Description

This easy Christmas Cake is a moist and richly flavored fruit cake that requires no overnight fruit soaking. Packed with a medley of dried fruits and nuts, it has a velvety texture and is perfect served plain or with custard. The cake is covered with smooth marzipan and white fondant, decorated with icing sugar-dusted cherries and a drippy white glaze for a festive touch. Ideal for holiday celebrations and enjoyed fresh or weeks later.

Ingredients

Scale

Fruit and Liquids

300g / 10 oz raisins
150g / 5 oz diced dried apricots (chopped 8 mm / 1/3″)
75g / 2.5 oz mixed peel (diced 5 mm / 1/5″)
150g / 5 oz glace cherries (chopped 8 mm / 1/3″)
180g / 6 oz dates (diced 5 mm / 1/5″)
1 cup + 2 tbsp apple juice, OR 1/3 brandy + 2/3 juice

Wet Ingredients

120g / 8 tbsp unsalted butter (softened, 1 US stick)
1 1/2 cups dark brown sugar (packed)
1/2 cup vegetable oil (or canola, peanut, grapeseed)
3 tbsp molasses or golden syrup
3 large eggs

Dry Ingredients & Spices

1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp allspice
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 2/3 cups plain flour (all purpose flour)
3/4 cup walnuts (chopped, optional)

Decoration and Serving

500ml / 1 pint pouring custard (homemade or store bought)
250g / 8 oz “ready to roll” marzipan
250g / 8 oz “ready to roll” white fondant
Cherries dusted with icing sugar
Cherries or other fruit dusted with icing sugar
Drippy white glaze (directions provided separately)

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

Prepare the Fruit Mixture: Chop the dried apricots, mixed peel, glace cherries, and dates to the specified sizes. Combine them with the raisins in a large bowl and pour in the apple juice or the mixture of brandy and juice. Stir to combine and set aside while preparing the batter.
Cream Butter and Sugars: In a large mixing bowl, cream together the softened unsalted butter, dark brown sugar, vegetable oil, and molasses or golden syrup until the mixture is smooth and well combined.
Add Spices and Eggs: Stir in the salt, allspice, cinnamon, and nutmeg into the creamed mixture. Beat in the eggs one at a time, ensuring each is fully mixed before adding the next.
Combine Dry Ingredients: Sift together the plain flour and baking powder. Gradually fold the flour mixture into the wet ingredients until just combined.
Add Fruit and Nuts: Fold the soaked fruit mixture and chopped walnuts into the batter carefully, distributing evenly but without overmixing to keep the batter light.
Bake the Cake: Preheat your oven and prepare a cake tin by lining it with parchment paper. Pour the batter into the tin and bake for approximately 195 minutes (3 hours and 15 minutes) until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean and the cake is firm to the touch.
Cool the Cake: Remove the cake from the oven and allow it to cool completely in the tin before removing it onto a wire rack. This ensures the cake sets properly and maintains moisture.
Decorate the Cake: Once cooled, cover the cake with the “ready to roll” marzipan evenly. Then roll out the white fondant and lay it over the marzipan, smoothing out any air bubbles or wrinkles. Decorate with cherries or other fruit dusted with icing sugar for a festive presentation. Optionally, drizzle with a drippy white glaze for added visual appeal.
Serve with Custard: Cut the cake into slices and serve with warm pouring custard, either homemade or store bought, to enhance the rich and moist flavors of the fruit cake.

Notes

Recipe video available above for visual guidance.
No need for overnight soaking of fruit; the juice or brandy soaking during preparation is sufficient.
This cake has a rich, velvety texture and remains moist enough to enjoy plain, but custard adds a lovely complement.
Suitable to be eaten fresh on the day or stored for weeks to develop deeper flavors.
Use good quality brandy if opting for brandy mix to enhance flavor.
Drippy white glaze directions should be followed separately if desired for decoration.

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 serving
Calories: 388 kcal
Sugar: 37 g
Sodium: 127 mg
Fat: 15 g
Saturated Fat: 9 g
Unsaturated Fat: 5 g
Trans Fat: 0 g
Carbohydrates: 64 g
Fiber: 3 g
Protein: 4 g
Cholesterol: 38 mg