer worry about it!
Okay, okay, the fruitcake looked scrumptious but you saved the best for last. The kitties! I love hearing that they were smart enough to make the basket more comfortable. I believe animals are a lot smarter than we give them credit.
They are cute and smart…. and even though they have a perfectly warm and snuggly bed they choose to sleep in the most unlikely places. They also watch everything that’s going on and adapt their behavious quickly x
Do you have a secret for picking a perfect Christmas tree? We always spend ages looking, the kids choose a favourite each (never the same one), we come to a compromise and bring it home to discover it’s too tall/fat/lopsided… aah Christmas!
We just “know” that our tree is waiting and, hey presto, it just seems to be there! We hope our good luck tradition continues as it saves a lot of time and hot air! I think if our luck changes it will be a little articificial number the year after 🙂
Cute cats! That cake looks delicious. I just may give baking that cake a try. My house needs that wonderful smell of Christmas!
I haven’t tasted it yet but the reviews are good so I am hopeful. Christmas certainly is a lovely time of year and homely smells add to the festivities!
Those kittens are adorable!! The cake looks so tasty!
Thank you – I hope the cake lives up to my expectations. The kittens are simply gorgeous!
Your cake looks wonderful! Glad your kittens are settling in, they are adorable!
I don’t put the decorations up till nearly Christmas as I get fed up with them pretty quickly. I am making a mincemeat cake instead of a Christmas cake this year but yours certainly made my mouth water.
Awwww the kitties are clever as well as cute !!
I’m still debating what to do for Christmas, we don’t normally spend it at home, but this year we are here, so I’ve yet to work out let alone remember what you do 🙂
You really do enjoy fruit cake for Christmas in England! I love seeing your traditions PJ! and your kittens are wonderful!
I was going to remain a bit ‘Bah-humbug’ until about 20 December, but I am thawing to the idea of Christmas, thanks to your post. Very cute kittens help!
Hi PJ Girl, your cake looks delicious! Love the photos. It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas! Although, with two kitties to play with, I don’t think I’d get anything done at all!
Wow, is there ANYTHING in the world cuter than a pair of kittens?!!
Not quite time for my tree yet, but I agree with you love getting all the decorations out and bringing back the fond memories of christmas. Mine is an eclectic mix of colours and shapes. Will be interesting to see how the kittens go on with the tree. My cat luckily doesn’t bother with it. Your kittens are certainly making themselves at home!
Interesting to see all the different Christmas food traditions around the world, I have kept mostly to my Norwegians but added some British – after spending 13 years here that’s inevitable! I haven’t baked fruitcake or mice pies yet though, our Christmas cakes are much lighter, but often have the same spices so the smell you get in the house when baking is exactly the same.
The kittens are just adorable, shame they don’t stay like that for a couple of years at least 🙂
It would be lovely if you could share more of your Norwegian customs and recipes Helene x
The cake looks unbelievable and the kittens are TOO CUTE for words!!!
How did I miss this post!!! Those kitties are adorable. It looks like you spent hours taking all these amazing pictures. How cute that they curled up in the basket (removing the lining first). LOL. Kitties are so clever.
Love the look of the cake and your suggestion to fill the holes with brandy. When should I stop by? 😉
The cats are so photogenic but most the photos are blurry as they whizz past chasing each other. You would be most welcome at anytime Alys… just give me plenty of notice so that I can sort my cupboards out!!
LOL! My cupboards need sorting too. The key to organizing, is re-organizing! Life happens. 😉
It is hard to get good shots of cats. I have so many red-eye pics that just can’t be fixed, or my favorite, when the cat walks right up to the camera. Your pics are charming.
Awwww! Kitties in an egg basket – what’s not to like, especially when the eggs are now stored elsewhere!
I keep getting awful photos of the Little Cat Prince. He looks constantly dyspeptic!
Hello! Thank you for stopping by – cat lovers are the best!!
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