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The Ultimate Christmas Cake Recipe: A Festive Delight

The Christmas Cake Recipe is a timeless holiday tradition, filled with warm spices, dried fruits, and nuts that evoke the spirit of Christmas. This rich and flavorful cake is typically soaked in brandy or rum, ensuring every bite is packed with festive cheer. Whether you’re making it as a gift or for your family’s Christmas dinner, this cake embodies everything wonderful about the holiday season. It’s easy to make and perfect for celebrating the warmth and joy of Christmas. With a combination of citrus zest, spices, and a boozy kick, this cake is sure to impress!

The Ultimate Christmas Cake Recipe: A Festive Delight

Why Is It Called Christmas Cake?

Christmas Cake has deep roots in European holiday traditions, particularly in the UK. Historically, it evolved from plum cake, which was made during the holiday season as a treat for Christmas Eve. During medieval times, people would fast during Advent and break the fast with a rich, celebratory cake on Christmas Day. Over time, the cake was filled with fruits, nuts, and spices to make it a more festive and flavorful dessert. The use of alcohol in the cake, such as rum or brandy, was to preserve the cake for long periods, ensuring it would stay moist and delicious throughout the Christmas celebrations.

The Ultimate Christmas Cake Recipe: A Festive Delight

How Should Christmas Cake Taste?

A Christmas Cake should be rich, moist, and packed with flavors. The dried fruits, such as raisins, currants, and cherries, provide sweetness and texture, while the nuts add a satisfying crunch. The cake is infused with warming spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves, which bring out the holiday essence. If soaked in rum or brandy, the cake also has a lovely boozy aroma and flavor that complements the sweetness of the fruits. The cake should have a dense yet moist texture, and each bite should have a balance of sweet, spicy, and slightly tangy notes from the citrus zest.

The Ultimate Christmas Cake Recipe: A Festive Delight

How to Make It Super Yummy or Perfect?

To make the perfect Christmas Cake, start by soaking the dried fruits in brandy or rum at least 24 hours in advance. This ensures the fruit is plump and infused with boozy flavor. Be sure to use a mixture of your favorite dried fruits like sultanas, raisins, and candied peel for added depth of flavor. Use fresh, high-quality spices, as they will elevate the taste of the cake. When baking, keep the oven temperature low and cook the cake slowly to avoid drying it out. Finally, to keep the cake moist, brush it with extra brandy or rum every week until it’s ready to serve!

The Ultimate Christmas Cake Recipe: A Festive Delight

Christmas Cake Recipe

The Christmas Cake Recipe is a timeless holiday tradition, filled with warm spices, dried fruits, and nuts that evoke the spirit of Christmas. This rich and flavorful cake is typically soaked in brandy or rum, ensuring every bite is packed with festive cheer. Whether you’re making it as a gift or for your family’s Christmas dinner, this cake embodies everything wonderful about the holiday season. It's easy to make and perfect for celebrating the warmth and joy of Christmas. With a combination of citrus zest, spices, and a boozy kick, this cake is sure to impress!
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 3 hours
Total Time 3 hours 30 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine British, European
Servings 12 servings
Calories 350 kcal

Equipment

  • Mixing bowls
  • Spatula
  • Electric mixer
  • Baking tin
  • Parchment paper
  • Cooling rack

Ingredients
  

  • 500g mixed dried fruits (raisins, currants, sultanas, candied peel)
  • 100g chopped nuts (optional)
  • 200g unsalted butter, softened
  • 200g brown sugar
  • 4 large eggs
  • 200g all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1 tsp ground nutmeg
  • 1 tsp ground cloves
  • Zest of 1 orange
  • Zest of 1 lemon
  • 100ml rum or brandy (for soaking)
  • Extra rum or brandy for brushing

Instructions
 

  • Soak the fruits: In a large bowl, combine the dried fruits and rum (or brandy) and let it soak overnight or for 24 hours.
  • Prepare the cake tin: Line a 20cm round cake tin with parchment paper and preheat the oven to 150°C (300°F).
  • Cream the butter and sugar: In a mixing bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
  • Add the eggs: Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
  • Mix the dry ingredients: In a separate bowl, combine the flour, spices, and citrus zest.
  • Combine: Gradually fold the dry ingredients into the butter mixture, followed by the soaked fruits and nuts.
  • Bake: Pour the batter into the prepared tin and smooth the top. Bake for 2-3 hours, or until a skewer inserted comes out clean.
  • Cool and store: Allow the cake to cool in the tin for 15 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack. Brush with extra rum or brandy every week to keep moist.

Notes

  • For best results, make the cake at least a week in advance to allow the flavors to mature.
  • Store the cake in an airtight container, brushing with more alcohol weekly to keep it moist.

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Conclusion

This Christmas Cake Recipe is the perfect addition to your holiday traditions, offering a rich blend of flavors that will impress your family and friends. It’s easy to make, can be prepared well in advance, and stays moist and flavorful for weeks. With the combination of dried fruits, warming spices, and a splash of rum or brandy, this cake truly captures the festive spirit. Make your holiday season even more special by baking this delightful treat—it’s sure to be a hit at your Christmas dinner!

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