Description
Rich Christmas fruit cake blends British holiday heritage with sweet, spiced memories of family gatherings. Layers of candied fruits, nuts, and rum-soaked raisins create a festive dessert you’ll savor with nostalgic delight.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 cup (2 sticks / 226 g) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup dark brown sugar, packed
- 5 large eggs
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tbsp black treacle or molasses
- 1 cup dried currants
- 1 cup raisins
- 1 cup sultanas (golden raisins)
- 1 cup chopped dried apricots
- 1 cup chopped almonds or walnuts
- ½ cup glace cherries, halved
- ¼ cup mixed peel
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp ground nutmeg
- ½ tsp ground cloves
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 zest of lemon
- 1 zest of orange
- ½ cup brandy (or orange juice for non-alcoholic version)
- Extra brandy for brushing and aging (optional)
Instructions
- Fruit Preparation: Chop dried fruits and nuts into uniform pieces, ensuring consistent texture and visual appeal across the cake.
- Fruit Infusion: Soak dried fruits in chosen liquor or juice, allowing them to plump and absorb rich, aromatic flavors for enhanced moisture and depth.
- Oven Preparation: Warm oven to 300F (150C) and carefully line cake pan with parchment paper, creating a protective barrier against potential sticking.
- Dry Ingredient Blend: Combine flour, leavening agents, and warm spices through precise sifting, ensuring even distribution and preventing clumping.
- Batter Foundation: Whip butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy, gradually introducing eggs to create a smooth, homogeneous mixture.
- Ingredient Integration: Delicately fold dry ingredients into butter mixture, alternating with macerated fruits and nuts while maintaining the cake’s dense, compact structure.
- Pan Transfer: Carefully pour batter into prepared pan, smoothing the surface for uniform baking and professional presentation.
- Baking Process: Bake for 1.5 to 2 hours, vigilantly monitoring and covering with foil if surface browns too quickly.
- Doneness Check: Verify cake’s readiness by inserting a clean skewer into the center; it should emerge without raw batter residue.
- Cooling and Preservation: Allow cake to cool completely in pan, then remove and wrap in wax paper or cheesecloth. Store in airtight container in cool environment to mature and develop complex, intensified flavors.
Notes
- Fruit Preparation Precision: Chop fruits and nuts uniformly to ensure consistent texture and even distribution throughout the cake.
- Maceration Magic: Soak dried fruits in liquor or juice for at least 4-6 hours or overnight to enhance moisture and develop deeper flavor profiles.
- Gentle Mixing Technique: Fold ingredients gently to maintain the cake’s dense structure and prevent deflating the delicate batter.
- Long-Term Storage Strategy: Wrap cake in cheesecloth or wax paper and store in a cool, dark place, periodically brushing with additional liquor to keep moist and develop rich flavors over weeks or months.
- Prep Time: 1 hour
- Cook Time: 4 hours
- Category: Desserts
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: British
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 13
- Calories: 400
- Sugar: 30 g
- Sodium: 200 mg
- Fat: 20 g
- Saturated Fat: 8 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 50 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 6 g
- Cholesterol: 70 mg