Description
A traditional Christmas cake rich with mixed dried fruits, nuts, and warm spices, soaked in cherry brandy and slowly baked to create a moist, flavorful holiday treat. Perfect for celebrating the festive season and ideal for feeding weekly with brandy to deepen the taste.
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
Dry Ingredients
- 85 g (1/2 cup) ground almonds coarsely ground – not the type that is like flour
- 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
Other
- 3 large eggs lightly whisked
- Cherry brandy (1-2 tbsp per week for feeding)
Instructions
- Prepare Fruit Mixture: In a large saucepan, combine butter, light brown muscavado sugar, mixed dried fruit, glacé cherries, cranberries, orange zest and juice, lemon zest, and all but 4 tablespoons of cherry brandy.
- Simmer: Heat the mixture on medium until it comes to a gentle bubble, then reduce the heat and let it simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.
- Cool Mixture: Remove the pan from heat and let the fruit mixture cool for 30 minutes to ensure it’s not too hot for the next steps.
- Prepare Pan: Preheat the oven to 150C/300F (fan). Line a 20cm (8 inch) spring-form cake tin with baking parchment, lining the sides so parchment rises about 2 inches above the tin and fitting a circle for the base.
- Add Ground Almonds and Eggs: Stir ground almonds into the cooled fruit mixture thoroughly, then incorporate the lightly whisked eggs evenly.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, mix the plain flour, baking powder, ground mixed spice, ground cinnamon, and ground allspice together, then fold this dry mix gently into the fruit mixture until just combined.
- Fill Cake Tin: Spoon the batter into the lined tin and smooth the surface flat with the back of a spoon for even baking.
- Bake Cake: Bake for 45 minutes at 150C/300F (fan). Then reduce the oven temperature to 140C/275F (fan) and continue baking for 1 hour 30 minutes more, until the cake is dark brown on top and a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean. Cover with foil if the top darkens too much.
- Feed Cake with Brandy: Remove the cake from the oven while still hot and use a skewer to poke 10-12 holes evenly across the surface. Pour the reserved 4 tablespoons of cherry brandy over the cake to soak in deeply.
- Cool and Store: Let the cake cool completely in the tin, then unwrap and wrap it tightly in a double layer of baking parchment and foil. Store in an airtight container at room temperature.
- Weekly Feeding: Once a week, feed the cake by piercing it again and spooning 1-2 tablespoons of cherry brandy over it until a few days before you plan to marzipan and ice the cake.
Notes
- Use a 20cm (8 inch) cake tin for a typical height of about 3.75cm (1.47 inches). Larger tins will produce a slightly lower cake.
- When converting to square tins, a 20cm round converts to a 17.75×17.75cm (7x7 inch) square.
- Wrap the cooled cake tightly in double layers of baking parchment and foil and store in an airtight container away from sunlight to maintain freshness.
- The un-iced Christmas cake will keep well for 4-5 months at room temperature and can be frozen for up to a year if wrapped properly.
- Allow the cake to come to room temperature after freezing before decorating or serving.
- Feeding the cake weekly with brandy enhances its flavor and moistness.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice (approx. 100 g)
- Calories: 320 kcal
- Sugar: 28 g
- Sodium: 150 mg
- Fat: 12 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 45 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 65 mg
