Christmas Cake
Bring the festive spirit to life with this rich and indulgent Christmas Cake, a timeless holiday classic packed with flavor and tradition! Overflowing with a medley of plump dried fruits, candied peel, and crunchy nuts, this moist cake is delicately spiced with cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice, capturing the essence of the holiday season. Infused with a splash of brandy or rum for a luxurious depth of flavor, and brightened with zesty orange and lemon, this fruitcake makes for the perfect show-stopping dessert or edible gift. Slow-baked to perfection and finished with a snowy sprinkle of icing sugar, this recipe is ideal for making ahead, as the cake only gets better with time. Whether it’s part of your Christmas traditions or a new addition to your holiday table, this festive bake is guaranteed to impress!
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Recipe Information
Ingredients
- 300 g All-purpose flour
- 250 g Butter (softened)
- 250 g Dark brown sugar
- 5 large Eggs
- 500 g Mixed dried fruits (raisins, currants, chopped apricots, etc.)
- 100 g Candied peel (chopped)
- 100 g Chopped nuts (walnuts, almonds, etc.)
- 1 whole Zest of an orange
- 1 whole Zest of a lemon
- 1 tsp Ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp Ground nutmeg
- 0.5 tsp Ground allspice
- 1 tsp Baking powder
- 100 ml Brandy (or rum)
- 2 tbsp Milk
- 1 tsp Vanilla extract
- 2 tbsp Icing sugar (for decoration)
Instructions
Preheat your oven to 140°C (285°F) and line a deep 20cm (8-inch) round cake tin with parchment paper.
In a large mixing bowl, cream together the softened butter and dark brown sugar until light and fluffy.
Gradually add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition to ensure the mixture is fully combined.
Sift the all-purpose flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice into the wet ingredients. Fold gently to combine.
Add the mixed dried fruits, candied peel, chopped nuts, orange zest, and lemon zest into the batter. Stir well to distribute evenly.
Pour in the brandy (or rum), milk, and vanilla extract. Mix until the batter is smooth and all ingredients are incorporated.
Spoon the batter into the prepared cake tin and smooth the surface with the back of a spoon.
Bake in the preheated oven for 2.5 hours, or until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. If the top starts to brown too quickly, cover the cake with a piece of aluminum foil halfway through baking.
Once baked, remove the cake from the oven and let it cool in the tin for 20 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Once cooled, wrap the cake in parchment and foil, and store in an airtight container. For a richer flavor, feed the cake with a tablespoon of brandy over the course of a few days before serving.
Dust the top of the cake with icing sugar before slicing and serving.
Nutrition Facts
Calories |
7316 | ||
|---|---|---|---|
% Daily Value* |
|||
| Total Fat | 291.5 g | 374% | |
| Saturated Fat | 142.9 g | 714% | |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 0.0 g | ||
| Cholesterol | 1478 mg | 493% | |
| Sodium | 2394 mg | 104% | |
| Total Carbohydrate | 1074.2 g | 391% | |
| Dietary Fiber | 55.7 g | 199% | |
| Total Sugars | 741.9 g | ||
| Protein | 99.9 g | 200% | |
| Vitamin D | 9.4 mcg | 47% | |
| Calcium | 949 mg | 73% | |
| Iron | 34.2 mg | 190% | |
| Potassium | 6122 mg | 130% | |
*The % Daily Value tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
