Description
A traditional rich and moist Christmas cake packed with mixed dried fruits, nuts, and warm spices, soaked in cherry brandy and baked to perfection. This festive cake improves with time as it is fed with brandy weekly, developing deeper flavors for a perfect holiday dessert.
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 – not fine like flour
- 200 g (1 2/3 cup) plain (all-purpose) flour
- ½ tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp ground mixed spice
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- ¼ tsp ground allspice
Others
- 3 large eggs lightly whisked
Instructions
- Prepare Fruit Mixture: In a large saucepan, combine the butter, muscovado sugar, mixed dried fruit, glacé cherries, dried cranberries, orange zest and juice, lemon zest, and all but 4 tablespoons of cherry brandy.
- Simmer: Heat the mixture over medium heat until it gently bubbles, then reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.
- Cool Fruit Mixture: Remove the pan from heat and allow the fruit mixture to cool for 30 minutes to bring it to a lukewarm temperature.
- Prepare Baking Tin: Preheat the oven to 150C (300F) fan. Line a 20cm (8 inch) spring-form cake tin with baking parchment, lining the sides to extend about 2 inches above the rim and a cut circle for the base.
- Mix Almonds and Eggs: Add the ground almonds to the cooled fruit mixture and stir well, then mix in the lightly whisked eggs thoroughly.
- Add Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, mixed spice, cinnamon, and allspice. Fold this dry mixture gently into the fruit mixture until just combined, taking care not to overmix.
- Fill Tin and Bake: Spoon the batter into the prepared tin and smooth the top with the back of a spoon. Bake at 150C (300F) fan for 45 minutes.
- Reduce Temperature and Continue Baking: Lower the oven temperature to 140C (275F) fan and bake for an additional 1 hour 30 minutes or until the top is dark brown and a skewer inserted comes out clean. If the cake darkens too much, cover the top with foil to prevent burning. For gas ovens, baking may take up to 15-30 minutes longer.
- Feed Cake with Brandy: Remove the cake from the oven while still hot. Use a skewer to poke 10-12 holes all over the cake surface. Pour the reserved 4 tablespoons of cherry brandy evenly over the cake, allowing it to soak in.
- Cool and Store: Let the cake cool completely in the tin. Once cool, remove it from the tin and wrap the cake in a double layer of baking parchment followed by a double layer of foil. Store in an airtight container at room temperature.
- Maintain Flavor: Feed the cake weekly with 1-2 tablespoons of cherry brandy until a few days before icing and decorating the cake for serving to keep it moist and flavorful.
Notes
- Use a 20cm (8 inch) cake tin for best height and texture; a 21cm (8.25 inch) tin works similarly. Using a 23cm (9 inch) tin yields a slightly lower cake but similar baking times.
- A 20cm round tin translates approximately to a 17.75×17.75 cm square tin, and a 23cm round tin to a 20×20 cm square tin if you prefer that shape.
- Store the cake wrapped tightly in parchment and foil inside an airtight container away from sunlight to maintain freshness.
- Un-iced Christmas cake keeps well for 4-5 months at room temperature when stored properly.
- You can freeze the un-iced wrapped cake for up to one year; thaw completely to room temperature before decorating or serving.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice (approx. 100 g)
- Calories: 350 kcal
- Sugar: 30 g
- Sodium: 150 mg
- Fat: 15 g
- Saturated Fat: 8 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 45 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 85 mg
