Light Christmas Cake
Delight in the festive charm of a homemade Light Christmas Cake, a deliciously moist and flavorful alternative to heavier holiday desserts. This recipe combines a perfect balance of warm spices, zesty citrus, and a medley of mixed dried fruits, candied orange peel, and chopped nuts. Ideal for those who prefer a lighter take on traditional fruitcake, it can be made even more indulgent by soaking the fruits in brandy for a rich, aromatic depth. With a tender crumb and a glossy apricot jam finish, this cake is beautifully simple yet elegant, perfect for holiday gatherings or as a thoughtful edible gift. Ready in just 30 minutes of prep, it yields 12 scrumptious servings and tastes even better after a few days of maturing—your holiday table deserves this timeless treat!
Log this recipe in SnapCalorie
Recipe Information
Ingredients
- 225 grams All-purpose flour
- 175 grams Unsalted butter
- 150 grams Granulated sugar
- 3 large Eggs
- 50 milliliters Milk
- 2 teaspoons Vanilla extract
- 1.5 teaspoons Baking powder
- 300 grams Mixed dried fruits (raisins, currants, and sultanas)
- 75 grams Candied orange peel
- 75 grams Chopped nuts (almonds, pecans, or walnuts)
- 1 large lemon Lemon zest
- 1 large orange Orange zest
- 1 teaspoon Ground cinnamon
- 0.5 teaspoon Ground nutmeg
- 0.25 teaspoon Salt
- 2 tablespoons Apricot jam
- 4 tablespoons Brandy (optional, for soaking fruits)
Instructions
If soaking the dried fruits, place the mixed dried fruits, candied orange peel, and 4 tablespoons of brandy in a bowl. Cover and let soak overnight. If not soaking, proceed directly to the next step.
Preheat your oven to 150°C (300°F). Grease an 8-inch (20 cm) round cake tin and line it with parchment paper.
In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, using a hand mixer or stand mixer on medium speed.
Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in the vanilla extract.
In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, and salt.
Gradually fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture, alternating with the milk. Mix until just combined.
Stir in the soaked fruits (or unsoaked if not soaking), chopped nuts, lemon zest, and orange zest until evenly distributed throughout the batter.
Transfer the batter into the prepared cake tin. Smooth the top with a spatula.
Bake in the preheated oven for 2 hours, or until a skewer inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool in the tin for 10 minutes before transferring it to a wire rack.
Once cooled, brush the top of the cake with warmed apricot jam for a shiny finish. Optionally, decorate with whole nuts and candied fruits.
Store the cake in an airtight container. It tastes even better if allowed to mature for a few days before serving.
Nutrition Facts
Calories |
4963 | ||
|---|---|---|---|
% Daily Value* |
|||
| Total Fat | 223.3 g | 286% | |
| Saturated Fat | 99.0 g | 495% | |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 0.0 g | ||
| Cholesterol | 950 mg | 317% | |
| Sodium | 1571 mg | 68% | |
| Total Carbohydrate | 676.4 g | 246% | |
| Dietary Fiber | 34.6 g | 124% | |
| Total Sugars | 420.7 g | ||
| Protein | 68.5 g | 137% | |
| Vitamin D | 3.6 mcg | 18% | |
| Calcium | 526 mg | 40% | |
| Iron | 22.7 mg | 126% | |
| Potassium | 3317 mg | 71% | |
*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.
