Recipes
Briony Williams' simple Christmas cake
Briony shares a super-easy festive fruitcake recipe that's perfect for you to make ahead
Briony shares a super-easy festive fruitcake recipe that's perfect for you to make ahead
(59 votes)
Cook: 4 Hours
Serves: 22
Price: 64p per serving
Nutritional Information
Each 102g serving contains
Energy
1434kj
343kcal
1434kj
343kcal
17%
Fat
12.2g
12.2g
Med
17%
17%
Saturates
6.4g
6.4g
Med
32%
32%
Sugars
36.7g
36.7g
High
41%
41%
Salt
0.24g
0.24g
Low
4%
4%
of your reference intake.
Typical energy values per 100g:
1406kj/336kcal
Typical energy values per 100g:
1406kj/336kcal
Ingredients
350g raisins
250g currants
250g dried cranberries
50g glacé cherries
100g mixed peel
175ml sherry (vegan, if preferred) or cold, strong tea (no milk)
250g unsalted butter, melted, plus extra for greasing
Zest 1 orange
Zest 1 lemon
50g flaked almonds
200g light muscovado sugar
4 medium eggs, beaten
300g plain flour
1tbsp ground ginger
2tsp ground cinnamon
½tsp allspice
Sherry (vegan, if preferred), spiced rum or cold tea, to feed the cake
Method
1
At least 1 day (but no more than 7 days) before you start to make the cake, put the dried fruits, cherries and mixed peel in a large bowl. Add the sherry or tea, cover and leave to soak.
2
When ready to make the cake, preheat the oven to 150C/130C Fan/ Gas 2. Grease a 20cm loose-bottomed springform cake tin with butter, then line the base and sides with at least 2 layers of baking paper.
3
Mix the soaked fruits, butter, citrus zests, flaked almonds and muscovado sugar in a large bowl. Add the eggs and mix again. Stir in the flour and spices. Pour into the cake tin and bake for 3 hrs-3 hrs 30 mins, until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean. Remove from the tin and leave to cool completely.
4
Wrap the cake in baking paper, put in a lidded tin or airtight container and then store in a cool, dark place.
5
Each week, open the tin, unwrap the cake and ‘feed’ with 1-2tbsp sherry, rum or cold tea. Start by piercing holes with a skewer to help the liquid infuse. Drizzle over the liquid and give it a moment to soak it in. Rewrap, replace the lid and keep cool.
6
A few days before Christmas, it’s time to decorate the cake. Use royal or ready-to-roll icing for a traditional finish, then add festive touches, such as star-shaped biscuits (see below) or Christmas trees, cut out of icing. Embellish with white piping icing and glitter spray or silver balls.