I’ve been using this same recipe for christmas cake for about 15 years. It takes a while because the fruit has to sit in alcohol overnight, but I can assure you it’s worth the extra effort. This cake has sat in our fridge for over a year and still been perfectly fine.
There’s no current video for this bake, but I’ll be sure to add one in October/November when I make this years cake. I also have no clue where this recipe originally came from as it’s been a file on my computer for as long as I can remember. My sister-in-laws both make their own Christmas cakes and have suggested poking holes in it and adding extra alcohol over the month running up to Christmas. Maybe this is something I will do this year.
Ingredients
- 900g Mixed Dried Fruit
- 250g Dried Dates (chopped)
- 170g Dried Apricots (chopped)
- 90g Mixed Peel
- 60g Glace Cherries (halved)
- 180ml Brandy
- 170g Soft Brown Sugar
- 230g Butter
- 5 Eggs
- 170g Plain Flour
- 35g Self Raising Flour
- 1 Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
- 1 Teaspoon Mixed Spice
Day One
- Add mixed fruit, dates, apricots, mixed peel and cherries to a large bowl.
- Add the brandy and mix.
- Cover the bowl with cling film and leave overnight.
Day Two
- Grease a 20cm cake tin. Line the bottom and sides with a double layer of baking paper.
- Add butter and sugar toa bowl and cream together until just about combined. If you over cream here, the cake will be crumbly.
- Add eggs, one at a time, beating the mix after each addition.
- Add this mix to the fruit mix from yesterday and mix well.
- Fold in the flour and spices, stirring gently.
- Pour the mix into the prepared tin and smooth the top with back of a spoon.
- Bake on 150C for 3 hours, or until a skewer comes out clean.
- Leave in the tin to cool completely.
- Once cool, wrap in greaseproof paper (2 layers) and clingfilm.
This cake really does last well. Most recipes out there suggest 6 weeks maximum to store a christmas cake, with some suggesting 3 months. The last cake made from this recipe was in our fridge for a year. While it wasn’t at it’s freshest, it was still delicious. You can always cut the cake in half and freeze the other half until you’re ready for it. Mmm! Christmas cake in June sounds like a plan!
