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+ servings
Scaling up a Christmas Fruit Cake
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Christmas Cake

This traditional Christmas cake has been passed down in my family for generations. It's tried and tested!
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time4 hours 45 minutes
Decorating time45 minutes
Total Time6 hours
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: British
Keyword: butter, caster sugar, cherries, eggs, mixed peel, raisins, sultanas
Servings: 24 people
Calories: 730.22kcal
Author: Emma

Ingredients

  • 300 grams dark brown sugar
  • 300 grams butter
  • 6 large eggs
  • 400 grams plain flour
  • 400 grams sultanas
  • 300 grams currants
  • 100 grams raisins
  • 150 grams mixed peel
  • 100 grams glace cherries
  • 100 grams chopped almonds
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 2 tbsp dark treacle
  • 2 glasses brandy + extra for feeding

To decorate

  • 800 grams marzipan
  • 800 grams royal icing
  • 5 tbsp apricot jam

Instructions

  • A day or two before you intend to make the cake, put all of the fruit into a bowl and pour over the brandy. 
  • Cover with clingfilm and leave the fruit to re-hydrate.
  • The day you wish to bake your cake, begin by beating the butter and sugar until creamy. 
  • Slowly add the eggs to the mixture one at a time ensuring they are fully combined before adding the next one.
  • Next, fold in the flour, chopped almonds, cinnamon and then fruit (with any juices left in the bowl) and treacle.
  • Line a cake tin (roughly 9” x 3 ½”), pour the batter into the lined tin and bake for 4hrs and 45 mins on Gas Mark 1.
  • Leave to cool before removing from the tin.
  • Over the next few days push a skewer into the cake and drizzle a tbsp of brandy over it each day.

To decorate

  • Roll out the marzipan until it is large enough to cover the whole cake.
  • Mix a spoon of jam with boiling water and brush over the cake.
  • Lay the marzipan over the cake and smooth down. 
  • Leave this to dry for a day.
  • The next day, roll the royal icing out until it is large enough to cover the whole cake.
  • Brush the marzipan with hot water.
  • Lay the royal icing over the cake and smooth down.
  • It is now ready to decorate as you wish!

Nutrition

Calories: 730.22kcal | Carbohydrates: 103.2g | Protein: 9.25g | Fat: 28.08g | Saturated Fat: 8.73g | Trans Fat: 0.41g | Cholesterol: 73.38mg | Sodium: 196.12mg | Potassium: 486.17mg | Fiber: 3.86g | Sugar: 74.92g | Vitamin A: 403.43IU | Vitamin C: 1.72mg | Calcium: 85.25mg | Iron: 3mg