Christmas fruit cake
Christmas cakes that contain alcohol should be made about a month ahead of time to allow the flavor to mature. Incredibly, fruit cakes containing alcohol can be stored for around 9 months if in an airtight container.
What you need
500g raisins
500g currants
500g mixed candied citrus peel
375g flour
Pinch of salt
½ teaspoon nutmeg
½ teaspoon allspice
375g soft butter
375g treacle sugar
6 eggs
50ml brandy
The process
Heat the oven to 150 Celsius.
Lightly butter and line a deep cake tin(should be 28cm x about 17cm deep) with grease proof paper. (cut a circle for the bottom and then line the sides)
Sift together the flour, salt, nutmeg and allspice onto a piece of grease proof paper.
In another bowl(large), cream together the sugar and butter until a creamy texture is reached. Take an electric beater and add the eggs one at a time to the sugar mixture beating well after each addition.
Add the flour in 3 batches, stirring by hand to combine after each batch. Add the dried fruits and the brandy and mix by hand.
Scoop the mixture into the tin and smooth the top. Then take the back of a spoon and create a depression in the center by pressing with the back of the spoon(about ½ cm deep)
Place in the oven for 2 ½ hours, test with a metal skewer to see that it comes out clean. If not, return to the oven covered with tin foil (you don’t want it to become too dark brown)for a further 15 – 30 minutes and test again.
Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the tin.
I am not mad about marzipan so prefer to melt some smooth apricot jam with a little brandy and paint it over the cake before serving.
Store the cake in a tin in a cool place until Christmas. Here is a Christmas glazed gammon recipe , a Christmas roast turkey recipe and of course, perfect roast potatoes.
See all of the Christmas recipe ideas
Hi Graham,
I made this fruitcake 2 days ago. I made 2 loaves instead of one cake. The result was absolutely amazing. My husband and I decided to cut one loaf and taste it. We love it and I will definitely put it on top of my Christmas baking list. Next time I will reduce the amount of citrus peel and replace with nuts as I love nuts in fruit cake. I would give this recipe 10 stars if I could. Excellent!
Thanks Keta, so pleased you found the recipe it has been around for as long as anyone can remember… share the love 🙂
Hi Graham
Have just taken the Christmas cake out of the oven and it is fantastic.
Thanks for a great recipe
🙂 Merry Xmas G
Hi Graham…sounds like a great recipe. So we have about 3 and a half weeks to go! Will I have enough time to let it sit still? And does one pour the brandy over how often, or just once? I never did this, but I would love to treat my family!
Thanks!
Hi Wilma, You still have time, even a week is good but 6 weeks is just perfect. You should pour over the brandy about once a week, your family will love it. Delicious days G
Graham,
What I need to make a fruit cake 19 inch. Will this quantity be enough for this size?
Regards
Gerri
Hi Gerrie, thats a mighty big cake, you will need to add another 1/2 of each at least and depending on the depth you could go as much as double the recipe and adjust the initial cooking time to about 3 1/2 hours. Test it after 3 hours and then keep testing every 15-20 minutes until the skewer comes out clean. Happy days G
Hi Graham,
I am cooking for a beach mission in Dec. and have printed your recipe to bake. But one of the guys is wheat/gluten/lactose intolerant and I am trying to include him in all I make, with a few changes. Is there a fruit cake which is wheat/gluten free?
Hi Hazel, the link below is probably your best bet, happy days G
http://www.taste.com.au/recipes/10122/gluten+free+fruit+cake