Classic Christmas Cake
This classic Christmas cake is rich, moist, and deeply traditional. Loaded with brandy-soaked fruits and wrapped in marzipan and royal icing, it’s a festive centerpiece filled with warmth, spice, and nostalgia.
Equipment
- Mixing Bowls
- Wooden spoon
- 23cm round cake tin
- Baking Paper
- Palette knife
Ingredients
Dried Fruit Mix
- 175 g raisins
- 350 g natural glacé cherries halved, rinsed, and dried
- 500 g currants
- 350 g sultanas
- 150 ml brandy or sherry plus extra for feeding
- 2 oranges zest only
Cake Batter
- 250 g butter softened
- 250 g light or dark muscovado sugar
- 4 free-range eggs at room temperature
- 1 tbsp black treacle
- 75 g blanched almonds chopped
- 275 g plain flour
- 1.5 tsp mixed spice
Decoration
- 3 tbsp apricot jam warmed and sieved
- icing sugar for dusting and rolling
- 675 g marzipan
- royal icing prepared as per package or recipe
Instructions
- Combine all dried fruits and cherries in a bowl. Stir in brandy and orange zest. Cover and soak for 3 days, stirring daily.
- Grease and double-line a 23cm round cake tin. Preheat oven to 140°C (120°C fan).
- Beat butter, sugar, eggs, treacle, and almonds together until fluffy. Add flour and mixed spice, then fold in soaked fruits.
- Spoon batter into tin and level the top. Bake for 4–4½ hours. Cover with foil after 2 hours if browning too fast.
- Cool completely in the tin. Pierce with skewer and feed with extra brandy. Wrap in greaseproof paper and foil, store in a cool place.
- Brush cake with apricot jam. Roll out marzipan and cover the cake. Let dry for a few days.
- Spread royal icing over the marzipan using a palette knife. Let dry overnight before serving.
Notes
For a non-alcoholic version, use orange juice. The cake improves with age and makes a thoughtful homemade gift.