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 181-200

  • Binder photo Domesticqueen

    04 January 2012

    Domesticqueen rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    If I could give this recipe 6 + stars I would! This is simpy the best fruit cake recipe I have ever made and more so tasted, not only me but my very experienced baker Mum too. Coming from an Irish family with old classic Christmas cake recipes and recipe books galore nothing will beat this. I am very critical of all cakes and couln't fault this one, it is so moist and has a delicious flavour...opted for whiskey this time around but will try brandy next...thank you, thank you, thank you!

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  • Binder photo AllieB

    05 January 2012

    AllieB rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    I was a Christmas cake virgin until last year and so pleased that I chose this recipe! Easy to make and tastes superb. My husband says its the best fruit cake he has ever tasted and my Mother has asked for the recipe, which is a huge compliment coming from her! Will definitely be making this again for Christmas 2012 if not before.

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  • Binder photo Fionas

    06 January 2012

    Fionas rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    Fabulous recipe, works perfectly everytime! I used sherry instead of brandy and sometimes add prunes and dates to the fruit mix. Brilliant!

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  • Binder photo krisvenlou

    08 January 2012

    krisvenlou rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    I've done this cake for about 3 years now and can't find a better and easier cake. Can't go wrong when you do it. Anyone who tastes this cake want the recipe and I'll be happy to hear that they did it also. Thanks

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  • Binder photo sue

    08 January 2012

    sue rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    Gorgeous cake, first time I have ever made a christmas cake and this was so eay to make, lovely and moist. Did not add the nuts and made 5 small cakes with the first attempt which I iced and gave away as Christmas presents and then one big cake for the day itself which did not last long. I added a bit more brandy before icing but there was not alot of time before making and then icing and then it was Christmas. I shall be making this again and again and next time I am thinking of using a loaf tin and cutting it into slabs. Many thanks for another brilliant recipe, I love the praise I get on the results!

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  • Binder photo MrsSc

    25 January 2012

    MrsSc rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    I'm a complete novice when it comes to baking so spotted this just before Christmas and decided to give it a go. The cake was absolutely delicious and so easy to make. My family loved it, and were pleasantly surprised that I had made it, knowing how nervous I am about baking!

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  • Binder photo sheila

    03 February 2012

    sheila commented on this recipe

    never made a xmas cake before,this was so simple to do.passed the recipe on to friend's and they all loved it.didn't change anything with it being my first time don't think i will either.

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  • Binder photo JMC123

    20 September 2012

    JMC123 rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    Lovely moist cake, nice balance of fruit and spices, not as bitter or dense as a traditional Christmas cake, this one is a keeper for all year round.

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  • Binder photo abby1991

    23 September 2012

    abby1991 rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    Great cake, and tasted lovely too, everyone loved it! but can anyone give me tips on how to stop it crumbling?

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  • Binder photo chompfest

    10 October 2012

    chompfest commented on this recipe

    hi abby1991 - how long did you feed/store it? I think the longer it keeps the less likely it is to crumble - that said I made mine in early October last year ad cut it at Christmas having fed it every week with cherry brandy and that still crumbled - no one cared!

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  • Binder photo Rachel

    15 October 2012

    Rachel commented on this recipe

    I have made this cake as our family christmas cake for the last 3 years and it is always popular. This year there will be fewer of us around to eat it so am thinking of splitting the recipe and making 2 smaller cakes - any tips/advice on baking times for 2 x 18 or 20cm cakes each using half the cake mix? Thanks

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  • Binder photo sophiecook

    25 October 2012

    sophiecook commented on this recipe

    I baked this cake last week for my husband, and he loved it. He said it was the best fruit cake I've ever made. I will be making a couple more in the coming weeks to decorate as Christmas gifts!

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  • Binder photo rose-marie

    26 October 2012

    rose-marie rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    Made this cake on the 13th October, just had a peek at it, smells and looks delicious. Made this cake last year, so much easier with the simmer method. It was well approved by everybody and I cannot see how anybody cannot succeed making this perfect cake. We love it, all I have to do now is give it a little more brandy before Christmas.

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  • Binder photo Dee

    02 November 2012

    Dee rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    Everyone loved this cake when I made it last year, so just looking up the recipe to make another this year. I leave out the nuts because I don't like them but everything else is per recipe. Great simple recipe.

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  • Binder photo Flour Covered Girl

    03 November 2012

    Flour Covered Girl rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    Fabulous cake. Incredibly easy to make, and tastes superb. A bit more detail: I tripled the quantity to fill a 30cm square tin (the type that divides in to 9). As I don't have a saucepan big enough to cook all the ingredients in one go I pre-soaked the fruit, and then added the cooled butter and sugar mix, and then followed the rest of the instructions. I wrapped the tin with a triple layer of brown paper, and half-way through cooking I also loosely covered it with greaseproof paper. I swapped the macadamias for almonds, and added some ginger too. The result is an excellent, very moist and (slightly Christmas-pudding-y) cake, that was a breeze to make.

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  • Binder photo Michyd29

    07 November 2012

    Michyd29 commented on this recipe

    This cake looks really moist and nice. Will give it a go for Christmas...

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  • Binder photo Michyd29

    07 November 2012

    Michyd29 rated this recipe

    5 stars

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  • Binder photo tilly44

    17 November 2012

    tilly44 commented on this recipe

    This recipe whizzed round the expat Brits in Brittany last Christmas and deservedly so. After nearly 50 years of trying many different recipes this is the one I am sticking with. Easy, fail safe and impossible to tell it has not been made in the traditional way.

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  • Binder photo MrsT

    17 November 2012

    MrsT commented on this recipe

    Hi, Can anyone tell me what size cake tini need to use for this recipie? Thanks

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  • Binder photo MrsT

    17 November 2012

    MrsT commented on this recipe

    Hi, Can anyone tell me what size cake tin is needed for this recipe. Thanks

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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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