Easy Christmas Cake Recipe (2024)

This is my Easy Christmas Cake recipe. It is a bung it all in recipe requiring no soaking of fruits or creaming of butter, merely a matter of bubbling together some ingredients before stirring in the others. What emerges from the oven some time later is a Christmas Cake of epic proportions and deliciousness. I would have no other.

How often do we get the chance to rest on our laurels at Christmas time? It seems we have to hit the ground running as soon as December comes around and I'm not very good at running....at all.

So this is a fuss free, delicious and super easy recipe worthy of a tot or three of sherry all to itself.

It is the most reliable of bakes emerging big, brash and fruitily craggy time and time again. It ALWAYS reassures me that all will be well. I love to get the children involved too whether they like it or not.

I make it at the end of November or Beginning of December and feed it with some brandy once a week just to keep it's spirits up....

A get ahead Christmas point of note is that I make my Slow Cooker Christmas Pudding early too. Usually at the beginning of November. Both benefit enormously from some time alone contemplating their fruitiness.

How Do I Make Christmas Cake?

*There is a full recipe card at the bottom of this post with exact ingredients and instructions*

The trick to making this cake rich and moist is the simmering of the fruits, butter, sugar, chestnut puree, zest, spices and treacle in a saucepan before adding the dry ingredients.

It is this that softens and plumps the dried fruit removing the need to be organised the night before (not going to happen) (I could do with a simmer myself).

Ingredients

I use a 8 " loose bottomed cake tin that is 3 " deep. I line it with a reusable liner on the bottom and on the sides.

750 grams - (26.46) dried fruit

zest of half an orange

50 grams - (1.75 oz) black treacle

250 grams - (1.14 oz) dark muscovado sugar

175 grams - ( 6.2 oz) butter

150 mls brandy or similar (extra if feeding for a few weeks) substitute fruit tea or apple juice if wanting a non alcoholic alternative

200 grams (7.05 oz) chestnut puree - if you don't have any then use half a jar of mincemeat, only 350 grams dried fruit instead and omit the black treacle

3 large eggs

250 grams -( 2 cups) plain flour if using self raising flour then omit the baking powder below

1 tsp ground cinnamon

2 tspmixed spice

1 tsp baking powder

A little note to be mindful of the alcohol content of this cake. Some of the alcohol will have been cooked off but not all especially if you have been feeding it with extra brandy.

Method

• Add the fruit, butter, zest, dark brown sugar, brandy, treacle, spices and chestnut puree to the saucepan and bring to a gentle simmer.

• Keep stirring and make sure that the chestnut puree has broken down. This takes about five minutes.

• Set aside to cool for 20 minutes.

• I use a 8 " loose bottomed cake tin that is 3 " deep. I line it with a reusable liner on the bottom and on the sides. My preference is Bake-O-Glide. I love the stuff. It sits in my baking draw ready to be slipped into my cake tins in seconds.

• Alternatively cut out on baking paper your 8 " circle for the bottom of the tin and a separate piece for the sides. Wrap the paper around the cake tin to get an idea of the length and then trim to fit. Ideally you want it to come an inch over the top of the cake tin.

• Once the fruit mix has cooled for 10 minutes add the flour, baking powder and eggs and mix really well. Make sure that all the puree is mixed in.
• Tip the whole lot into your cake tin.

• I bake in a 150 C/300 F/Gas Mark 2 for about 1 hour 30 minutes.
• I know it's a long time but it stops the cake catching on the outside and fills your kitchen with dreamy Christmas whiffs.
• When it is ready it will have cracked a little on top and a skewer comes out a little bit sticky but with no cake batter clinging to it.
• If you are going to feed your cake with brandy then leave to cool in the tin but after 30 minutes or so use a cake skewer or whatever you have handy that is similar to make about 20 holes in the surface of the cake.

• Spoon over a couple of tbsp of your brandy or chosen tipple.

• When completely cool and that does take another 3 hours or so, wrap in baking paper and a layer of silver foil.
• Place the wrapped cake in a tin or tupperware sealed container.
• Store in a cool place and if you are wanting to feed the cake then do so with a couple of tbsp of your brandy etc once a week until you are ready to eat it.
• Store it in a sealed container once sliced. I use a glass cake dome.

Decorating

Listen, I leave the whole thing naked. I am as ham fisted as a baker could possibly be. Plus I do not like marzipan..... I know..... I should be out in the cold.

An even more pertinent reason is that I have ENOUGH to damn well do. But feel free to marzipan and ice your xmas pants off.

The traditional decorations involve royal icing or fondant icing. You can buy ready rolled fondant icing and marzipan from most supermarkets.

Covering a cake with fondant icing requires a few techniques.

Here are some great christmas cake decorating ideas from BBC Good Food.

When Should I Make My Christmas Cake?

About 1 month is ideal but some make it earlier. That way you can feed your cake once a week with the brandy and it will deepen in flavour fabulously. It doesn't need much though just brushing some over the sides and top of your cake with a pastry brush is enough, about a couple of tbsps.

Ice the cake a couple of days before you plan to serve it.

Top Tips

• If you don't have any chestnut puree then use half a jar of mincemeat instead and omit the black treacle and just use 350 grams dried fruit. It all goes in to the saucepan the same as the puree.
• Amplify the flavours that your family loves. You can add more or less orange zest or change the spice mix.
• I don't like candied peel or glace cherries however I know I am in the minority so chuck those in if it floats your Christmas boat. Just keep to 750 grams of dried fruit in total.
• Measure out the ingredients before you begin.
• Let the fruit mixture cool so you don't scramble your eggs.
• Use a loose bottomed or spring release baking tin.
• Use an oven thermometer to keep an accurate track of your oven temperature independently. My oven is constantly higher in temp than the temp that I set with the dial.
• Put a silver foil hat on the top of your cake if the top starts to catch before the cake is fully baked.
• Make sure your cake is fully cooled before wrapping and storing.

More Christmas bakes

• Mincemeat Loaf Cake
• Mincemeat Muffins
• Easy Danish Cinnamon Rolls
• Cinnamon Rolls
• Cinnamon Bundt Cake
• Christmas Cookies
• Sticky Ginger Cake
• Puff Pastry Christmas Tree

Do let me know how you get on in the comments below or why not come on over and follow me on social media. I love a good old hairy chin wag.