My Chocolate and Orange Fruitcake is a great alternative to the traditional Christmas fruitcake. Find out how to make it below.
Christmas cake variations
I've been baking the family Christmas Cake since I was about 18. Whilst I still bake the cake to my grandma's exact specifications every year (you can find that Traditional Christmas Cake recipe here) I will use any excuse to tweak it and have a play. Especially if I know my guests aren't a fan of heavy fruitcake.
Something which always amazes me is the amount of people that say they don't actually like Christmas Cake... If people don't actually like it why are we still baking and buying so many of them? It sounds like someone needs to come up with an alternative Christmas Cake recipe...
I was asked to bake for my office's Christmas Fayre this year and knew straight off the bat that there was no point cooking a traditional cake when so many people weren't actually a fan. Instead I tried to give the traditional recipe an upgrade with the popular flavour combination of chocolate and orange.
I've taken the dense heavy fruitcake, kept some of the fruit, added extra citrus zest, packed it full of chocolate and lightened it up with fresh and zingy orange juice. This old fashioned cake has had one hell of a makeover.
Who is Chocolate and Orange Fruitcake suitable for?
As well as being perfect for anyone who doesn't like traditional fruitcake, my Chocolate and Orange Christmas Fruitcake is also child friendly and perfect for any one who doesn't drink alcohol as the brandy is swapped out for fresh orange juice. The cake is just as moist and rich but the orange works really well to sweeten up the dark chocolate.
How to serve Chocolate and Orange Fruitcake
You'll see from the photos that I decided to cut this cake into small portions for the bake sale - square slices roughly 3 inches squared which would serve one greedy person or two. I decided to keep the sides of the cake naked so you could see the sweet, chocolatey sponge before topping it with marzipan and royal icing. This recipe works just as well as one large cake and should take pride of place on your table this Christmas.
The recipe
Christmas Chocolate and Orange Fruitcake
Ingredients
- 250 grams raisins
- 250 grams currants
- 100 grams dried cranberries
- 100 grams glace cherries
- 75 ml orange juice
- 200 grams butter
- 200 grams dark brown sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 100 grams dark chocolate
- 1 vanilla pod seeds only
- 200 grams self raising flour
- 3 tablespoon cocoa powder
- 100 grams ground almonds
- 1 orange zest only
Instructions
- Soak the dried fruits in the orange juice for at least half an hour and if possible over night.
- Place these to one side while preparing the cake batter.
- Line a deep cake tin (either 20cm round or 18cm square) and pre-heat the oven to gas mark 2 or 140C.
- For the cake batter, begin by beating together the butter and sugar until it is creamy and fully combined.
- Begin adding the eggs (one at a time) and beat well in between each addition.
- Next, melt the chocolate gently in a bowl over a pan of hot water and fold into the butter, sugar and egg mix along with the seeds from the vanilla pod.
- Fold in the self raising flour, cocoa, almonds and orange zest until a thick batter forms.
- Add the fruits and orange juice to the bowl and mix thoroughly until the fruit goes all the way through the cake batter.
- Pour into the lined tin and bake in the centre of the oven for 1 and a half hours or until the sponge bounces back when prodded with a finger or a skewer comes out clean.
- Leave the cake in the tin to cool before decorating.
Nutrition
More alternative Christmas cake recipes
More Christmas recipes
For the full range of festive recipes check out the Christmas recipe collection.
Jo of Jo's Kitchen says
What a lovely looking cake. I love the idea of chocolate and orange in a fruit cake
Emma Walton says
Thanks Jo! I got lots of great feedback at the cake sale so will definitely be making this again.
Diana says
Chocolate and orange is my favourite combination!! I love it so much so I'm going to try these out! I also think it's lovely how you decorated these cake bars!
Emma Walton says
Thanks Diana! I wanted to keep the decoration simple 🙂 I'm glad you like it!
Stephanie Steele says
How long will this cake keep?
Emma Walton says
Hi Stephanie, this won’t last as long as a regular Christmas cake because there is no alcohol in it and lower sugar content than regular Christmas cake.
Covered in marzipan and icing it could last 2 weeks. But the sponge along will start to go stale after a week.
If you want to make it in advance I would wrap it well and freeze until you need it. Otherwise, cook and decorate it the same week you intend to eat it for best results!
Hope that helps!
Choclette says
That does look very nice and the chocolate is most tempting, but I have to confess I'm not really a fan of heavy fruit cakes either. I'll eat it if it's given to me, but much prefer lighter fruit versions. I think it's just that we are all so spoilt for goodies now. At one time anyone would have been thrilled to receive a piece of traditional Christmas cake as it was probably the only sweet food on offer.
Emma Walton says
I can definitely understand why people shy away from it Choclette! You're certainly not in the minority I don't think. This cake is much lighter and SO moist.
Nicola says
How long will this cake last plz?
Emma Walton says
Hi Nicola, this won't last as long as a regular Christmas cake because there is no alcohol in it and it's a much lighter sponge.
Covered in marzipan and icing it could last 2 weeks. Without the decoration or if the marzipan and icing is only on the top it will start to go stale after a week.
If you want to make it in advance I would wrap it well and freeze until you need it. Hope that helps!
Jane Baker says
I am looking forward to attempting this recipe ,as an alternative to our traditional Christmas cake , for our grandchildren. I would like to make in a traybake tin. Could you tell me the size I would need please and cooking time. Thank you
Emma says
Hi Jane, unfortunately it's not a straight forward process working out how long to cook for. You can use the conversion here to work it out: https://supperinthesuburbs.com/2020/11/25/scaling-up-and-down-a-cake-recipe/