An epicurean adventure to: The United Kingdom
Welcome to the heart of the holiday season with this rich, moist and velvety Christmas fruit cake recipe.
No frills, no fuss and definitely no marzipan icing. We prefer our Christmas cake in its unadorned glory, allowing the festive flavours to shine in their purest form.
But fear not, for there are plenty of trendy ways to make this plain fruit cake dazzle without the need for marzipan and royal icing.
Besides, 'naked' cakes are all the rage these days!
Making a Christmas cake is simpler than a stroll in the snow. It's largely as straightforward as your basic cake recipe, with just one catch; you'll want to kick things off a day in advance by soaking the fruit in brandy, whisky or rum.
After all, what's a traditional Christmas cake without a hint of boozy warmth to ignite that holiday spirit?
We're here to provide you with straightforward, step-by-step guidance, complete with helpful photos. From lining the tin to feeding the cake and making sugared rosemary sprigs for decoration (optional) - we've got every detail covered.
Here's to a deliciously homemade festive season!
Jump to:
- What's to love about this recipe
- Key ingredient notes and substitutions
- What size baking tin do you need?
- How to line a round cake tin for a fruit cake
- Step-by-step instructions
- Feeding a Christmas cake
- Top Tips
- Variations
- Sugared rosemary sprigs
- More ideas to decorate an un-iced Christmas cake
- FAQ
- Recipe
- More Christmas recipes
- More Spicy Bakes
What's to love about this recipe
- Moist, rich and bursting with festive flavours.
- Decorate as you like, no icing to worry about.
- Easy to make, suitable for all skill levels.
- We soak the fruit a day in advance in brandy for a warm, boozy kick.
- Makes a perfect homemade gift for your Christmas party host.
- An ideal alternative to a warm, traditional Christmas pudding (we don't like them, Sorry, not sorry).
Key ingredient notes and substitutions
**Please see the recipe card at the bottom of this post for the full list of ingredients.
Dried fruit
We use a mix of currants, raisins or sultanas, glacé cherries, apricots and mixed peel.
If you can, try using the soft, partially rehydrated apricots. They're softer and plumper.
Additionally, you can swap the apricots for chopped dates or dried prunes.
Almonds
Make sure you chop them quite small.
You can also use other nuts, such as walnuts or pecans.
Eggs
You will need five large eggs at room temperature, each weighing about 62g with the shell on. Eggs a few grams over or under will still work fine.
Using room-temperature eggs is an important detail for making any cake. When eggs are at room temperature, they blend into the batter more smoothly and uniformly.
To warm fridge-cold eggs quickly, place them in a bowl of warm water for about 5 minutes.
Dark brown sugar
You can swap out dark brown sugar with muscovado sugar in this recipe.
However, we wouldn't advise using light brown sugar, you need the depth and moisture of dark brown sugar.
White sugar is not recommended at all.
Butter
Feel free to use either salted or unsalted butter.
It's essential to use very soft butter for the cake to ensure it blends easily with the other ingredients.
Black treacle
What is it??
Black treacle is a dark, thick syrup made from the byproducts of refining sugar. It's similar to molasses but has a stronger, more bitter flavour.
You can replace black treacle with the same amount of liquid molasses, maple syrup, golden syrup or dark corn syrup.
The alcohol
Our preferred choice for soaking the fruit and feeding the cake is brandy, the cheapest one we can find!
We keep a bottle of the most budget-friendly, unassuming brandy solely for the annual Christmas cake tradition - in the baking cupboard!
If you prefer a different flavour, you can use whisky or rum. Just keep in mind that rum’s strong flavour can significantly change the taste of the cake.
What size baking tin do you need?
This recipe is designed for a 23cm (9-inch) round baking tin with a minimum depth of 10cm.
A springform tin is ideal, but a regular cake tin will work just as well if you don't have one. You'll need to gently tip the tin upside down to remove the cake, using your other hand to support it as you do so.
How to line a round cake tin for a fruit cake
You will need three 'sets' of baking paper (parchment paper) for the tin. Don't worry, you don't need to be super precise!
- The inside liner
- The inside bottom liner
- The outside liner
Lightly grease the bottom and sides of the cake tin and set aside.
1. The inside liner
You will need two measurements of your 23cm (9 inches) cake tin:
The outside circumference of the cake tin (plus a bit extra for overlap) and the depth of the tin (plus a bit extra of overlap). For instance:
- For a 23cm (9 inches) cake tin that's 10cm (4 inches) deep: You'll need a strip of baking paper measuring 85cm (33 inches) long and 15cm (6 inches) wide.
Fold the length of the paper over on one side, about 2.5cm (1 inch) wide. Cut slits into the short end of the fold, roughly 2.5cm (1 inch) apart.
Place the strip of paper into the tin with the slits perpendicular to the bottom of the tin, slightly overlapping each other.
2. The inside bottom liner
Place the tin on top of the baking paper, trace a circle around the outside of the tin and cut it out.
Place the paper circle into the bottom of the tin and press it down securely.
3. The outside liner
Cut another long strip of paper, the same length as the inside liner, but this time double the width.
- For a 23cm (9 inches) cake tin that's 10cm (4 inches) deep: You'll need a strip of baking paper measuring 85cm (33 inches) long and 30cm (12 inches) wide.
Fold the strip of paper in half lengthwise. This will give you a double lining of paper to wrap around the outside of the tin.
Carefully wrap the double layer of paper around the outside of the tin and secure it with a piece of string. You may need another set of hands to help you!
Your tin is now ready for the cake.
Step-by-step instructions
1 day in advance
1. Combine the currents, sultanas, halved glacé cherries, chopped apricots and mixed peel in a large bowl.
2. Pour in the brandy and stir well.
3. Stir the dried fruit mixture once or twice during the soaking time.
Making the cake
1. Preheat the oven to 140C/275F/gas mark 1.
2. In a very large mixing bowl, add the soft butter and dark brown sugar.
3. Beat until well combined.
You can use either an electric hand mixer or a stand mixer for this step.
4. Add the room-temperature eggs and beat until just combined. The mixture may look curdled, but this is fine.
5. Next, add the plain flour, mixed spice, ground nutmeg, chopped almonds, black treacle and orange zest.
6. Beat again, just until fully incorporated.
7. Add the soaked dried fruit and any remaining brandy from the bowl. Fold into the batter with a large spoon until evenly distributed.
8. Spoon the thick batter into the cake tin a little at a time, spreading each portion evenly before adding the next.
9. Smooth the top of the cake with the back of a spoon to level it out as much as possible.
10. If you'd like, you can now decorate the cake with extra cherries and almonds, pressing them halfway into the batter to secure them in place.
11. Lightly cover the top of the cake with a double layer of baking paper. Make sure the paper doesn’t touch the batter, or it might stick and ruin the top of your cake when you remove it later.
12. Bake in the preheated oven for 4¼ hours or until the cake is firm and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Allow it to cool in the tin.
13. Once the cake has slightly cooled, pierce it all over with a skewer, spacing the holes about 3cm apart.
14. Measure out roughly two tablespoons of brandy.
15. Spoon the brandy evenly over the cake. This will be the first 'feed'.
16. After the cake has fully cooled, remove it from the tin and keep the lining paper on. Wrap it in two extra layers of greaseproof paper, followed by a layer of foil.
Store in a cool, dry place for up to three months. For added freshness, you can store the cake inside an airtight container.
Feeding a Christmas cake
- Begin your second feeding one week after baking.
- Feed the cake with 1-2 tablespoons of alcohol every week until it's time to enjoy it. Make sure to re-wrap it securely after each feeding.
- If you prefer the cake with less of a boozy kick, feed it every two weeks instead.
Top Tips
Use soft butter
Ensure your butter is very soft but not liquid. Soft butter makes for easy mixing with the brown sugar, ensuring a harmonious cake batter.
Use room-temperature eggs
Use eggs at room temperature. They blend seamlessly into the batter, ensuring a smoother and more uniform consistency.
Add the batter in layers
When filling the cake tin, do it in layers, spreading each layer evenly right up to the tin's sides before adding more batter.
The batter is thick and won't spread on its own, so make sure you're not leaving any large gaps.
Give it enough time to mature
Don't rush it - make the cake at least one month in advance. This allows time for the cake to mature and develop its full, rich flavours.
Set feeding reminders
Set reminders on your phone to feed the cake either once a week or every fortnight. Feeding it with alcohol or juice ensures it stays moist, rich and delicious for the big day.
Variations
- Experiment with different dried fruits such as dates, figs or prunes to create a unique blend that suits your taste.
- Skip the almonds and add a different variety of nuts like pecans, walnuts or pistachios.
- Customise the warm spices mix by adding a pinch of cardamom, cloves or ginger.
- Experiment with different types of spirits such as rum, whisky or even amaretto.
- Incorporate lemon zest alongside the orange zest.
Sugared rosemary sprigs
Place sugared rosemary sprigs around the edge of the cake in a wreath pattern (see the featured photo at the top of the page). Scatter pomegranate seeds on top of the 'wreath' for colour.
- Create a simple syrup by combining equal weights of water and sugar. For instance, use 200g of sugar with 200g (or 200ml) of water. In a saucepan, fully melt the sugar in the water over low heat, making sure not to let it boil.
- Allow the sugar syrup to cool for 10 minutes.
- Dip the rosemary sprigs into the sugar syrup and place them on a cooling rack to dry for approximately 1-2 hours. They should be dry but slightly sticky.
- In a small plastic container with a lid, add enough sugar to fill the container with about half an inch of sugar.
- Add 2-3 rosemary sprigs at a time, close the lid and gently shake the sprigs until they are evenly coated with sugar.
- Open the container and shake each rosemary sprig to remove any excess sugar.
- Use the sugared rosemary to decorate your cake.
More ideas to decorate an un-iced Christmas cake
- Arrange almonds and glacé cherries carefully on the cake batter in your preferred pattern before baking.
On the day before serving (Christmas Eve), brush the top with a glaze made from gently warmed apricot jam for a lovely sheen.
- Stick rosemary sprigs of various lengths into the top of the cake, so the leaves are pointing downwards to create mini Christmas trees.
- Bake a batch of snowflake or star cookies, decorate and place the cookies on top of the cake.
- Bake a batch of mini gingerbread houses to stick to the side of the cake with small dabs of icing.
- Arrange an assortment of small Christmas baubles stacked into a decorative pile. Remove before slicing.
- Simply tie a beautiful velvet ribbon around the cake.
- Create an inviting centrepiece by stacking a collection of small pinecones, interspersed with sugared rosemary sprigs.
- Decorate with sugared cherries or cranberries. Follow the same process as for the sugared rosemary above.
- Cut stars or snowflakes out of royal icing and place them on top of the cake.
- Decorate with dried orange slices. Dried blood orange slices look particularly attractive and festive on the dark cake.
FAQ
You can prepare your Christmas cake up to three months ahead of the big day.
However, it's best not to leave it for less than one month before Christmas.
This time allows for several rounds of alcohol feeding and gives the cake a chance to mature.
In our experience, the longer you allow the cake to mature in advance, the richer and more flavourful it becomes when you finally enjoy it.
Absolutely, you can prepare a Christmas cake without alcohol.
For soaking the fruit, consider using alternatives like apple juice, orange juice or any juice of your choice.
When it comes to feeding the cake, replace the alcohol with your preferred juice.
Keep in mind that fruit juice lacks the preservative properties of alcohol, so it's advisable not to make a non-alcoholic cake more than one month in advance of enjoying it.
Recipe
Easy Christmas Cake recipe
Equipment
- 1 23cm (9-inch) round baking tin with a minimum depth of 10cm.
Ingredients
- 300 grams currants
- 500 grams sultanas - or raisins
- 250 grams glacé cherries, halved - plus extra for decoration
- 200 grams dried apricots, roughly chopped
- 100 grams mixed peel - citrus peel
- 5 tablespoons brandy - plus extra for feeding the cake
- 400 grams butter - salted or unsalted, very soft
- 400 grams dark brown sugar - or muscovado sugar
- 5 large eggs - at room temperature
- 225 grams plain flour
- 1 teaspoon mixed spice
- ½ grated nutmeg
- 70 grams almonds, chopped - plus extra for decoration
- 1 tablespoon black treacle
- 2 oranges, zest only
Instructions
1 day in advance
- The day before, combine the currents, sultanas, halved glacé cherries, chopped apricots and mixed peel in a large bowl. Pour in the brandy and stir well. Leave overnight.300 grams currants, 500 grams sultanas, 250 grams glacé cherries, halved, 200 grams dried apricots, roughly chopped, 100 grams mixed peel, 5 tablespoons brandy
- Stir the dried fruit mixture once or twice during the soaking time.
Prepare the baking tin
- Lightly grease a 23cm/9" round cake tin with a minimum depth of 10cm.
- Fully line the inside of the tin with baking paper, then wrap a double layer of baking paper around the outside and secure it with string.Check out the blog post for photos on how to line a round cake tin for your Christmas cake.
Making the cake
- Preheat the oven to 140C/284F/gas mark 1.
- In a very large mixing bowl, add the soft butter and dark brown sugar. Beat until well combined. You can use either an electric hand mixer or a stand mixer for this step.400 grams butter, 400 grams dark brown sugar
- Add the room-temperature eggs and beat until just combined. The mixture may look curdled, but this is fine.5 large eggs
- Next, add the plain flour, mixed spice, ground nutmeg, chopped almonds, black treacle and orange zest. Beat again, just until fully incorporated.225 grams plain flour, 1 teaspoon mixed spice, ½ grated nutmeg, 70 grams almonds, chopped, 1 tablespoon black treacle, 2 oranges, zest only
- Add the soaked dried fruit and any remaining brandy from the bowl. Fold into the batter with a large spoon until evenly distributed.
- Spoon the thick batter into the cake tin a little at a time, spreading each portion evenly before adding the next.
- Smooth the top of the cake with the back of a spoon to level it out as much as possible.
- If you'd like, you can now decorate the cake with extra cherries and almonds, pressing them halfway into the batter to secure them in place.
- Lightly cover the top of the cake with a double layer of baking paper. Make sure the paper doesn’t touch the batter, or it might stick and ruin the top of your cake when you remove it later.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 4¼ hours or until the cake is firm and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Allow it to cool in the tin.
- Once the cake has slightly cooled, pierce it all over with a skewer, spacing the holes about 3cm apart.
- Measure out roughly two tablespoons of brandy. Spoon the brandy evenly over the cake. This will be the first 'feed'.
- After the cake has fully cooled, remove it from the tin and keep the lining paper on. Wrap it in two extra layers of greaseproof paper, followed by a layer of foil. Store in a cool, dry place for up to three months. For added freshness, you can store the cake inside an airtight container.
Feeding the cake
- Begin your second 'feeding' one week after baking.
- Feed the cake with 1-2 tablespoons of alcohol every week until it's time to enjoy it. Make sure to re-wrap it securely after each feeding.
- If you prefer the cake with less of a boozy kick, feed it every two weeks instead.
Notes
Use soft butter
Ensure your butter is very soft but not liquid. Soft butter makes for easy mixing with the brown sugar, ensuring a harmonious cake batter.Use room-temperature eggs
Use eggs at room temperature. They blend seamlessly into the batter, ensuring a smoother and more uniform consistency.Add the batter in layers
When filling the cake tin, do it in layers, spreading each layer evenly right up to the tin's sides before adding more batter. The batter is thick and won't spread on its own, so make sure you're not leaving any large gaps.Give it enough time to mature
Don't rush it - make the cake at least one month in advance. This allows time for the cake to mature and develop its full, rich flavours.Set feeding reminders
Set reminders on your phone to feed the cake either once a week or every fortnight. Feeding it with alcohol or juice ensures it stays moist, rich and delicious for the big day.**Nutritional data disclaimer**
Please keep in mind that the nutritional information provided below is calculated by a third party and we cannot guarantee the accuracy. We try our best to give you the most accurate information, but we do not take responsibility for errors that may be present. Also, the nutritional value of the recipe may change depending on the exact brands and products used. We recommend that you consult with a qualified healthcare professional or registered dietitian for personalised advice on your dietary needs.
Nutrition
For food safety advice, including guidance on food allergies
More Christmas recipes
The perfect, crispy roasted potatoes - Tips and Tricks
Christmas cookies with edible wafer paper
The best pigs in blankets with a whisky and honey glaze
Easy Parmentier potatoes (mini roast potatoes)
Roasted tenderstem broccoli with parmesan and pine nuts
Janet says
Excellent! Not only great recipe, it looks stunning too!
Maretha Corbett says
Hi Janet!
You're making us blush as red as Rudolph's nose! We're thrilled you loved our Christmas cake recipe. Thank you for the kind feedback!
Happy Holidays!
Maretha.
IDB says
Having tried the mince pies, thought I'd give this a go too. Initial feedback, before it has been fully-fed, is really good. Nice, solid consistency, yet moist enough already. Very tasty! Looking forward to the full-blown, fully-fed version!
Maretha Corbett says
Hello again IDB!
Thank you so much for trying out our Christmas fruit cake recipe as well. So pleased to hear you're enjoying it already. It's like a sneak peek of the holiday season, isn't it? In our house, we always bake two Christmas cakes — one for the actual day and another for picking at in the meantime. No one can wait that long until Xmas day, so I don't blame you for tucking in already! 😄
I can't wait for you to experience the full-blown, fully-fed version. The flavours will only get better with time. If you ever have any questions or need more baking tips, feel free to reach out.
Happy baking and happy holidays!
Warm regards,
Maretha x
Anne says
Can anyone help? I forgot to add orange and lemon zest (or juice?). Its been in the oven 3 hours now. Is it too late or can I add to "feed"?
Maretha Corbett says
Hello Anne,
Oh no! Don't worry, I have done similar things in the past! No need to worry about forgetting the orange zest. Your Christmas cake will still taste fine without it. The other dried fruits in the cake will make up for the missing orange zest, so don't stress.
If you plan to feed your cake with alcohol, you have a few options for adding some orange flavour if you really do want to add some zestiness. You can use Cointreau, which is orange-flavoured, for one or two feedings. Or, you can just stick with brandy or whisky. If you'd rather not use alcohol, you can use orange juice. Just remember, if you choose juice, it's best to eat the cake within a month since juice doesn't preserve the cake as well as alcohol does.
No matter what you decide, your Christmas cake should still be fine, it's quite forgiving!
Warm wishes,
Maretha.