The ideal time to make a Christmas cake is around two to three months before Christmas Day. This gives the cake plenty of time to mature in flavour, especially if you plan to feed it with sherry or brandy for extra. It will ensure that the cake stays super moist and has plenty of depth in flavour come serving time.
However, don’t despair if you’ve only got around to rustling up your Christmas cake a week or so before the big day. The cake may not have rich flavours or be heavy on the booze but it will still be a wonderful fruit cake you can share with friends and family.