Helen's Christmas Cake
User Reviews
4.9
Helen's Christmas Cake
Description
This Christmas Cake uses equal weights of butter, dark brown sugar, and an assortment of dried fruits, including sultanas, currants, raisins, and glace cherries, providing a dense, moist texture packed with fruit. The lemon rind and juice add brightness cutting through the richness.
The batter is prepared by creaming butter and sugar until light brown, incorporating beaten eggs with a small amount of flour to prevent curdling, then blending in the remaining flour and spices—ground cinnamon and mace—which give the cake subtle aroma and warmth.
The mixture is poured into a fully lined 8-inch round cake tin and baked slowly at 150°C (300°F) for 3 to 3¾ hours, resulting in a moist, deeply flavored cake. After cooling, it is traditionally covered with marzipan and iced with either white fondant or a sugar icing, enhancing its festive character and sweetness.
The slow baking and fruit combination make this cake suitable for holiday celebrations where it can be sliced and served alongside tea or coffee. The recipe structure ensures a tender crumb with concentrated fruitiness balanced by spices and citrus elements.
Ingredients
- 8 ounces butter
- 8 ounces dark brown sugar
- 8 ounces sultanas
- 8 ounces currants
- 8 ounces raisins
- 4 ounces glace cherry
- 2 ounces almonds chopped, coarsely
- 1 lemon (rind of whole, juice of half a lemon)
- 3 egg
- 8 ounces plain flour
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon mace ground
- 3 tablespoons brandy
Instructions
- Line the sides and bottom of an 8 inch round cake tin with baking paper.
- Preheat the oven to 300℉ / 150 ℃.
- Beat the butter and sugar until it gets light brown.
- Add lightly beaten eggs (to stop it splitting add a tablespoon of the flour).
- Add the rest of the flour and mix until combined.
- Add all of the dried ingredients.
- Fold in the fruit and lemon juice.
- Add the brandy.
- Pour mixture into pre-lined tin.
- Bake for 3 – 3 3/4 hours.
- Remove from oven when done.
- Let it sit for 10 minutes.
- Remove from tin and cool on wire rack.
- Once cooled to room temperature cover with marzipan and ice with white fondant or basic icing sugar icing.
Happy Holidays!
Notes
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.9
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