A homemade Christmas cake is a proper tradition: dark, moist, packed with brandy-soaked fruit and finished with almond paste and white icing. It needs to be made ahead so the flavours can mature, which makes early November the ideal time to bake. This recipe makes a deep 20cm round cake that cuts into 16 generous slices.
Ingredients
Cake:
- 900g mixed dried fruit (sultanas, raisins, currants, glacé cherries and mixed peel)
- Zest and juice of 1 orange
- 100ml brandy, plus extra for feeding
- 225g unsalted butter, softened
- 225g dark muscovado sugar
- 4 large eggs
- 225g plain flour
- 2 tsp mixed spice
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 50g ground almonds
- 2 tbsp black treacle
To decorate:
- 3 tbsp warmed apricot jam
- 700g marzipan or almond paste
- 1kg ready-to-roll white icing
Method
- The night before, soak the dried fruit in the brandy, orange zest and juice in a large bowl. Cover and leave overnight.
- Heat the oven to 150°C (130°C fan) / gas 2. Double-line a deep 20cm round tin with baking parchment, and wrap the outside with brown paper or newspaper to protect the cake.
- Beat the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, adding a spoonful of flour if the mixture begins to curdle.
- Fold in the flour, spices, almonds and treacle, then stir in the soaked fruit and any liquid.
- Spoon into the tin, level the top and make a slight dip in the middle. Bake for 3 to 3½ hours until a skewer comes out clean. Cover the top with foil if it browns too quickly.
- Cool completely in the tin. Wrap in baking parchment and foil. Every week, unwrap and spoon over 1 to 2 tbsp of brandy until you decorate.
- A week before Christmas, brush the cake with warmed jam and cover with rolled marzipan. Leave to dry for a day, then cover with the icing.
What to serve with Christmas cake
A slice with a wedge of mature Cheddar or Wensleydale is a classic Yorkshire pairing. It is also lovely with a cup of tea, or a small glass of port.
Tips
- Bake it at least four weeks ahead. A cake made now will taste far better on Christmas Day.
- Wrap the tin to stop the outside drying out during the long bake.
- You can leave out the alcohol and soak the fruit in strong tea or orange juice instead.
- Store wrapped in an airtight tin in a cool, dark place.
FAQs
When should I make a Christmas cake?
Ideally four to eight weeks before Christmas. Stir-up Sunday, in late November, is the traditional date.
How long does a Christmas cake last?
Undecorated and fed with brandy, it keeps for several months. Once iced, eat within a month.
Can I make a Christmas cake without alcohol?
Yes. Soak the fruit in cold tea or orange juice. Without alcohol, the cake will not keep as long.
Why did my Christmas cake sink in the middle?
Usually from opening the oven too early, or an oven that is too hot. Bake low and slow and make a shallow dip in the top before baking.
Related reading
- Traditional Christmas Pudding Recipe: Easy Stir-Up Sunday Classic
- Homemade Mince Pies Recipe: Buttery Orange Shortcrust
- Bara Brith Recipe: Traditional Welsh Tea Loaf
- More game and country recipes
- The Field Guide: country clothing and countryside know-how
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