Over the past few years, I have gotten into making my very own Christmas cakes. Last year I made one. This year I’m attempting two! I always use the same easy Christmas cake recipe. I’m not sure how I came about it. I think over the years I have added my take on it. Now it is the ultimate easy cake recipe. I think the most effort needed is to weigh out all the ingredients!
Ingredients for your Ultimate Christmas Cake
- 525g Currents
- 225g Sultanas
- 225g Organic Raisins
- 110g Mixed Candied peel finely chopped
- 165g Glace Cherries halved
- 300g Plain Flour
- Pinch of Salt
- 1/2 tsp Mixed Spice
- 1/2 tsp Ground Cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp Ground Nutmeg
- 300g Butter
- 300g Soft Brown Sugar
- Zest of half a lemon
- 6 Large eggs
- 3 tbsp Brandy
Method
- Line your cake tin on the inside with 2 thicknesses of greaseproof paper. Not forgetting the bottom of the tin.
- Fix a double band of greaseproof paper around the outside of the cake tin. I used a tiny piece of sellotape to keep the paper on the tin. Please be careful as obviously plastic and a hot oven don’t mix!
- Weigh out all the ingredients
- Sieve the flour as you weigh it out.
- Mix all the dried fruit with the flour, salt and spices.
I love the smell of the spices…..mmmm Christmas!
- Make sure the fruit and flour mix are completely incorporated
- Weigh out the softened butter and sugar.
- In a separate bowl, cream butter and sugar together.
- Stir in lemon zest.
- Add beaten egg a little at a time.
- Fold in half flour and fruit mixture, once incorporated add remaining fruit and flour.
- Add in the brandy.
- Add cake mixture to the lined tin.
- Make a small dip in the centre of the mixture to get a level surface.
- Add double layer of baking paper to top of the cake mixture.
- Place in Oven at 150 degrees for 4 and 1/2 hours.
- Leave the cake in the tin to cool for an hour once removed from the oven
- Once cool prick the cake all over and using a spoon dribble brandy over the top of the cake.
If like me you love a boozy moist Christmas cake, feed every couple of weeks leading up to Christmas.
Now you have got to this point you may be wondering, well I want to see the cake now it’s baked. Sorry to disappoint but it’s still in all its wrapping being fed brandy. So what I will show you is how I iced last years cake, but if you want to see this years cake you will have to pop back a few days before Christmas for the update!
(Excuse the photo quality it was my old iPhone)
Icing the Christmas Cake
- Cover the cake in a thin layer of apricot jam with a pastry brush
- Roll out the marzipan (I aim for a thickness of 0.5cm) and cover the cake
- Leave the marzipan covered cake to set for a day before covering over with the rolled out soft icing. (again I aim for a thickness of 0.5cm but it’s up to you)
- Decorate how you wish!
There you have it! The Ultimate Christmas Cake recipe.
Have you made a Christmas Cake this year?
As always I love to hear your thoughts.
Ooo I do love Christmas cake! I hope you and your family had a lovely Christmas and New Year! #KCACOLS
Looks great, I also make one every year but I’m not a fan of it, I just like the smell ????, I give it to my parents. This year I made two as we decided to do a Christmas bake sale at work for Macmillan and it went down a treat x #KCACOLS
Looks gorgeous – I hope it was tasty! #KCACOLS
This looks delicious! I love Christmas cake but I’ve never made it myself. My mum always used to make one, but since I haven’t been in the UK for Christmas for several years it’s been ages since I tasted it. Maybe next year I’ll be brave and organised enough to try your recipe! #KCACOLS
Oh yummy! I’ve never made a Christmas cake! I wanted to this year but time just got away from me (a rubbish excuse!). Hope it tastes as good as it looks! #kcacols
Looks amazing! This year is the first year I haven’t actually made a Christmas cake. Next year maybe I’ll be more organised! #KCACOLS
That looks so cute! I’ll have to give this a try!! #KCACOLS
I love baking, but the one time I made a Christmas cake it was a disaster and I was gutted after all that hard work and all those ingredients! Yours looks absolutely great! Well done! #KCACOLS
I love christmas cake, its one of my faves. Great looking recipe:)
Mainy
#KCACOLS
I’m really not a fan of Christmas cake, or any kind of fruit cake if I’m honest. But your recipe looks really good, and actually makes it look quite simple. For some reason I always thought Christmas cakes were hard work to make! Probably because you’re always told to make them so far ahead of Christmas. x #KCACOLS
Wow – looks amazing – you lead us through it very well. Maybe next year we’ll give it a try here! #KCACOLS
looks yummy I bet it’s delicious
#KCACOLS
Rachel I love your tutorial! I’ve never been brave enough to try to make a Christmas cake! maybe next year… #KCACOLS
We are not fan’s of Christmas cake but yours does look pretty and easy to make! #KCACOLS
YUM! I love Christmas cake but nobody else in our house likes it so I end up having to eat it all myself. I’ve been gluten free for 18 months so haven’t had Christmas cake for a while! #KCACOLS
I’m impressed! And hungry now!!! Great and easy to follow instructions, thanks! Have a happy Christmas, Rachel! #Kcacols
It doesn’t look too hard at all! Thanks for sharing. Merry Christmas! #KCACOLS
I adore Christmas cake, I’m always going to make it early and soak t in brandy each week, but as usual it is still on the to do list as a last minute thing for this week!
I have to admit that I absolutely hate xmas cake. lol BUT my husband LOVES it – so this recipe comes in handy! 😀
#KCACOLS
I love baking a Christmas cake, it always smells great! For some reason this year I stupidly forgot to line the sides of the tin so (I blame the distracting baby) so I have a smaller cake than intended! #KCACOLS
I’ve never made a fruit cake, looks lovely so perhaps I should give it a go! #KCACOLS
This looks gorgeous. I love a good fruit cake and have been meaning to try my own! x #kcacols
I only started to like Christmas cake about two years ago and I never host so I have no reason to make it. Maybe one year haha! #KCACOLS
I only started to like Christmas cake about two years ago and I never host so I have no reason to make it. Maybe one year haha!
No huge Christmas cake makes here. I’ve heard many make theirs in the height of summer ready for Christmas! #KCACOLS
I’m a baker but I’ve never made a christmas cake. Probably because I’m not a fan of fruit cake! Maybe I should have a go and give to family members! It looks fairy simple thanks to your recipe. #KCACOLS
Looks very tasty! Your recipe it very similar to the one I use which is my Mum’s that she refined over years of professional cake making. It’s really satisfying making your own cake and everyone seems to enjoy the excitement of me getting it out and cutting it! Hope you enjoy yours xx #KCACOLS
Oh yum! I really should bake more, this looks great!! Have a lovely Christmas!
This looks yummy! I love Christmas cake. All part of the Celebration. I love to make it when I have time. We had fruitcake at our wedding in Germany. The first time many had tried it! #KCACOLS
I’ve never made one and not sure I have time this week. But will bookmark for future ref as you made it look dead easy 🙂 jo x #KCACOLS
Wow I bet this tasted as good as it looks! Great recipe – looks really easy to follow. #KCACOLS
This looks and sounds so yummy!! #KCACOLS
I have never had a “christmas cake…” Is it like fruit cake is in the states? I loved your pictures, made me want to try it! #KCACOLS
Ooh this looks great! I’ll admit I’m not a fan of Christmas cake myself, but I’ve made it in the past for family, and it never came out that well. This looks like a really simple recipe to follow! #KCACOLS
My mom makes Bourbon Balls this time of year and I swear they are the BEST thing ever.
Hooray for Boozy desserts!
Wow that looks so rich! I can’t believe it takes so long to bake. Yours looks amazing hope you enjoy! #KCACOLS
It looks delicious. I am not a big fan of Christmas cakes as I find them too sweet, but I am sure those who love cakes, they will find your recipe great! #kcacols
Looks great! #KCACOLS
Your cake looks lovely. I have to admit though, I am not that keen on Christmas cake. The boozy bit sounds good hehe x
#KCACOLS
I love christmas cakes they are so festive, this looks delicious Rachel xx #KCACOLS
I’m not a fan of Christmas cake, I find it’s too heavy and strong for my liking, but yours looks delicious I must admit!