Christmas Cake Recipe

Name: Christmas Cake
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 8 ounces butter; 8 ounces soft brown sugar; 8 ounces plain flour; 1/2 teaspoon gravy mix, powder (eg Bisto); 1 pinch salt; 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg; 1 teaspoon mixed spice; 4 eggs; 24 ounces mixed dried fruit (raisins, sultanas, currants, candied peel etc); 4 ounces glace cherries; sherry wine (or similar alcohol for feeding the cake) or whiskey (or similar alcohol for feeding the cake); marzipan, for covering it; apricot jam, for covering it; royal icing (Royal Icing has the right proportions)

Servings: persons

8 ounces butter
8 ounces soft brown sugar
8 ounces plain flour
1/2 teaspoon gravy mix, powder (eg Bisto)
1 pinch salt
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon mixed spice
4 eggs
24 ounces mixed dried fruit (raisins, sultanas, currants, candied peel etc)
4 ounces glace cherries
sherry wine (or similar alcohol for feeding the cake) or whiskey (or similar alcohol for feeding the cake)
marzipan, for covering it
apricot jam, for covering it
royal icing (Royal Icing has the right proportions)

1
Might as well do the boring stuff first. Grease and line an 8-inch (~20cm) square cake tin.
2
Half, wash and flour the cherries.
3
Sift the flour, salt, browning and spices together into one bowl.
4
Cream the sugar and butter together until the mixture is light and fluffy.
5
Add an egg and about quarter of the flour mixture and beat until just mixed. Repeat until you have no more eggs or flour left.
6
Stir in the fruit and cherries. You may make a wish at this point, if you want - although you can't tell anyone what it is if you want it to come true! It often helps if there's someone big and strong in the house in time to do the final stir as the mixture is very thick and heavy.
7
Put the mixture in the prepared cake tin, making sure that a large hollow is left in the centre to make up for the cake rising when it's cooked.
8
Cook on gas mark 1 (140u00b0C, 280u00b0F) for 4 1/2 hours (yes, you did read that right, although check that it's cooked by sticking a knife in it from about 4 hrs onwards) If the cake is cooked, the knife will come out clean.
9
Leave the cake to cool before taking it out of the tin or trying to remove the stuck bits of greaseproof paper. A large corner of my 21st birthday cake (made to the same recipe) was held together with wooden toothpicks because it'd been taken out of the tin too soon!
10
When cold, wrap in greaseproof paper and place in an airtight tin.
11
A month to 6 weeks before Christmas, start dosing the cake with alcohol by making holes with a skewer and dribbling teaspoons of alcohol into the holes. Repeat at least once a week and make sure you dose both sides of the cake over the month. It is up to you how much alcohol you wan to feed your cake. Re-wrap the cake after dosing.
12
About a week to 10 days before Christmas, marzipan the cake (using apricot jam as the glue) and leave it out (covered by a clean teatowel) for a few days to dry out.
13
About 3 or 4 days before Christmas, Ice the cake and leave out until the icing is completely solid.

971

kcal

Calories

Fat

100

Carbs

Protein

Fat Carbs Protein

* Per serving · 4 servings · Values may vary.

Tips for the best results

Read through all the steps once before you start and measure out your ingredients first — it makes everything go more smoothly.
Preheat the oven fully and bake on the middle rack for the most even results.
Check for doneness a few minutes early — a toothpick in the center should come out with just a few moist crumbs.
Let it cool before slicing so it sets properly and holds its shape.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge and enjoy within a few days.

Variations & substitutions

Use a neutral oil or a plant-based spread in place of butter for a dairy-free version.
Brown sugar instead of white sugar adds a deeper, more caramel-like flavor.
A good 1:1 gluten-free flour blend works well if you need a gluten-free version.

No specific allergen information. Please check the ingredient list for possible allergens.

My Personal Notes

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How did you like this recipe?

This recipe makes 4 servings. You can adjust the portion size directly on this page.

You need 14 ingredients. The key ingredients include: 8 ounces butter, 8 ounces soft brown sugar, 8 ounces plain flour, 1/2 teaspoon gravy mix, powder (eg Bisto), and more.

Yes, Christmas Cake falls under the Baking & Desserts category and is a great choice for this type of meal.

Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3–5 days. For longer storage, freeze for up to 3 months — no need to refrigerate or reheat.

That's it — enjoy your meal!

Christmas Cake

Tips for the best results

Variations & substitutions

My Personal Notes

How did you like this recipe?

Frequently Asked Questions