Easy British Christmas Cake
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5.0
3 reviews
Excellent
Easy British Christmas Cake
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An easy recipe for a traditional British Christmas cake. Classic make ahead recipe for a dense flavorful fruit cake. Fed weekly with bourbon until ready to assemble with marzipan and fondant.
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Ingredients
- 7 cups mixed dried fruit raisins, sultanas, currants, chopped candied peel, chopped dried prunes, dried cranberries. etc.
- 1 cup unsalted butter
- 1 cup light brown sugar firmly packed
- ½ cup bourbon plus extra for feeding the cake
- 1 lemon zest and juice
- 1 orange zest and juice
- 4 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1¼ cup all purpose flour or plain flour
- 1½ cup ground almonds or almond flour
- 2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon ground allspice
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
Ingredients for Assembly
- 16 oz marzipan or almond paste (either golden or natural)
- 16 oz ready to roll fondant or white sugar paste, plus extra for decoration
- powdered sugar or icing/confectioners sugar - for dusting
- ¼ cup rindless orange preserve or apricot jam
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Instructions
- Begin by rehydrating the dried fruits. Place these in a large pan and add the butter, sugar, lemon juice and zest, orange juice and zest, and bourbon. Cook over a medium heat until the butter has melted and the mixture is boiling. Lower the temperature and simmer for about 5 minutes. Then tip the contents into a large mixing bowl and allow to cool for about 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 300°F (150C/130C Fan) and line the bottom and sides of a deep sided 8" or 9" cake pan with a double layer of parchment paper.
- Once the fruit mixture has been allowed to cool, add the flour, ground almonds, spices, vanilla and eggs to the mixing bowl and stir thoroughly with a spatula or wooden spoon to combine. Take care to ensure there are no clumps of flour left unmixed.
- Pour this into the prepared cake pan and bake in the lower half of the oven for 2 hours until a skewer comes out clean.
- Remove from the oven and use a toothpick to make holes all over the top of the cake. Spoon a couple of tablespoons of rum over the top and brush so that this soaks into the holes.
- Allow the cake to cool in the pan, before removing and peeling away the parchment paper.
- Store the cake in an airtight container, wrapped in parchment and feed with 2 tablespoons of rum every week until about a week before you are intending to serve.
Instructions for Assembly
- A few days after your last feed, roll your marzipan out on a countertop dusted with powdered icing sugar until it is about ¼" thick and large enough to cover your cake.
- Heat the orange preserve in a small saucepan to melt. Use this to brush all over the top and sides of your cake.
- Carefully transfer the marzipan on to the cake and press to cover the top and sides smoothly. Trim any edges to fit.
- Roll the fondant in a similar way. Brush the marzipan layer again with the warmed preserve and cover with the fondant.
- Use any excess fondant for decorating the cake in a festive pattern such as holly leaves and berries. These can be attached to the cake with some more preserve or just a bit of water.
Notes
- Note that Nutrition Values are quoted for the cake and do not include the decoration.
- Keep an eye on the cake while it bakes - if it appears to be burning on the top, cover with aluminium foil to prevent it catching.
- Fruitcakes are very dense, so the skewer may still have a couple of small flecks when using this to test doneness. If you have baked for 2 hours and the cake still has a couple of small flecks, this is fine. If larger bits are sticking, continue to bake.
Nutrition Information
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Calories
334kcal
(17%)
Carbohydrates
36g
(12%)
Protein
6g
(12%)
Fat
18g
(28%)
Saturated Fat
8g
(40%)
Polyunsaturated Fat
1g
Monounsaturated Fat
3g
Trans Fat
0.5g
Cholesterol
71mg
(24%)
Sodium
23mg
(1%)
Potassium
193mg
(6%)
Fiber
4g
(16%)
Sugar
23g
(46%)
Vitamin A
437IU
(9%)
Vitamin C
8mg
(9%)
Calcium
81mg
(8%)
Iron
2mg
(11%)
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 16slices
Amount Per Serving
Calories 334 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 334kcal | 17% |
| Carbohydrates | 36g | 12% |
| Protein | 6g | 12% |
| Fat | 18g | 28% |
| Saturated Fat | 8g | 40% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 1g | 6% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 3g | 15% |
| Trans Fat | 0.5g | 25% |
| Cholesterol | 71mg | 24% |
| Sodium | 23mg | 1% |
| Potassium | 193mg | 4% |
| Fiber | 4g | 16% |
| Sugar | 23g | 46% |
| Vitamin A | 437IU | 9% |
| Vitamin C | 8mg | 9% |
| Calcium | 81mg | 8% |
| Iron | 2mg | 11% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
Genuine Reviews
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5.0
3 reviews
Excellent
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