Make Ahead Christmas Cake; a rich, traditional fruitcake filled with warming spice and booze. Make this any time of year, and let it mature until the big day!
Now, calm down. I can hear you tutting and muttering “It’s only November!” Hear me out, Grinches.
If John Lewis can start Christmas on the 10th of November, then so can I.
Most baked goods are best eaten on the day they are made, however some benefit from a day or two of maturing; banana bread, carrot cake and even little French macarons spring to mind. However some things benefit from weeks or even months of maturing and developing once baked, this Make Ahead Christmas Cake is one of them!
As fresh fruit and even regular sugar wasn’t really available in the Winter time all those years ago when these cakes and puddings were first made, dried fruits were the best way of sweetening and flavouring the festive dessert. The fruit as well as the added alcohol acted as a means of preserving the cake until it was needed, with the added benefit of boosting the dark, sticky flavours.
In modern times, fluffy cakes, creamy cheesecakes and fancy shop bought meringue desserts might be more popular on the Christmas dinner table. However, sometimes it’s nice to honour the local traditions of this old holiday and bake up a right old-fashioned treat. Added bonus: your Granny will probably love it.
Traditionally, Christmas cakes or puddings are stirred up and baked on “Stir Up Sunday,” which falls on the last Sunday of November each year. This allows the cakes/puddings to develop their flavours and become the lovely, rich, classic desserts that we think of at Christmas time here in the UK. This recipe allows you to bake up this Make Ahead Christmas Cake at any point in the year, and mature it until you need it! I made mine in the first week of October, and I’m doing well so far at resisting the urge to slice it up and scoff it!
Naturally, I took the recipe inspiration for this cake from Queen of Christmas, Delia Smith.
Equally in my nature, I made it my own, and adjusted it to a slightly more modern taste!
Rich, dark and sweet, laced with festive spices and orange zest. This cake is dense – like traditional fruit cakes – making it perfect for eating plain, warmed with custard or cream, or even slicing up and nibbling spread with butter and strong cheddar cheese!
If you fancy making this Make Ahead Christmas Cake, I recommend baking it at least a week before you plan to eat it. Also, feel free to wrap it in the traditional marzipan or fondant icing too. I can’t stand the stuff so I leave it bare, with just a few toasted nuts to decorate. If in doubt, get naked, right?
This Make Ahead Christmas Cake will keep for up to 1 year. To do this: wrap it tightly in clingfilm/plastic wrap/tin foil, and pop it in an airtight container. To feed it: poke a few more holes in the top or bottom of the cake and pour over 2 tablespoons of your chosen alcohol every 1-2 weeks.
Scroll down for the full recipe for this Make Ahead Christmas Cake.
Thanks as always for stopping by, see ya later!
Make Ahead Christmas Cake
Make Ahead Christmas Cake; a rich, traditional fruitcake filled with warming spice and booze. Make this any time of year, and let it mature until the big day!
Notes
BE A MAVERICK: this recipe can also make 2 smaller Christmas Cakes if you want to give one as a gift, or keep it until Easter!
This Make Ahead Christmas Cake will keep for up to 1 year! To do this: wrap it tightly in clingfilm/plastic wrap/tin foil, and pop it in an airtight container. To feed it: poke a few more holes in the top or bottom of the cake and pour over 2 tablespoons of your chosen alcohol every 1-2 weeks.
Ingredients
- 850g (5 ½ cups) mixed dried fruits (I used raisins, currants, mixed peel, cranberries and chopped dates)
- 100ml (scant ½ cup) brandy or spiced rum (plus extra for feeding later on)
- 225g (2 cups) plain flour
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp mixed spice
- Pinch of salt
- 150g (¾ cup) dark brown soft sugar
- 4 large eggs
- 225g (15 tbsp) spreadable butter
- Zest of 1 orange
- Almonds or pecans to decorate (if not covering in icing)
Instructions
- Pour all your dried fruits into a large bowl and pour over your chosen alcohol.
- Stir well to coat all the fruit. Leave to soak for at least 30 minutes.
- Preheat your oven to 140 C / 130 C fan / 275 F / gas mark 1.
- Grease a 20-25cm loose-based or springform cake tin and place a circle of greaseproof paper on the bottom.
- In another large bowl, measure in all the remaining cake ingredients apart from the nuts.
- Using an electric whisk, stand mixer or just a good old wooden spoon, beat all the ingredients together until smooth and combined.
- Tip half of your soaked fruit mixture into the bowl of cake mix and stir to incorporate.
- Add the remaining fruit and stir again.
- Pour the fruity cake mixture into your prepared tin.
- Cut 2 squares of tin foil that will be large enough to wrap around the tin from the bottom.
- Sit the cake tin on top of the foil squares and wrap it around the sides. This just helps the sides from browning too much in the long bake!
- Finally, place a sheet of greaseproof paper or tin foil, with a little circle cut from the centre, over the top of the cake tin too, making sure it does not touch the actual cake mix underneath. Again, this just adds as extra protection for the cake to keep it moist and evenly baked.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 4 hours until springy to touch. Mine took exactly this amount of time, but baking time can take as much as an extra 45 minutes, so keep an eye on it after the 4 hour mark!
- Allow the cake to cool in the tin for about 1 hour before removing it and allowing it to cool completely on a wire rack.
- Once cold, poke holes into the top of your cake, and spoon 3 tablespoons of your chosen alcohol over it. This will soak in nicely.
- At this stage, you can eat the cake straightaway or keep it to mature until Christmas time.
- Enjoy!
Can the gluten free version be made in advance and dies it keep?
Sorry should say does it keep
I made this in October and it kept perfectly well up until Christmas! As long as you feed it every couple of weeks with a tablespoon or two of booze and keep it well-wrapped it will be absolutely fine!
Very nice, thank you!