Easy Classic Christmas Cake Recipe (Inspired by Mary Berry)

Nothing beats a homemade Christmas cake. I wouldn't say it is our family tradition as I don't make one every year but I do when I can as it is so worth the effort. Christmas cakes do need a fair few ingredients and we spent around £20 on ours.

That does include a cheap bottle of Amaretto from Aldi and we had leftover ingredients that we used to make Mincemeat.

A Christmas cake is actually pretty simple to make - it's the measuring out of ingredients and the actual baking that takes time.

I have tried a few recipes over the years from Delia Smith to Nigella but Mary Berry's is my favourite and the one I always use now. I have made a few tweaks to the original recipe though. I hope you like it!

Soak your dry fruits in Amaretto overnight

Line your baking tin with a double layer or baking parchment

Mix all other ingredients in a food processor or by hand until well combined

This is what your cake batter should look like

Gently fold your cake batter into the soaked fruit

Spoon mixture into your prepared cake tin and smooth the surface with a spatula. Bake for approx 4.5 hours

Your fruit cake needs to cool and can then be wrapped ready for feeding. 

Classic Christmas Cake Ingredients

You will need a 20cm round deep cake tin. This recipe is supposed to create 12-15 slices but ours lasts a lot longer than this. The cake is pretty deep so you can get away with serving pretty thin slices I think.

100g    Glace cherries
100g    Ready-to-eat dried apricots
275g    Currants
175g    Sultanas
175g    Raisins
50g      Candied peel
5 tbsp  Amaretto
225g    Plain flour
1/2 tsp Grated nutmeg
1/2 tsp Ground mixed spice
225g    Unsalted butter
225g    Dark muscavado sugar
     4     Large eggs
50g      Chopped almonds
1 tbsp  Black treacle
Grated rind of 1 orange

Method

The preparation begins the night before. Start with your cherries - snip them into quarters and pop them into a sieve. Run under a cold tap for a few minutes and then pat dry.

Snip your apricots into small pieces then add the cherries, apricots and other dried fruit do a large mixing bowl. Cover with 5 tbsp of Amaretto (I just give it a good glug), stir and cover with a tea towel. Leave overnight in a cool room.

The following morning.......

1 - Pre-heat the over to 140C/Fan 120C/Gas 1. Grease and line your 20cm deep round cake tin with a double layer of baking parchment.

2 - Place the flour, spices, butter, sugar, eggs, almonds, treacle and orange rind into a large bowl or food mixer and beat well.

3 - Carefully fold the soaked fruits into your cake batter until combined.

4 - Spoon the mixture into your cake tin and smooth the top with a spatula. Loosely cover the top with a double layer of baking parchment.

5 - Bake in a pre-heated oven for 4.5 hours or until the cake feels firm and a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean.

6 - Leave the cake to cool in the tin and then wrap completely with a fresh double layer of baking parchment and then finally wrap the whole cake in tin foil. Store in a cool, dry place.

Every week, pierce the cake with a skewer in around 10 places and spoon amaretto over the cake to 'feed' it before re-wrapping.  You will need to cover the cake with almond paste (or marzipan) about a week before icing.

Royal Icing Recipe

Ingredients 
3 egg whites
600g sieved icing sugar
1 tbsp lemon juice

Method

1 - After covering your cake with marzipan, brush with a little apricot jam

2 - Lightly whisk the egg whites and gradually add the icing sugar and lemon until the mixture forms soft peaks

3 - Spread the icing onto the cake - you can be as creative as you like and form soft peaks or smooth. Decorate with Christmas ornaments. Here are some of my favourites (affiliates):

Easy Classic Christmas Cake Q&A

Q - How early can you make this cake?
A - We usually make in October / November but I don't see any reason why you could not make it earlier.


Q - Do you have to feed the cake?
A - No you don't but it tastes lovely so I would recommend not skipping this part


Q - Do you have to use alcohol to soak the fruit/feed the cake?
A - Apple or Orange Juice are good non-alcoholic alternatives


Q - I don't like amaretto - is there anything else I can use?
A - Whisky, Sherry, Brandy and Cherry Brandy work well


Q - I don't like marzipan/icing - can you recommend an alternative?
A - I would just leave your cake naked - it still tastes delicious and will go well with a wedge of cheddar cheese.

Other Christmas Recipes

Gingerbread Tree Decorations 

These Gingerbread Tree Decorations are perfect to make with children - you can make them at the start of December and they will last until Christmas. They make your house smell lovely too.

Click here to read my Gingerbread Tree Decoration Recipe

Chocolate Orange Slow Cooker Fudge Recipe 

This fudge can be prepared in a slow cooker and is SO easy to make. It tastes delicious and makes a wonderful Christmas gift. What is not to love?

Click here to read my full Chocolate Orange Slow Cooker Fudge Recipe.

Pigs in Blankets Mac n Cheese 

Pigs in Blankets with Mac n Cheese is a winning combination. A winter classic with a festive twist. We love it!

Click here for the full Pigs in Blankets with Mac n Cheese recipe. 

Alternative Christmas Cake Recipes

Nutty Christmas Cake by Me Annie Bee

If you like a cake which is nice and nutty and not too moist, check out this Christmas Cake recipe by Me Annie Bee. 

Low-effort Christmas Cake by Rachel Bustin

Rachel describes this recipe as super easy with the most effort needed being to weigh out the fruit! Check out this low-effort yet fabulous Christmas Cake recipe by Rachel Bustin here.

Easy Gluten-Free Christmas Cake by Kate On Thin Ice 

If you are looking for a gluten-free Christmas Cake , check out this Gluten Free Christmas Cake Recipe by Kate on Thin Ice or how about this lighter and healthier recipe as an alternative? 

Let me know if you've baked your own Christmas Cake this year. 

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