This is my go to recipe for a Christmas cake and one I have been making for years.
It is a very deep cake and the ingredients will fill the tin! If you don't want such s deep cake you could split it between two tins or half the mixture.
I give these cakes to my family every Christmas as presents so I like to give them a nice deep luxury cake.
In this blog I will cover how to make and bake your cake and will do another blog on how to decorate the cake with marzipan and fondant icing.
You can’t make this cake straight away you need to prepare the fruit first and leave for 2-3 days so bare this in mind before you start the process. You can leave a few extra days but need at least 2 days to soak in the alcohol.
Weigh the fruit and cherries into a large bowl and add the alcohol you are using.
Mix the alcohol into the fruit and cover with cling film, stir daily and leave for 2-3 days to soak.
When ready to bake the cake Preheat the oven to 140 degrees centigrade (120 fan)
Grease and line a baking tin including the sides. You do not need to put any paper on the outside of the tin. Like this one available on Amazon
In the bowl of a stand mixer or in a large bowl cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
Add the eggs gradually alternating with the flour to the mixture doesn’t curdle.
Finally add the soaked fruit and mix until it is all combined.
Put the mixture into the lined tin. Don't worry it is nearly at the top as it will not rise very much when baking (see photo below).
At this stage you could add nuts and cherries if you don't want to decorate with icing.
Bake for 4 hours or until a skewer comes out clean.
Leave to cool in the tin.
Once it is cool don’t remove the baking parchment as this keeps the cake moist. Wrap fully in more parchment and then in foil and store in a cool dry place.
Each week feed the cake with 1 tablespoon of alcohol.
A week after you have baked the cake unwrap it and prick the bottom of the cake with a skewer and put a tablespoon of brandy over the surface. Then re-wrap and repeat every week up until the week before you are ready to decorate.
See Decorating your Christmas cake for full instructions when you are ready to finish your cake.
Making a 6" Christmas Cake
Sarah's servings: 6" Cake
Sarah's skill: Easy
Baking time: 4 hours
Ingredients:
850g Mixed dried fruit
75g Glacé cherries
75ml Brandy or Rum
150g Soft unsalted Butter
150g Light brown sugar
150g Plain flour
3 Large eggs
Method:
Weigh the fruit and cherries into a large bowl and add the alcohol you are using. Mix the alcohol into the fruit and cover with cling film, stir daily and leave for 2-3 days to soak.
When ready to bake the cake Preheat the oven to 140 degrees centigrade (120 fan)
Grease and line a baking tin including the sides. You do not need to put any paper on the outside of the tin.
In the bowl of a stand mixer or in a large bowl cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
Add the eggs gradually alternating with the flour to the mixture doesn’t curdle.
Finally add the soaked fruit and mix until it is all combined.
Put the mixture into the lined tin and bake for 4 hours or until a skewer comes out clean.
Leave to cool in the tin.
Once it is cool don’t remove the baking parchment as this keeps the cake moist. Wrap fully in more parchment and then in foil and store in a cool dry place.
Each week feed the cake with 1 tablespoon of alcohol then re-wrap until you are ready to decorate.
See Decorating your Christmas cake for full instructions when you are ready to finish your cake.
Equipment used
Sarah’s extra slice…….
My tin is a 6” PME deep cake tin like this one available on Amazon
You can add mixed spice or cinnamon if you like.
A week after you have baked the cake unwrap it and prick the bottom of the cake with a skewer and put a tablespoon of brandy over the surface. Then re-wrap and repeat every week up until the week before you are ready to decorate.