A rich and flavorful Christmas cake packed with dried fruits and spices. Perfect for the festive season.
Preparation time
30min
Cooking time
3h
Ingredients
12 Servings
- 250 g all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 100 ml brandy
- 200 g brown sugar
- 250 g butter
- 4 eggs
- 1 tbsp grated lemon zest
- 1 tbsp grated orange zest
- 100 g ground almonds
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp ground nutmeg
- 500 g mixed dried fruits
- 1 tsp mixed spice
Directions
Step 1
Preheat your oven to 150°C (300°F). Grease and line a deep 20cm (8 inch) cake tin with parchment paper.
Step 2
In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter and brown sugar together until light and fluffy.
Step 3
Beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
Step 4
Stir in the grated lemon zest, grated orange zest, and brandy.
Step 5
Sift together the flour, baking powder, mixed spice, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Fold into the mixture gradually.
Step 6
Add the ground almonds and mixed dried fruits. Mix well to combine.
Step 7
Spoon the mixture into the prepared cake tin and smooth the surface.
Step 8
Bake in the preheated oven for about 2.5 to 3 hours, or until a skewer inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
Step 9
Allow the cake to cool in the tin for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Step 10
Once completely cooled, you can wrap the cake in parchment paper and foil, and store in an airtight container. The cake can be fed with additional brandy over the weeks leading up to Christmas for a richer flavor.