Simmer-&-stir Christmas cake

Simmer-&-stir Christmas cake

An easy-to-make alternative to traditional Christmas cakes which requires no beating

Difficulty and servings

Moderately easy

Makes a 20cm round cake

Preparation and cooking times

Preparation time

Prep 1 hr - 1 hr 15 mins

Cook time

Cook 1 hr - 2 hrs 30 mins

(Cooking time 2 hrs 30 if gas oven)
Freezable

Method

  1. Put the butter, sugar, fruit, zests, juice and 100ml/3½fl oz brandy in a large pan. Bring slowly to the boil, stirring until the butter has melted. Reduce the heat and bubble for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  2. Remove the pan from the heat and leave to cool for 30 minutes.
  3. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 150C/gas 2/ fan 130C and line the cake tin. Toast the nuts in a dry frying pan, tossing them until evenly browned, or in the oven for 8-10 minutes - keep an eye on them as they burn easily. When they are cool, chop roughly. Stir the eggs, nuts and ground almonds into the fruit mixture and mix well. Sift the flour, baking powder and spices into the pan. Stir in gently, until there are no traces of flour left.
  4. Spoon the mixture into the tin and smooth it down evenly - you will find this is easiest with the back of a metal spoon which has been dipped into boiling water.
  5. Bake for 45 minutes, then turn down the heat to 140C/gas 1/ fan120C and cook for a further 1-1¼ hours (about a further 1¾ hours if you have a gas oven) until the cake is dark golden in appearance and firm to the touch. Cover the top of the cake with foil if it starts to darken too much. To check the cake is done, insert a fine skewer into the centre - if it comes out clean, the cake is cooked.
  6. Make holes all over the warm cake with a fine skewer and spoon the extra 4tbsp brandy over the holes until it has all soaked in. Leave the cake to cool in the tin. When it's cold, remove it from the tin, peel off the lining paper, then wrap first in baking parchment and then in foil. The cake will keep in a cupboard for up to three months or you can freeze it for six months.

Recipe from Good Food magazine, November 2002.

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Latest comments and suggestions

Results 101-120

  • Binder photo Keavy

    27 October 2010

    Keavy rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    Amazing cake - absoloutley gorgeous and very easy to double and make two. I made my own marzipan, iced and decorated.

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  • Binder photo Harissa's Harlot

    29 October 2010

    Harissa's Harlot commented on this recipe

    Can someone please take pity and advise me here?! I've made this cake before using brandy and loved it -it's rich and moist, and best of all takes well to generous feeding -we could smell the brandy upon cutting into it! This year I want to ring the changes a little with the alcohol, but can I use kirsch rather than cherry brandy then feed with brandy? I know kirsch is more potent and unsweetened, but will it be ok? Or is cherry brandy the only "nice" version? I may seem to be worrying too much here, but I don't know and the uncertainty grows when its a xmas cake on the line! I need to bake it in the next few days -please can anyone help ?

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  • Binder photo patthomas

    08 November 2010

    patthomas rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    I've made this for several years now & is always good & moist. I up the ingredients a little to make 4 small square ones in my multicake tin, to ice & give away & they're always a hit. I gave one for a raffle prize & was asked if I'd make another one for her this year - must have been good! I make a big one for my parents every year. My sister uses the recipe regularly when she makes celebration cakes for friends & family.

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  • Binder photo Koren

    08 November 2010

    Koren commented on this recipe

    I don't want to add the ground almonds so should I add 85g of extra flour?

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  • Binder photo Lisa

    12 November 2010

    Lisa rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    This was my first time making a Christmas cake - it was so easy why haven't I made one before? It looked great and smelt great! I added a touch more brandy than stated...well it is for Christmas isn't it!!

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  • Binder photo SueB

    21 November 2010

    SueB rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    First time i made a christmas cake it was so easy that i made 2 and one mixture was made into mini muffin case cakes for children to decorate nearer christmas,Tastes fabulous and good tip about the hot spoon !

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  • Binder photo tony

    22 November 2010

    tony rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    I made this cake for Christmas gone already. any one know how to increase the recipe to 10 inch round tin thanks

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  • Binder photo Christa

    23 November 2010

    Christa rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    Easy to make, I added some plain chocolate to the pan with the fruit etc. I doubled the quantities and put it in a square tin (the kind with loose sides and middle partitions) and made 3 square cakes - they look fantastic, smell fantastic and from the little nibble I had, taste fantastic! This will be my favoured Christmas Cake from now on ...

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  • Binder photo Christa

    24 November 2010

    Christa commented on this recipe

    As a follow-on from yesterday - husband (a non-cook!) is making this cake today as I refused to let him taste a bit yesterday :-) He has managed it easily (apart from buying whole almonds which we had to skin and grind!!) If he can make this cake, anyone can!

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  • Binder photo Margaret

    25 November 2010

    Margaret commented on this recipe

    Have made this cake every year since the recipe was first published and is guaranteed to work every time. I now make 8 cakes for family and friends at Xmas as well as at least 4 during the year for birthdays and anniversaries. I use chopped almonds instead of macadamia nuts, and regularly vary the dried fruits adding chopped apricots, dates and prunes etc. A great recipe.

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  • Binder photo dolly

    27 November 2010

    dolly rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    The best and easiest christmas cake ever, so moist and delicious I make it every year

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  • Binder photo Ali B

    27 November 2010

    Ali B rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    Very easy and just as good as any other, if not better than most, fruit cake receipes. I split my mixture between two smaller cake tins (one round and one loaf) and still worked perfectly well. Stays moist and soft, but unlikely to last long!

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  • Binder photo amanda

    27 November 2010

    amanda rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    Have just made this cake again and it is so easy yet works every time I make it. Even used it to make my wedding cake.

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  • Binder photo Sarah

    01 December 2010

    Sarah rated this recipe

    5 stars

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  • Binder photo Jen

    02 December 2010

    Jen rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    WOW This recipe is absolutely delicious!! I made a few tweeks to make it a little more healthier, I took away 25g of the butter and replaced it with 25g apple sauce, I replaced the muscovado sugar with 125g of Agave Nectar and I left out the nuts, but kept the ground almonds in. I also used Disaronno instead of brandy, simply because I love almond liquors. This is absolutely gorgeous! So moist and tasty. Infact it is so nice, we are making another this weekend, because this one has nearly all gone and its only the 2nd Dec, ooops!

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  • Binder photo mimi

    04 December 2010

    mimi commented on this recipe

    I've just made my fourth cake using the recipe, this last one I used an orange based liquer as well as the brandy, its cooking at the moment and smells wonderful, I m making another cake tomorrow but will divide the mixture and bake in two loaf tins, it should work out, fingers crossed.

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  • Binder photo Jess

    09 December 2010

    Jess commented on this recipe

    Hi! Im making this the 1st time and a little nervous abt the baking times. I put mine into the gas oven at no 2 as suggested and it was cooked in 45 mins, as the skewer came out clean! Is that ok? The cake is cooked and looks divine, but has this happened to anyone else? any advice would help!

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  • Binder photo Ripley

    19 December 2010

    Ripley rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    Christmas cake doesn't get any easier than this. Very flexible recipe that you can tweak it to suit your taste. Its never failed to impress yet. You can also use it for the Xmas cupcake gifts recipe giving it the same baking time.

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  • Binder photo Edith

    20 December 2010

    Edith commented on this recipe

    I lost my original "boiling cake recipe". I made it for years as gift for my friends. It's an extremely easy cake to make. I've done this one today and hope my friends will think this is just as good. I'll let you know after xmas.

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  • Binder photo Mrs H

    21 December 2010

    Mrs H rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    A great recipe - very easy which is great for someone like me who only cooks this kind of cake at Christmas. I made the more recent version of this recipe last year (on here as the Simple Ivy Cake, using orange juice rather than alcohol). This year I've gone for brandy and used flaked almonds as another reviewer suggested rather than macadamias. The little cake I've tasted so far (cut the top of for icing) was absolutely delicious. Will definitely be making this again next year!

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Difficulty and servings

Moderately easy

Makes a 20cm round cake

Preparation and cooking times

Preparation time

Prep 1 hr - 1 hr 15 mins

Cook time

Cook 1 hr - 2 hrs 30 mins

(Cooking time 2 hrs 30 if gas oven)
Freezable

No beating required - just simmer and stir

Ingredients

  • 175g butter , chopped
  • 200g dark muscovado sugar
  • 750g luxury mixed dried fruits (one that includes mixed peel and glacé cherries)
  • finely grated zest and juice of 1 orange
  • finely grated zest of 1 lemon
  • 100ml/3½ fl oz cherry brandy or brandy plus 4tbsp more
  • 85g macadamia nuts
  • 3 large eggs , lightly beaten
  • 85g ground almonds
  • 200g plain flour
  • ½ tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp ground mixed spice
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • ¼ tsp ground allspice
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