Easy Christmas Cake recipe
Welcome to the heart of Christmas baking with this rich, moist and velvety Christmas cake recipe. No frills, no fuss and definitely no marzipan icing. Making a Christmas cake is simpler than a stroll in the snow. It's largely as straightforward as your basic cake recipe.
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Servings: 16 servings
Calories: 576kcal
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
Calories: 576kcal | Carbohydrates: 98g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 75mg | Sodium: 138mg | Potassium: 599mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 54g | Vitamin A: 471IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 85mg | Iron: 3mg
