Recipe uploaded by

2 ratings

Recipe by Angela Nilsen

Subscribe to Good Food magazine - 3 issues for £3

Tested

Leave a comment or rate this recipe

1. Video tutorial: Decorating a stacked star cake

1. Heat oven to 160C/fan 140C/gas 3. Line the base and sides of a 20 cm round, 7.5 cm deep cake tin. Beat the butter and sugar with an electric hand mixer for 1-2 mins until very creamy and pale in colour, scraping down the sides of the bowl half way through. Stir in a spoonful of the flour, then stir in the beaten egg and the rest of the flour alternately, a quarter at a time, beating well each time with a wooden spoon. Stir in the almonds.
2. Mix in the sherry (the mix will look curdled), then add the peel, cherries, raisins, cherries, nuts, lemon zest, spice, rosewater and vanilla. Beat together to mix, then stir in the baking powder.
3. Spoon mixture into the tin and smooth the top, making a slight dip in the centre. Bake for 30 mins, then lower temperature to 150C/fan 130C/gas 2 and bake a further 2-2¼ hrs, until a skewer insterted in the middle comes out clean. Leave to cool in the tin, then take out of the tin and peel off the lining paper. When completely cold, wrap well in cling film and foil to store until ready to decorate. The cake will keep for several months.

Per slice

427 kcalories, protein 7g, carbohydrate 53g, fat 22 g, saturated fat 8g, fibre 2g, salt 0.42 g

Latest comments and suggestions

• yummystuff

  09 December 2007

  yummystuff commented on this recipe

  I made this today and it turned out well. Easy to make and the mixture looked 'right' if you know what I mean. It didn't curdle. I followed the recipe exactly except for substituting rum for the sherry. I put whole almonds in circles on the top of my cake as I don't want to ice it. I'm just going to put a tartan ribbon around it. The almonds didn't sink and it looks really nice. Will let you all know what it tastes like after Christmas!

  Flag as inappropriate

  Please let us know your name and the reason you find the above comment inappropriate.

  Your name: Reason:
• CatR

  07 January 2008

  CatR commented on this recipe

  This is a delicious and easy recipe. 2 people devoured 3/4 of it (gave 1/4 to my mother) in under a month. It stayed moist and flavorsome the entire time. I used hazelnuts instead of pecans and Cointreau instead of sherry, as that was what was to hand. I liked that I made it about a week and half before Christmas and it didn't need feeding, so wasn't a really "boozy" cake.

  Flag as inappropriate

  Please let us know your name and the reason you find the above comment inappropriate.

  Your name: Reason:
• Barny82

  15 November 2008

  Barny82 commented on this recipe

  I've tried this recipe this afternoon. This is my first try of making a Christmas cake fingers crossed it goes well. Its in the oven as we speak and filling the flat with the smell of Christmas (think to much mixed spice fell into bowl oops).

  Flag as inappropriate

  Please let us know your name and the reason you find the above comment inappropriate.

  Your name: Reason:
• Becka

  15 November 2008

  Becka commented on this recipe

  i just made this today, it's my first christmas cake too :) i used sultanas in place of the mixed peel (does anyone actually like that) but other than that i stuck to the recipe. it's cooling now and looks perfect yay! going to keep it under my bed and feed it til christmas! x x x

  Flag as inappropriate

  Please let us know your name and the reason you find the above comment inappropriate.

  Your name: Reason:
• Ali Lenton

  20 November 2008

  Ali Lenton commented on this recipe

  Made this for my brother serving in Afghanistan. As it naturally has a long life, hopefully it'll survive the rigmarole of the journey and still be delicious when it reaches the guys. Hopefully, we'll have a photo to prove it in the new year! Smells great, I can't wait to hear that they've got it. :D

  Flag as inappropriate

  Please let us know your name and the reason you find the above comment inappropriate.

  Your name: Reason:
• Ursula

  07 December 2008

  Ursula commented on this recipe

  I want to make this cake for my mum but i am having trouble finding rosewater, I am in the Republic of Ireland so if anyone could let me know where to get it that would be great. Thanks

  Flag as inappropriate

  Please let us know your name and the reason you find the above comment inappropriate.

  Your name: Reason:
• YummyMummy

  17 December 2008

  YummyMummy commented on this recipe

  Made this cake, the first Christmas cake I have ever made. I left out the rosewater as I couldn't get hold of it, then I 'fed it' some extra sherry for a couple of weeks. We started on it a week ago and there is only a quarter left. Very fruity and moist. Very easy to make and delicious. My 2 year old loved helping to make it, but Mummy licked the sherry bowl!

  Flag as inappropriate

  Please let us know your name and the reason you find the above comment inappropriate.

  Your name: Reason:
• YummyMummy

  17 December 2008

  YummyMummy rated this recipe

  

  Flag as inappropriate

  Please let us know your name and the reason you find the above comment inappropriate.

  Your name: Reason:
• soraya

  05 January 2009

  soraya rated and commented on this recipe

  

  So good that my sister and her husband who were visiting from Paris, took part of it. A great success.

  Flag as inappropriate

  Please let us know your name and the reason you find the above comment inappropriate.

  Your name: Reason:
• Ruby Bell

  07 January 2009

  Ruby Bell commented on this recipe

  This is a gorgeous moist tasty cake. I couldnt find rosewater as I didnt look too hard (I could have found it if I had gone into town) so used some fresh orange juice instead. Also soaked the fruit for a very short time in some rum. Great success.

  Flag as inappropriate

  Please let us know your name and the reason you find the above comment inappropriate.

  Your name: Reason:
• Kammleitn

  05 February 2009

  Kammleitn commented on this recipe

  I have now made this cake twice - once for Christmas and the other time, for New Year. I don't normally like Christmas cake, but this was delicious - very moist and so full of flavour. No need to try any other Christmas cake recipe - this is the one for me!! (Used Cointreau instead of sherry, and as we can't get Rosewater in Austria, I omitted it)

  Flag as inappropriate

  Please let us know your name and the reason you find the above comment inappropriate.

  Your name: Reason:
• Becky

  24 July 2009

  Becky commented on this recipe

  This cake was simple to make and although I did not use all of the quantities of ingredients, it tasted delish...not sure if it had something to do with the amount of brandy used!!!!! Would recommend to anyone!!!

  Flag as inappropriate

  Please let us know your name and the reason you find the above comment inappropriate.

  Your name: Reason:
• willgeary23

  05 August 2009

  willgeary23 commented on this recipe

  I made this cake yesterday, even though it isnt christmas, but yeh, i was bored so i thought i'd give it a go. It took me ages to make it cos i didnt have all the ingredients (i mean, who has rose water in their cupboards??) so i had to go to waitrose ( that's where everyone who goes on this website shops, right?). when i'd made it, about 2 hours later, i left it on the work top, next to the rosewater, and i came in the room after playing some croquet on the lawn to find the dorg licking it!! Well it tell you, i was horrified! So i iced it and donated it to the W.I fete. They wouldnt know...

  Flag as inappropriate

  Please let us know your name and the reason you find the above comment inappropriate.

  Your name: Reason:
• Alison

  06 September 2009

  Alison commented on this recipe

  Hi, I am thinking of making this for as this years christmas cake but my husband is allegic to nuts!! Does anybody know if I can just omit the nuts or use extra fruit in its place? Any suggestions would be appreciated thanks.

  Flag as inappropriate

  Please let us know your name and the reason you find the above comment inappropriate.

  Your name: Reason:
• Cook Alison

  12 November 2009

  Cook Alison commented on this recipe

  My family don't like nuts in their fruit cakes so I tend just to leave them out, I don't usually bulk up the fruit content as I tend to think it makes the cakes a wee bit heavy.

  Flag as inappropriate

  Please let us know your name and the reason you find the above comment inappropriate.

  Your name: Reason:
• mmmmmmmmlekker

  18 November 2009

  mmmmmmmmlekker commented on this recipe

  you can get rosewater at your local middle-easternshop (turkish, marrocan or something like that). I am going to try and make one, my first one, as well. Fingers crossed!!

  Flag as inappropriate

  Please let us know your name and the reason you find the above comment inappropriate.

  Your name: Reason:

http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/1004/

Your binder

• Register
• Sign in
• More info

Sign up or sign in to receive a £40 wine voucher, and to save, rate and comment on recipes. Plus, get our newsletter.

Ingredients

• 200g butter , softened to room temperature
• 200g dark muscovado sugar
• 200g plain flour
• 4 eggs , beaten
• 50g ground almonds
• 100ml sherry , sweet or dry, whatever you have in the cupboard
• 85g candied peel , roughly chopped (we used Sundora)
• 85g glacé cherries , roughly chopped
• 250g raisins
• 250g currants
• 100g pack pecans nuts, broken into big pieces
• finely grated zest 1 lemon
• 1½ tsp mixed spice
• 1½ tsp rosewater
• ½ tsp vanilla extract
• ½ tsp baking powder

Search Good Food

Keywords

Refine your recipe search

Search filter options

Search by cooking times Less than 10 minutes 10-30 minutes 35-60 minutes Over an hour Search by difficulty Easy Moderately easy For the keen cook Search by cuisine American British Cajun & Creole Caribbean French German Greek Indian Italian Mediterranean Mexican Moroccan Scottish Spanish Swiss Thai Vietnamese Search by course Warm starter Cold starter Main course Side dish Pudding Search by calorie range Less than 200 200-400 400-600 600-800 Over 800 Search by occasion Midweek meal Dinner party Family favourite Birthdays Christmas New Year Mother's Day Chinese New Year Easter Search by chef Good Food Team olive Angela Nilsen Annabel Karmel Anthony Worral Thompson Gary Rhodes Gordon Ramsay James Martin John Torode Ken Hom Lesley Waters Mary Cadogan Merrilees Parker Nick Nairn Orlando Murrin Ruth Watson Silvana Franco Thane Prince Tony Tobin Search by diet Vegetarian Vegan Gluten-free Dairy-free Nut-free Egg-free Low-fat Low in salt Suitable for diabetics Search by magazine BBC Good food olive Search by servings 1 2 4 6 8 For a crowd

Difficulty and servings

Cuts into 16 slices

Preparation and cooking times

Prep 45 50 mins

Cook 2 hrs min 2 hrs 45 mins

Can be frozen, but no need to

Ingredients

• 200g butter , softened to room temperature
• 200g dark muscovado sugar
• 200g plain flour
• 4 eggs , beaten
• 50g ground almonds
• 100ml sherry , sweet or dry, whatever you have in the cupboard
• 85g candied peel , roughly chopped (we used Sundora)
• 85g glacé cherries , roughly chopped
• 250g raisins
• 250g currants
• 100g pack pecans nuts, broken into big pieces
• finely grated zest 1 lemon
• 1½ tsp mixed spice
• 1½ tsp rosewater
• ½ tsp vanilla extract
• ½ tsp baking powder

Per slice

427 kcalories, protein 7g, carbohydrate 53g, fat 22 g, saturated fat 8g, fibre 2g, salt 0.42 g

Your binder

Here are three other great reasons why to sign up:

• You get an online binder, where you can store all your favourite recipes and create menus.
• You can add your own recipes to this site for others to try; plus, rate and make comments on recipes, and share your views on our blog.
• You can sign up for our weekly newsletter (sent out on Wednesdays) - it's packed with recipes, special offers and competitions.

Tried and tested recipes from Good Food and olive magazines. bbcgoodfood.com

Recipes from the new TV channel and celebrity chefs. goodfoodchannel.co.uk