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
Scale
Fruit Mixture
- 175 g (3/4 cup) unsalted butter chopped
- 210 g (1 packed cup) light brown muscavado sugar
- 400 g (2 2/3 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 (1/2 cup) cherry brandy, plus extra for feeding
Dry Ingredients
- 85 g (1/2 cup) ground almonds coarsely ground
- 200 g (1 2/3 cup) plain (all-purpose) flour
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp ground mixed spice
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp ground allspice
Others
- 3 large eggs lightly whisked
- Cherry brandy (1-2 tbsp 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 tbsp 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 tbsp 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 tbsp 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
