There’s something undeniably cozy and festive about a slice of fruit-laden sweetness soaking in cherry brandy, don’t you think? This Christmas Fruit Cake with Cherry Brandy Recipe brings all those warm holiday vibes to your table with moist, boozy fruit and that perfect balance of spices.
Jump to:
- Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Ingredients & Why They Work
- Make It Your Way
- Step-by-Step: How I Make Christmas Fruit Cake with Cherry Brandy Recipe
- Top Tip
- How to Serve Christmas Fruit Cake with Cherry Brandy Recipe
- Make Ahead and Storage
- Frequently Asked Questions:
- Final Thoughts
- Christmas Fruit Cake with Cherry Brandy Recipe
Why You'll Love This Recipe
Honestly, this is the fruit cake I keep coming back to every Christmas. It has that classic, richly spiced fruitiness, but the cherry brandy adds an elegant kick that makes it truly special—and easier than you think to get that bakery-like moistness.
- Richly Flavored: The combination of mixed dried fruits, cherries, and cranberries soaked in brandy creates deep, unforgettable layers of flavor.
- Moist & Tender Texture: Thanks to the slow simmering of fruits and the addition of ground almonds, the cake stays wonderfully moist without being dense.
- Customizable & Timeless: You can feed it brandy weekly and watch flavors develop, making it a fun tradition to nurture your cake before the big day.
- Perfect Make-Ahead Dessert: Prepare it well ahead of Christmas, store it properly, and it’s ready to impress anytime during the season.
Ingredients & Why They Work
The magic in this Christmas Fruit Cake with Cherry Brandy Recipe comes down to simple, quality ingredients that blend warmth, texture, and a boozy zing—each playing a key role to make sure your cake shines.
- Unsalted Butter: Provides richness and helps the sugar dissolve nicely for a tender crumb.
- Light Brown Muscovado Sugar: Adds deep caramel undertones that lift the cake’s flavor.
- Mixed Dried Fruit: The heart of the cake—raisins, sultanas, and other dried fruit bring sweet chewiness.
- Glacé Cherries: Add vibrant bursts of sweetness and, when chopped, disperse their flavor beautifully.
- Dried Cranberries: Offer a subtle tart contrast that balances the sweet fruits.
- Orange & Lemon Zest and Juice: Brighten the mix with fresh citrus notes that cut through richness.
- Cherry Brandy: All-important for infusing that distinctive boozy warmth and tenderizing the fruit.
- Ground Almonds: Coarsely ground, they add a lovely nuttiness and help maintain moistness.
- Eggs: Bind the batter and lend structure without drying it out.
- Plain Flour: The base that holds everything together, light and neutral.
- Baking Powder & Spices: Mixed spice, cinnamon, and allspice contribute the fragrant holiday aroma we all crave.
Make It Your Way
This Christmas Fruit Cake with Cherry Brandy Recipe is like a blank holiday canvas—I've swapped the cherry brandy for whiskey sometimes, and even added extra nuts for a crunch I love. Long story short, don’t hesitate to tweak it to match your taste.
- Variation: Once, I swapped half the cherry brandy for spiced rum. It gave the cake a warm depth that my family couldn’t get enough of—totally worth trying if you like experimenting.
Step-by-Step: How I Make Christmas Fruit Cake with Cherry Brandy Recipe
Step 1: Soak the Fruits in Butter and Cherry Brandy
Start by melting butter with the sugar, dried fruit, chopped glacé cherries, cranberries, orange and lemon zest, and juice in a large saucepan. Pour in all but 4 tablespoon of the cherry brandy—a crucial step that helps plump the fruit and infuse that boozy richness. Warm it gently over medium heat until it bubbles, then simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking. The smell here? Absolutely intoxicating and sets the mood perfectly for your Christmas baking.
Step 2: Cool and Mix in Almonds and Eggs
After simmering, take the pan off the heat and let the mixture cool for about 30 minutes. This pause is key to avoid scrambling the eggs later on. Once cooled, stir in the ground almonds—they add texture and a subtle nuttiness that’s quite irresistible—then fold in the lightly whisked eggs to bind everything together smoothly.
Step 3: Add Flour and Spices, Then Bake Low and Slow
Next, sift in the flour, baking powder, and your carefully measured spices—ground mixed spice, cinnamon, and allspice. Fold gently until just combined to keep the batter light. Pour this delicious mix into a lined 20cm springform tin, smoothing out the top with the back of a spoon. Bake at 150°C (300°F fan) for 45 minutes, then lower the temperature to 140°C (275°F fan) and continue baking for another 1 to 1 ½ hours. Keep an eye toward the end, and if the top darkens too fast, loosely cover with foil to prevent burning—the slow bake is what gives this cake its dense-yet-moist charm.
Step 4: Feed with Cherry Brandy and Let It Rest
While still warm, poke 10-12 holes all over your cake using a skewer—this is the secret to helping the brandy soak in beautifully. Pour the reserved 4 tablespoon of cherry brandy over the cake evenly. Then, let it cool completely in the tin before wrapping it snugly in parchment and foil. Store at room temperature, feeding it 1-2 tablespoon of cherry brandy each week. This weekly ‘feeding’ is my favorite part—it’s like watching your cake come alive with richer flavor as Christmas approaches.
Top Tip
Having made this Christmas Fruit Cake with Cherry Brandy Recipe several times, I’ve learned a few tips that really helped me nail the texture and flavor every single time.
- Simmer Gently: Don’t rush the fruit soaking step. A gentle bubble, not a full boil, helps the fruit plump without drying it out.
- Don’t Skip the Cooling: Hot fruit mixture + eggs = scrambled mess. Patience here makes for a smooth batter.
- Use a Springform Tin: Makes removing the cake so much easier and keeps it intact for that perfect, polished look.
- Feed Weekly: Trust me, those weekly brandy feeds transform the cake’s flavor—don’t skip this step for the best results.
How to Serve Christmas Fruit Cake with Cherry Brandy Recipe
Garnishes
I like to keep it simple with a dusting of icing sugar and a few whole glacé cherries on top—sometimes, a thin marzipan layer adds that classic Christmas cake touch. Fresh orange zest curls also add a lovely pop of color and aroma when serving.
Side Dishes
This cake shines alongside a dollop of whipped cream or a spoonful of clotted cream. For a truly indulgent holiday treat, I sometimes serve it with a warm custard or a scoop of vanilla ice cream—the coolness balances the rich fruit flavors perfectly.
Creative Ways to Present
For special occasions, I’ve wrapped individual slices in parchment tied with twine as little edible gifts. Another fun idea is to present thick wedges on a wooden board with seasonal nuts and dried flowers scattered around for that rustic festive look.
Make Ahead and Storage
Storing Leftovers
After baking, I wrap my Christmas fruit cake securely in double layers of baking parchment, then foil, and keep it in an airtight container in a cool, dark cupboard. This method keeps it moist and lets the flavors mature. Remember to re-feed with cherry brandy about once a week to maintain that lovely boozy boost.
Freezing
I’ve frozen fruit cakes like this successfully by wrapping them tightly and freezing for up to a year. When ready to use, I thaw it slowly at room temperature to keep the texture flawless before decorating or serving.
Reheating
You rarely need to reheat a Christmas fruit cake, but if you want it slightly warm, I pop slices in a low oven (about 120°C/250°F) for 5-7 minutes. This softens it without drying it, giving a just-baked feel.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Absolutely! You can substitute the cherry brandy with fruit juice like apple or orange, but keep in mind that the baking time and moisture might vary slightly since the brandy helps tenderize the fruit and cake. For a boozy effect without alcohol, non-alcoholic brandy flavorings can work in a pinch.
When stored properly wrapped and fed weekly with brandy, this cake can keep beautifully for 4-5 months at room temperature, allowing you to make it well in advance of Christmas.
Yes, you can! Whiskey, rum, or even a fruity fortified wine like sherry can be used depending on your flavor preference. Just use the same quantity and keep in mind that flavor nuances will change slightly.
Feeding the cake with brandy weekly is highly recommended because it keeps the cake moist and enhances the flavor complexity over time, but if you’re short on time, a good soak once or twice can be enough.
Final Thoughts
This Christmas Fruit Cake with Cherry Brandy Recipe holds a special spot in my heart — it’s not just a cake, it’s a little holiday ritual. From the first simmer to the weekly brandy feeds, it’s a beautiful way to savor the season early and share a slice of tradition with those you love. Trust me, once you try this version, you’ll find it hard to go back to any other Christmas fruit cake.
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Christmas Fruit Cake with Cherry Brandy Recipe
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 2 hours 15 minutes
- Total Time: 2 hours 30 minutes
- Yield: 16 servings
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: British
Description
This classic Christmas cake recipe features a rich and moist fruit-filled cake infused with cherry brandy and warm spices. Perfect for holiday celebrations, it’s traditionally fed weekly with brandy to enhance its flavor and moistness, making it a festive centerpiece for your Christmas table.
Ingredients
Fruit Mixture
- 175 g (¾ cup) unsalted butter chopped
- 210 g (1 packed cup) light brown muscavado sugar
- 400 g (2 ⅔ cups) mixed dried fruit
- 200 g (1 cup) glacé cherries roughly chopped
- 100 g (1 cup) dried cranberries
- Zest and juice of 1 orange
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 120 ml (½ cup) cherry brandy, plus extra for feeding
Dry Ingredients
- 85 g (½ cup) ground almonds coarsely ground
- 200 g (1 ⅔ cup) plain (all-purpose) flour
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon ground mixed spice
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground allspice
Others
- 3 large eggs lightly whisked
- Cherry brandy (1-2 tablespoon per week) to feed the cake
Instructions
- Prepare Fruit Mixture: In a large saucepan, combine butter, light brown muscavado sugar, mixed dried fruit, glacé cherries, dried cranberries, orange zest and juice, lemon zest, and all but 4 tablespoon of the cherry brandy. Heat over medium heat until the mixture gently bubbles, then reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Cool Fruit Mixture: Remove the pan from heat and allow the fruit mixture to cool for 30 minutes.
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Tin: Preheat your oven to 150C/300F fan. Line a 20cm (8 inch) spring-form round cake tin with baking parchment, lining the sides about 2 inches above the tin, then cut and place parchment at the base.
- Mix Almonds and Eggs: Stir the ground almonds into the cooled fruit mixture, then mix in the lightly whisked eggs.
- Add Dry Ingredients: Sift flour, baking powder, ground mixed spice, cinnamon, and allspice into the mixture and fold everything together gently until just combined.
- Fill and Smooth Cake Tin: Spoon the batter into the prepared cake tin and smooth the surface with the back of a spoon.
- Bake the Cake: Bake for 45 minutes at 150C/300F fan, then reduce the heat to 140C/275F fan and continue baking for another 1 hour and 30 minutes until the cake is dark brown on top and a skewer inserted comes out clean. Cover the top with foil if it begins to darken too much. Note: In gas ovens, baking time may extend by 15-30 minutes.
- Infuse Cake with Brandy: Remove cake from oven; while still hot, pierce 10-12 holes over the surface using a skewer. Pour the reserved 4 tablespoon of cherry brandy evenly over the cake.
- Cool and Store: Let the cake cool in the tin. Once cooled, remove from tin and wrap tightly in double layers of baking parchment and foil. Store in an airtight container at room temperature.
- Feed Regularly: Feed the cake weekly with 1-2 tablespoon of cherry brandy until a few days before marzipanning and icing.
Notes
- Use a 20cm (8 inch) cake tin for traditional height; a 23cm (9 inch) tin will produce a slightly lower cake but requires same baking time.
- To convert round tins to square, 20cm round equals 17.75×17.75cm square; 23cm round equals 20×20cm square.
- Store wrapped cake away from sunlight in a cool cupboard at room temperature.
- An un-iced Christmas cake keeps well for 4-5 months when stored properly and can be frozen for up to a year.
- Always unwrap and bring frozen cake to room temperature before decorating or serving.
- Feeding the cake with brandy preserves moisture and enhances flavor over time.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice (approx. 100 g)
- Calories: 350 kcal
- Sugar: 30 g
- Sodium: 150 mg
- Fat: 15 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 50 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 5 g
- Cholesterol: 75 mg
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