How to Line a Christmas Cake Tin (Idiot's Guide)

So many recipes for Christmas cake just say, 'line the tin' so here's my super-detailed, idiot's guide to how to line a Christmas cake tin.

A series of images of tins, brown paper and string illustrate an idiot's guide to lining a Christmas cake tin.

As a young parent, the first time I decided to make a Christmas cake, I got stuck when it came time to line the Christmas cake tin.

All the recipe said was "line the tin", no more info than that, and I had no idea what I was supposed to do.

"Hmm, maybe I could just not bother with lining", I thought. "No!" the people of Twitter told me, "No, no, no! It needs to slow cook. Without lining it'll burn."

A quick call to my mum (you're never too old to call your mum for help) and she arrived to show us what to do.

Many years later, I still use her method every Christmas. So, here it is, a super-detailed, idiot's guide to lining a Christmas cake tin.

What you'll need

The materials you will need to complete this Idiot's guide to lining a Christmas cake tin. Baking paper, Brown paper, String (non-plastic)
A medium loose-bottomed cake tin, Butter (to grease), Scissors, Pen / pencil

Baking paper
Brown paper
String (non-plastic)
A medium loose-bottomed cake tin
Butter (to grease)
Scissors
Pen / pencil

How to line a Christmas cake tin

Make the inner lining - base

Pop out the base of the cake tin. Place the cake tin base on top of the baking paper and draw around it twice.

The first step in How to line a Christmas cake tin. An image of a circle which has been drawn by a pen around the cake tin.

Cut out both circles and set aside.

Two circles cut out using scissors from the circle previously made with a pen in step one of How to line a Christmas cake tin.

Make the inner lining - sides

Wrap the string around the outside of the tin to measure its circumference.

Measuring the inner lining of the cake tin using string (non-plastic) which will be cut using the scissors displayed at the side of the image.

Add 5 cm (2 inches) and cut.

Adding an additional 5cm to the measurement of the string before cutting. Image depicts a cut string with decoration of scissors and a pen.

Use the string to measure out a length of baking paper.

Using the string that has just been cut to measure a length of baking paper that's going to be required.

Fold the paper along its length so that you have a double thickness strip.

Folding the paper along its length to double the thickness of the strip. Scissors and string have been left to the side to decorate the image.

On the long folded edge, fold again to create a 2cm (3/4 inch) lip.

Creating a 2cm lip on the paper with a fold

Make diagonal snips all the way along the lip at 2.5cm (1 inch) intervals.

Demonstration of the diagonal snips made using scissors along the lip made in the previous image in 1 inch intervals.

Fit the inner lining

Put the base back in the tin and grease the inside of the tin thoroughly

Push the baking paper strip in to cover the sides - the snipped edges should overlap on the base.

A baking tin which has been greased with butter, with baking paper situated around the outside with the snipped edges of the lip on inside covering some of the base of the cake tin.

Put the baking paper circles into the base so that the inside is completely lined.

Baking paper circles cut earlier in the Idiot's guide to lining a Christmas cake tin tutorial added to the bottom of the cake tin.

Fit the brown paper

Use the string to measure a strip of brown paper.

Measuring the length of brown paper required using the string previously cut in the Idiot's guide to lining a Christmas cake tin tutorial.

Trim the strip height to match the height on the baking paper in your tin.

Trimming the brown paper using scissors to make the heigh on the baking paper which has been situated inside the baking tin.

Wrap the brown paper around the outside of the tin.

Wrapping the brown paper which has been cut to the outside of the baking tin.

Fix with a length of string, tied tightly.

Adding the string to the outside of the brown paper to keep it fixed in place on the outside of the baking tin.

Cover the top

Fill the cake tin with the cake mix.

Cake mixture being added to the baking tin which is now fully lined with both brown paper and baking paper.

Cut a square of baking paper slightly larger than the tin and fold it into quarters. Snip the folded corner at a 45 degree angle, about 1cm (1/4 inch) in.

Baking paper that's been cut into a square slighlty bigger than the baking tin used in this Idiot's guide to lining a Christmas cake tin tutorial. Which has been folded into quarters and cut again at a 45 degree angle around 1cm in from the edge.

Open up the paper and you should have a diamond-shaped hole in the centre. Place the square of paper on top just before it goes in the oven

The end result of the cut of the square baking paper once unfolded from it's quartered shape.

Looking for a Christmas cake recipe?

Easy Christmas Cake Recipe

This is a simple, delicious Christmas cake recipe, packed with fruit and decorated with a classic covering of marzipan and fondant icing.

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How to line a Christmas cake tin (idiot's guide)

What you'll need