Description
This traditional Christmas Cake recipe combines mixed dried fruits, cherries, and warming spices soaked in cherry brandy, creating a rich, moist fruitcake perfect for holiday celebrations. Baked slowly to develop deep flavors and then fed weekly with brandy, this cake improves with age and is ideal for marzipan and icing.
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 minus 4 tbsp
Dry Ingredients
- 85 g (1/2 cup) ground almonds coarsely ground – not flour-like
- 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
- 4 tbsp cherry brandy (for feeding the cake and soaking)
Instructions
- Prepare the fruit mixture: In a large saucepan, combine the chopped butter, light brown muscavado sugar, mixed dried fruit, glacé cherries, dried cranberries, orange zest and juice, lemon zest, and all but 4 tablespoons of the cherry brandy.
- Simmer the mixture: Heat over medium until the mixture gently bubbles, then reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally to meld the flavors.
- Cool the mixture: Remove the saucepan from heat and allow the fruit mixture to cool for 30 minutes, preparing it for the next step.
- Preheat and line the cake tin: Preheat your oven to 150C/300F (fan). Line a 20cm (8 inch) spring-form cake tin with baking parchment, lining sides about 2 inches high and pushing in a parchment circle for the base.
- Add ground almonds and eggs: Stir the ground almonds into the cooled fruit mixture, then mix in the lightly whisked eggs to bind the mixture.
- Incorporate dry ingredients: Fold in the plain flour, baking powder, ground mixed spice, cinnamon, and allspice gently until just combined, ensuring the batter is well mixed but not overworked.
- Fill the tin and smooth: Spoon the batter into the prepared cake tin and smooth the surface with the back of a spoon for even baking.
- Bake the cake: Bake at 150C (300F fan) for 45 minutes. Then reduce oven temperature to 140C (275F fan) and bake for an additional 1 hour 30 minutes until the cake is dark brown on top and a skewer inserted comes out clean. Cover the top with foil if it darkens too much.
- Prepare for brandy feeding: Remove the cake from the oven still hot and use a skewer to poke 10-12 holes evenly over the surface.
- Add brandy to the baked cake: Pour the reserved 4 tablespoons of cherry brandy evenly over the top of the cake to soak into the holes.
- Cool and store: Let the cake cool completely in the tin, then remove it and wrap tightly in double layers of baking parchment and foil. Store in an airtight container at room temperature.
- Feed the cake weekly: For best results, feed the cake with 1-2 tablespoons of cherry brandy once a week until a few days before decorating with marzipan and icing.
Notes
- Use a 20cm (8 inch) cake tin for optimal height around 3.75 cm; a 23 cm tin will yield a shorter cake.
- Converting to a square tin: 20 cm diameter corresponds to approximately 17.75×17.75 cm square; 23 cm diameter corresponds to 20×20 cm square.
- Store the cake wrapped tightly in baking parchment and foil in an airtight container at room temperature away from sunlight.
- This cake improves with age and can be kept for 4-5 months if stored properly.
- You may freeze the un-iced cake for up to a year; defrost at room temperature before decorating or serving.
- Cover the cake with foil during baking if the top darkens excessively to prevent burning.
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: 50 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 70 mg
