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!

Nutriscore Rating: 46/100

Prep Time:30 mins

Cook Time:150 mins

Total Time:180 mins

Servings: 12

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)

Directions

Step 1

Preheat your oven to 140°C (285°F) and line a deep 20cm (8-inch) round cake tin with parchment paper.

Step 2

In a large mixing bowl, cream together the softened butter and dark brown sugar until light and fluffy.

Step 3

Gradually add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition to ensure the mixture is fully combined.

Step 4

Sift the all-purpose flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice into the wet ingredients. Fold gently to combine.

Step 5

Add the mixed dried fruits, candied peel, chopped nuts, orange zest, and lemon zest into the batter. Stir well to distribute evenly.

Step 6

Pour in the brandy (or rum), milk, and vanilla extract. Mix until the batter is smooth and all ingredients are incorporated.

Step 7

Spoon the batter into the prepared cake tin and smooth the surface with the back of a spoon.

Step 8

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.

Step 9

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.

Step 10

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.

Step 11

Dust the top of the cake with icing sugar before slicing and serving.

Nutrition Facts

Serving size	(1921.6g)

Amount per serving	% Daily Value*
Calories	7316.3

Total Fat 291.5g	0%
Saturated Fat 142.9g	0%
Polyunsaturated Fat 0.0g
Cholesterol 1478.4mg	0%
Sodium 2393.7mg	0%
Total Carbohydrate 1074.2g	0%
Dietary Fiber 55.7g	0%
Total Sugars 741.9g
Protein 99.9g	0%

Vitamin D 376.5IU	0%
Calcium 949.2mg	0%
Iron 34.2mg	0%
Potassium 6122.3mg	0%

*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.

Source of Calories

Fat: 35.8%

Protein: 5.5%

Carbs: 58.7%