[Staffordshiremags]

Many years ago I had a recipe to make Christmas Pudding from dried up fruit cake.  I know it had marmalade in it and went in microwave for a couple of minutes. Does anyone know this recipe, please?  I can't remember what else was in it - maybe an egg and a spoonful of cream and a teasp spice.  Thanks, Mags

[mumofstig]

Try,
http://live-love-laugh-and-eat.blogspot.co.uk/2011/12/cheats-plum-christmas-puddingwhen-cake.html
or
http://www.lavenderandlovage.com/2012/11/stir-up-sunday-traditions-and-my-traditional-victorian-christmas-pudding-recipe.html

[Staffordshiremags]

Thanks, but that's not what I'm after!   I am looking for something using dried up, stale fruit cake that I have - not something to make from all the basic ingredients.  Looks like I will have to experiment although it will be a shame to spoil stuff as I mess about.  Still, it is quite a lot of dried up cake I am trying to find a use for!  Mags

[mumofstig]

The first link had this

Cheats plum/x mas pudding:
I had a fairly stale- well pretty dry fruitcake and some mincemeat (left over from my mince pies) I roughly crumbled the cake added the mincemeat and a good dose of whisky. I stamped the mixture into a glass pudding basin, covered it with greaseproof paper and steamed it for two hours in a large saucepan.
I nervously turned it upside down hoping it would flop out, waiting with baited breathe...it did.

I thought that was what you were looking for 

[Mrs Bee]

I don't have a recipe but you might consider making it into a bread pudding.

 I would use Delia's bread pudden recipe but leave out the dried fruit.

If you work out the combined weight of the bread and the dried fruit in Delia's recipe and then follow the recipe I think that might work.

If you want to add a couple of tablespoons of marmalade to the recipe I am sure the recipe would take it.

It would certainly give you a moist pudding.

[Staffordshiremags]

mumofstig - I didn't see thatone. Thanks. I could do that in the microwave instead of steaming. Sounds ok. 
Mrsbee - I like your idea thanks.  I will give them both a go. 
Many thanks to you both. Mags

[Mrs Bee]

Let us know how you get on.

[compostqueen]

They used to make a "Russian" cake with all the leftover bits of cake and crumbs.  I remember it when I was growing up    It was moist cos I think it was soaked with something. Probably vodka 

[Mrs Bee]

They used to make a "Russian" cake with all the leftover bits of cake and crumbs.  I remember it when I was growing up    It was moist cos I think it was soaked with something. Probably vodka 

A bit like soaking the winter festival  cake with brandy.

[Staffordshiremags]

Thanks everyone for your comments.  In the end this is what I did for my MOCK CHRISTMAS PUDDING:
I put 1 egg, 1 tblsp marmalade, 1 tblsp cream, 2 heaped tsp mixed spice into a good sized  bowl and mixed together. Then stirred in 8 oz (approx.) crumbled dry, stale, rich fruit cake and mixed well to get all cake wet. Transferred to a pudding basin, covered with clingfilm (leave a vent) and microwaved for 2 minutes.  Serve with custard or cream.  Leftovers can be reheated quickly in microwave.  If you like it very spicy add extra tsp spice mix.      OK, so it's not as good as the real thing, but an ideal quick and easy way to use up an unsatisfactory cake!  Mags

[Mrs Bee]

That sounds really good Mags. A tasty way to use up your stale cake.  Far better than throwing it away.

[GrannieAnnie]

Would it have worked as cake if you'd just added some brandy or something to moisten it?  I don't make many cakes, since losing weight, but when they are here, they never stick around long enough to go stale!   

[Mrs Bee]

I don't have cakes around long enough to go stale either.

I make 'em and Mr Bee eats 'em.

Bless him he never seems to stop eating but he never puts any weight on.