Moistening Christmas Cake

[emmay35]

I want to moisten up my Christmas cake with a bit of brandy. Will it still be alcoholic by Christmas or does the alcohol evaporate? I don't want drivers and children getting drunk on it!

[woofgang]

you only put teaspoonfuls in. I think the alcohol may not all evaporate but a slice is not likely to harm anyone unless they are allergic. Of course someone with an addition problem probably shouldn't risk it and your guests may have religeous or other grounds for not indulging!

[waimarie]

Alcohol evaporates at a fairly low temperature ( I forget the exact figure). Therefore it evaporates in all cooking processes so all that is left is the flavour which is usually concentrated. That is why those who object (on alcohol grounds) on things like white wine in fish sauces or liqueurs in hot sweets for example are really rather naive. A good example of this is flaming the brandy on Crepes Suzette.

Brandy is a distillation of grape wine and therefore a very concentrated flavour.

Enjoy the cake!!!

[waimarie]

Sorry emmay35. On reading my answer it sounds a bit pompous. It wasn't meant to be, what I really intended to say was that that many people do not understand the reaction of alcohol to heat. I could also say that I have met many people who do not believe it anyway!!!

[emmay35]

Thanks for the info : )

[woofgang]

I thought that you meant that you wanted to feed the cake after you had baked it. This alcohol does not evaporate off with cooking, so my answer stands!

Also for some people with an alcohol problem even the flavour is a risk

[emmay35]

I did mean I wanted to feed the cake after baking, probably didn't make that clear enough. All info still useful thanks : )

[irishlyn]

After i make my christmas cake and its cold..i put holes in it with a skewer and pour rum into the holes, wrap it in foil, and it has a lovely moist taste by christmas

[Hermia]

You could get drunk just sniffing my mum's cake. She puts so much brandy in it that it's reeking of alcohol by the time Christmas comes!