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
Substitute for Brandy
You can also soak your fruit in a half a bottle of rum essence overnight (small bottle).
Hi Geraldine, do you need to dilute the rum essence or as is? G
Fresh orange juice is an excellent substitute for brandy, but then I would not add as much peel rather the same weight in sultanas, cherries or dates.
Hi Pat, Thanks, thats a great substitute idea in fact been considering starting up a substitutes website.. have substitues.co.za (I’m a bit of a domain collector) Cheers for now G
Thanks for what seems to be an awesome recipe – mine is in the oven as I type here. I have searched and searched for days for the right recipe, as I knew exactly what I wanted and thanks a million -this seems to be just it 🙂 Many thanks again !!!!!
You are welcome Margie, can’t believe it’s that time already… Happy days G
hey graham
the recipes seems easy enough to try but what about icing, how do i make that stiff type of icing used on wedding cakes.
Hi kershnee, Christmas cakes are traditionally iced with Marzipan which I personally don’t like but can be bought from most good bakeries or supermarkets. Here is how to use it.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/christmascakeicing_2360
Cheers for now G
I like the fruitcake recipe above, however, can you email me a recipe for diabeties. My husband not allowed any sugar. Regards
Hi Ericka, I have a diabetic recipe somewhere and will try to find it for you. Happy days G
Hi Graham
I need to make a christmas cake without brandy what can I use instead?
Thanks
Diana
Hi Diana, the brandy is there to add flavour so you could add some very strong fragrant tea with a a teaspoon of vanilla essence. Use a tea like earl grey or another fragrant tea. Have a great time G
Hi Graham, I would like a light Christmas cake. I mean with a lot less fruit and a bit more cake. Any suggestions on how to alter this recipe.
Hi Alvin. This is a very old recipe and yes very fruity and rich, you could try this one,
http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/database/christmascake_2359.shtml
Cheers G
Hi Graham,
Your recipe for the xmas cake looks good. Please help, the picture shows there’s cherries and nuts in, but there is none in the ingredients?
Thanks
Liza
Hi Liza, I often add bits and pieces depending on how I feel and who it is for, providing you keep the quantities the same, add a few cherries or nuts if that is what you like. Enjoy, G
How Many Many times I see all the ingredients all the directions bar one, what size diameter the tin that the cake is going to be baked in should be! In this recipe there’s even the depth of the tin but no diameter! 17cm depth is pretty deep!
Hi Pat, another bollocking, sorry for omission… It’s a big cake which should see you through Christmas. The tin I have is very old and does not reach the top. Recipe changed G
Hi Graham, Your recipe for the xmas cake looks good. Have you ever used this recipe to make mini xmas cakes and if so how long would you bake them for.
Thanks
Hi Pat, I haven’t but see no reason why it shouldn’t work well. Cooking time will be less so make 2 small ones to test before you do a whole lot. G