Christmas Fruit Cake
Christmas Fruit Cake is a traditional bake for Christmas entertaining in the UK. It’s a rich cake that is packed full of dried fruit and nuts and flavoured with spices and citrus peel.
What is a Christmas Fruit Cake?
Christmas Cake is a rich fruit cake that is traditionally eaten in Britain at Christmas. It seems that it evolved from two dishes that were eaten at Christmas. There was a plum porridge that was eaten on Christmas Eve and the Twelfth Night Cake eaten at Epiphany. It was during the Victorian era that the Christmas Cake as we now know it became popular.
Is Christmas Pudding the same as Christmas Cake?
Both festive desserts probably evolved from the same original fruit and spice porridge. However, Christmas Pudding is a boiled or steamed pudding (dessert) served with custard, cream or brandy butter at the end of dinner on Christmas Day.
The Christmas Cake is baked and decorated with marzipan and icing (frosting) and served as a cake with tea or coffee. So, although they both contain similar ingredients, they are different and served differently.
When do I serve Christmas Cake?
You can serve Christmas Cake at any time during the celebrations. It’s great to serve alongside some Scottish shortbread biscuits when friends call round.
In my family, it is traditional to cut the Christmas cake on Christmas Day. We have our Christmas dinner in the middle of the day, then cut the cake to serve as part of a tea with leftover turkey sandwiches and other sweet treats.
According to my research, the Victorians (they really dominate our Christmas traditions!) thought it was unlucky to cut the Christmas Cake before Christmas Eve.
Why should I make a Christmas Fruit Cake?
If you love fruit cake then this is definitely for you and the bonus is that it’s big enough to feed a crowd!
The step-by-step recipe makes this cake an easy bake. Even if you have little experience you will be able to make a successful Christmas cake. I’ve been baking fruit cakes at Christmas for many years and have used several different recipes. But this is the one I would recommend as the most reliable, it comes out perfect every time.
What ingredients do you need to make Christmas Fruit Cake?
The ingredients for this cake are mostly standard baking ingredients that you may already have in your larder. All the ingredients are easily available at store and supermarkets. Here is what you need:
- Lemon
- Glace Cherries
- Raisins
- Sultanas
- Currants
- Mixed peel
- Brandy
- Butter
- Sugar
- Vanilla extract
- Eggs
- Flour
- Mixed Spice
- Salt
- Flaked almonds
Scroll to the end of this article to find the full recipe and all quantities of ingredients, with step-by-step photo instructions.
What are glace cherries?
Glacé cherries or candied cherries are fresh cherries that have been gently cooked in a sugar syrup until they are absorb the sugar and become slightly translucent and the end result is a concentrated sweet version of the original fruit.
I buy glace cherry halves for convenience but still cut those in half to create quarter cherries for this recipe. These smaller pieces are easier to distribute through the scones resulting in a cherry in every bite!
What kind of dried fruit do I need?
In the UK you can buy bags of mixed dried fruit that also contain dried peel. However, I like to mix my own dried fruit. To do this you will need a mixture of raisins, sultanas and currants. I like to use equal quantities of raisins and sultanas and fewer currants.
What are currants?
Most people are familiar with raisins and sultanas but not everyone knows about currants. Currants are small, sweet dried grapes. They are not dried blackcurrants but a specific variety of raisins called Black Corinth.
In the US they are known as Zante currants or Corinth raisins, outside the US they are generally known simply as currants. Currants are the oldest known raisins and their intensely sweet taste works really well in combination with other dried fruits like raisins and sultanas.
What is candied peel?
Candied peel is the peel of citrus fruit, usually oranges and lemons. You cook the peel to soften it, then dip it in sugar syrup and leave it to dry. This process is repeated many times until the peel is saturated with sugar.
You can buy ready cut mixed peel or you can buy whole candied peel and chop it yourself, it does generally have a better flavour. If you do cut it yourself then make sure you cut the pieces very small.
What can I substitute for brandy?
If you are using alcohol in your Christmas cake then you can substitute run or Scotch whisky for the brandy. However, if you prefer not to use alcohol then you can use strong black tea or even orange juice to help plump up the dried fruit.
What is mixed spice?
Mixed Spice is a spice blend readily available in UK supermarkets and baking suppliers. It is a combination of the following ground spices:
- allspice
- cinnamon
- nutmeg
- mace
- cloves
- coriander
- ginger
If you can’t source ready-made mixed spice you can make your own. Or you can use cinnamon with a pinch of nutmeg or cloves.
Can I make the cake ahead of time?
I make my cake at the end of October and have it wrapped up and maturing until it is decorated a couple of weeks before Christmas.
Can I freeze the Christmas Cake?
You can freeze the cake, but there is really no need to do so. A rich fruit cake like this will keep for up to 12 months if it is properly wrapped.
Can I make my Christmas Cake later?
You can make the Christmas Fruit Cake right up to the week before Christmas. Although it might be a bit crumblier and will not develop the full flavour that you get by making it earlier.
If you are looking for a quick easy last-minute bake, then you can make my Last Minute Christmas Cake right up to Christmas Eve. It’s a lighter cake and it is designed to make at the last minute!
How do I decorate my Christmas Fruit Cake?
Decorate the Christmas cake in the traditional way with marzipan and icing (frosting). I use ready-made fondant icing because I find it easy to use, however you can also use Royal Icing which you make with icing sugar and egg whites.
Once the base of fondant or royal icing is in place you can decorate any way you like. You can buy cake decorations specifically for Christmas Cakes or make your own, like these mini gingerbread houses. I add a wide ribbon around the cake and attach a bow to finish the festive look.
Vegetarian
This recipe is suitable for vegetarians.
Gluten Free
Christmas Fruit Cake contains wheat flour and is not suitable for a GF diet.
How should I serve Christmas Fruit Cake?
You can cut the Christmas cake into wedges but as it’s a rich cake, I prefer to slice the cake across into large slices then divide these into smaller slices. Christmas Fruit Cake is delicious served with tea or coffee alongside other holiday treats.
There’s usually still some cake to serve on Hogmanay (New Years Eve) when it is more likely to be served with a glass of sherry, Scotch Whisky or Brandy. Whatever, takes your fancy!
More Christmas Cake Recipes
CHRISTMAS FRUIT CAKE
Equipment
- 20 cm (8 inch) cake tin
- electric mixer
- Large bowl
- Metal spoon
- weighing scales
- Measuring spoons
- Lemon squeezer
- Fine grater or lemon zester
- Skewer
- parchment paper
- Aluminium Foil
Ingredients
- 1 (1) lemon
- 100 grams (½ cups) glace cherries drained
- 250 grams (1½ cups) raisins
- 250 grams (1½ cups) sultanas
- 100 grams (¾ cups) currants
- 100 grams (½ cups) candied mixed citrus peel
- 120 millilitres (½ cups) brandy or dark rum or black tea/orange juice
- 225 grams (1 cups) soft butter plus extra for greasing
- 225 grams (1 cups) light brown soft sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 4 eggs
- 225 grams (2 cups) plain flour
- 2 teaspoon ground mixed spice
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 50 grams (½ cups) toasted flaked almonds optional
Instructions
Prepare the fruit
- Put 250 grams (1½ cups) raisins, 250 grams (1½ cups) sultanas and 100 grams (¾ cup) currants into a large saucepan.
- Add 100 grams (½ cup) of halved glace cherries and 100 grams (½ cup) of candied peel to the saucepan.
- Finely grate the zest from the lemon and squeeze the juice add these to the saucepan.
- Add 100 ml (7 tablespoons) of the brandy or rum to the dried fruit.
- Cover, then bring it to a simmer. Remove from the heat and leave to stand for at least an hour, or overnight if you can. The fruit will plump up and absorb the liquid.
To line the cake tin (pan)
- Double-line a deep 20cm (8 in) round cake tin with baking parchment. To do this, fold a 65 x 30 cm (25 ½ in x 12 in) piece of parchment in half lengthways. On the folded side, make a fold about 2 cm (¾ in) of the way in. Snip at 2 cm (¾nin) intervals along the length of the seam, up to the fold, a make a frill. Cut 2 circles for the base.
- Grease the tin with butter, then line the sides with the frilled paper, with the frills at the base of the tin, overlapping slightly. Grease the circles with butter, then sit them on top trapping the frill below. This preparation is needed to protect the cake during the long baking time.
- If using a non-stick cake tin then you only need to grease the sides and line the base. And place the cake tin on a baking tray (sheet).
Make the cake
- Preheat the oven to 160℃/140C℃ Fan/325℉).
- Put 225 grams (1 cup) butter and 225 grams (1 cup) soft brown sugar in a large bowl, then beat with an electric mixer until pale and creamy.
- Add 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract, then beat in 1 egg. When the mixture is fluffy and light, add the next egg and repeat. If the batter starts to look a little lumpy, beat in 1 tablespoon on the flour. Repeat with the remaining eggs.
- Sift in 225 grams (2 cups) plain (all purpose) flour, 2 teaspoons ground mixed spice and ½ teaspoon of salt into a bowl.
- Fold into the batter with a spatula or large metal spoon.
- Now fold in the soaked fruit, plus 50 grams (½ cup) flaked almonds (if using). The batter should be stiff.
- Scrape the batter into the prepared tin and level the top.
- Make a an indentation in the middle of the batter with the spatula. This will help the cake rise more evenly.
- Bake for 1½ hours, then turn the oven down to 150℃/130℃ Fan/300℉ and bake for another 1¼-1½ hours. Check the cake after 1¼ hours.
- When ready, the cake will be dark golden and a skewer inserted into the centre will come out clean. If not bake for another 15 minutes and check again.
- Leaver to cool in the cake tin (pan) on a rack. When still warm, prick holes all over it with a cocktail stick and spoon in the rest of the alcohol, black tea or juice.
- Once cool, remove from the tin then wrap carefully in clean baking parchment and foil and store in an airtight container in a cool place. for up to 3 months.
- Unwrap the cake and cover with marzipan (almond paste) and either fondant or Royal Icing (frosting) and decorate as you wish.
Notes
If you’d rather not use alcohol, strong black tea makes a good substitute, as does orange or apple juice. Alcohol is added to act as a flavouring as well as to preserve the cake until Christmas. Any dried fruit can be substituted, although I’d recommend a balance of sweet and tart fruit for a more interspersing end result.
Nutrition
I was sent a copy of “What to Bake and How to Bake it” by Jane Hornby to review and made this Festive Fruit Cake. First published in 2014
Ah there is hope for me yet Janice. I don't think I've ever been as disorganised as I am this year.
Yes, definitely still time, go for it!
I have come across Jane Hornby's recipes on the Good Food website and they have always worked out well.Having not made a Christmas cake yet, this recipe might come in handy. In fact I could put the nook on my Christmas list – I know that a Certain Person hasn't started his Christmas shopping yet!
You won't be disappointed Jean.
ahhh another great book review and a gorgeous cake. As Choclette says, there is still hope for us yet!
I see you have made your cake Dom and it's Bundt shaped!
This fruit cake looks really good and the book sounds like it would be a good one to have on hand!
Thanks Alicia.
There is always room on this earth for a good fruit cake!!
Having now eaten it, I can confirm that it is an excellent fruit cake.
This does look like a slightly less-likely-to-fail recipe. I've been put off in the past as one expensive failure will tend to do for you >_< but he – I might give this a go yet!
I hope you do try it Judith, it was very straight forward and the taste and texture is excellent.
I am very partial to a fruit cake and rather like this lighter looking one. Great book review too Janice x
I have really enjoyed the lighter cake this year, it's still nice and moist.
This is the sort of cookbook that I need on my shelf as I really don't bake enough.
This one would definitely help you do more baking Bintu.
Your gingerbread man is soooo cute! I love it!
Thank you. I liked him too.
I make a very similar cake every year it’s always on the Remembrance Day weekend. It was my mothers but I’ve no idea where she got the recipe. That weekend, along with remembering our war heroes on the 11th our family make both the case and puddings. I was going to have a problem this year because we had a long trip to New Zealand planned but with the covid pandemic that was all cancelled. so it’ll be the same as usual baking on the 11th.
Hi there,
Once wrapped how long does this cake last for?
Thank you!
Hi Rebecca, the cake will keep for about 3 months. Possibly longer but that’s how long I’ve kept it without any issues. Just make sure it’s tightly wrapped and kept in a coolish place.
I was looking for a straightforward traditional Christmas cake recipe and I love your bakes so started with a check on your blog. Made your cake at the weekend, easy to follow instructions, and it looks perfect. I’ve wrapped it up as instructed ready to decorate nearer the big day.
Thanks, Jen. I’m sure you won’t be disappointed.
Just made this Christmas cake it looks amazing and the kitchen smells like Christmas.
Thank you for another wonderful recipe.
It really does smell delicious. I hope you enjoy eating too!
Just made this Christmas cake it looks amazing. Thank you Janice.