Whether you are having a Traditional or Contemporary Christmas Cake, yay retro! have just the vintage plates for you! From 40s Woods Berylware, 60s Empire dogtooth check to 70s Wedgewood Susie Cooper! We also have a range of cake plates from Art Deco to 1970s florals.

So all you have to do is make a Christmas Cake to put on them!! Here's the recipe we use every year - it's very old and we are not sure where it is from:

Retro Christmas Cake Recipe

8" Cake Tin or two 1lb loaf tins if you want to share (we normally do!)

8oz currants

8oz Sultanas

8oz Raisins

2oz nuts

2oz ground almonds

4oz glace cherries (halved)

8oz Plain Flour

1 level teaspoon mixed spice

pinch salt

8oz unsalted butter

6oz soft light brown sugar

4 large eggs

1.5 tablespoons brandy

Grease and line the tin with greaseproof paper (or shop bought liners) 

Mix all the fruit and nuts together in a large bowl and put to one side

Cream the butter until soft, add the sugar and beat until fluffy, beat in the egs one at a time.  Fold in all the flour, spice and salt, and then the fruit and brandy (add some milk or more brandy (!) if it is too dry)

Turn the mixture into the tin(s) 

Place on a baking sheet, bake in the lower part of the oven Gas Mark 1 or 2, 120c for about 3.5 hours for an 8" tin and 2.15 hours for two loaf tins. The check if it is cooked, put a thin knife into the centre...if it comes out completely clean it is cooked.

Cool on a rack, then prick the top with  fork and pour over some sherry.

Wrap tightly in greaseproof paper and foil, and store in an airtight container.

Now comes the fun part....Every week or two feed it with more sherry - without ever making it too wet.

When ready to ice, cover with almond jam, roll out two blocks of almond paste (we like the white version), cut to size and cover the cake.

We need to look out our icing recipe, and will post this on another day!

If you make one of these, why not  email us a picture? hello@yayretro.co.uk

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