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 201-220

  • Binder photo Sathyai

    17 November 2012

    Sathyai commented on this recipe

    20cm MrsT!

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  • Binder photo Alison

    20 November 2012

    Alison commented on this recipe

    Cake tin size stated to left of cooking time panel at top of instructions - makes a 20cm round cake.

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  • Binder photo joe

    21 November 2012

    joe commented on this recipe

    Made this cake tonight and its still in the oven. I have put it in a 7inch tin so I'm guessing that's why it's taken longer to cook. Won't be eating until Xmas just a little worried that cake feels a little rubbery like its got a skin on it. Is that due to the baking technique?

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  • Binder photo joe

    22 November 2012

    joe commented on this recipe

    Cake took 2 3/4 hours but look great. Did anyone else's take so long ? (Electric oven)

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  • Binder photo Toni Russill Higgins

    23 November 2012

    Toni Russill Higgins commented on this recipe

    I have used this recipe since it was first published. Living in the USA, fruitcake has a bad reputation. The joke is the same cake is passed around from one person to another each Christmas...as it is so bad.. nobody would dare eat it! My American husband, adult daughter and son LOVE this cake. I made a double recipe to be one of the cakes at our daughter's wedding in September...and she is a Pastry Chef at a 5-Star hotel. Love the addition of the ground almonds. I am lucky that ground almond flour is readily available here. I read BBCGoodFood on line each morning and bring back the magazine when ever I go back home to England.

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  • Binder photo Claire

    25 November 2012

    Claire rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    I love this cake. I actually made 3 of them for my wedding cake in April and then another 2for my two tiered birthday cake in October. I always omit the whole nuts and just replace with more dried fruit and ground almonds. Cooking times and recipe ratios for bigger and smaller versions would be much appreciated as I only just got away with the 10 inch bottom tier...a little puddingy! Tastes divine though. Beautifully moist and popular with everyone. Am gearing up to make 3 next weekend for Christmas cakes!

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  • Binder photo Nicky, Wirral

    26 November 2012

    Nicky, Wirral commented on this recipe

    Have made three of these cakes each year for the last 4 years. They are delicious, easy to make and fool proof. I doubt I will ever use any other recipe for Christmas cake again.

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  • Binder photo Nicolien

    26 November 2012

    Nicolien commented on this recipe

    Great recipe! I have been making this cake for years now. Made this years yesterday afternoon..I always make 2 at the time, and NEVER have any leftovers! I use blanched almonds and brazil nuts, instead of macadamia's, and extra glace cherries. When the cakes are done I leave them in their tins, wrap them in extra baking parchment and a plastic bag. Then they are stored in the cellar.

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  • Binder photo jmcook

    28 November 2012

    jmcook commented on this recipe

    lovely reciepe the only thing is can i ice it and decorate like a normal one

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  • Binder photo nancy0412

    01 December 2012

    nancy0412 commented on this recipe

    this is my first ever attempt at a Christmas Cake and found this recipe straight forward. Need advice though! I opted for the version with no alcohol having young children so used fresh orange juice. please could you tell me if the cake should still be fed with liquid now that it's out of the oven?

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  • Binder photo Sallym

    04 December 2012

    Sallym commented on this recipe

    So, I made this cake yesterday for a friend who wanted a fruit cake in 2 weeks time. This sounded like the perfect recipe. Made a deep 6inch and a 4inch to use as a taster. It smelled beautiful and was an easy fuss free recipe. With all the great reviews, i ignored that only one person found the recipe dry. Unfortunately my little taster cake came out so dry I had to almost saw through to cut it. ( yes I should have taken this one out earlier). But my 6 inch doesn't look that promising either as the top is very hard. Also, my two cakes cracked at the top within the first 30 min of cooking. I am now feeding both cakes daily with brandy for a week. Hoping to moisten them this way. I will post results in 2 weeks.

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  • Binder photo Sallym

    05 December 2012

    Sallym commented on this recipe

    I couldn't wait a full two weeks to tell you my progress! Daily feeding a for only 2 days and I have a lovely moist cake. I can cut through my 4inch now (instead of saw). Had a slice for breakfast, it was moist without being crumbly. Yummy too! I will still feed lightly for a few more days and leave a week without feeding before icing. If you had a dry cake, don't be discouraged! Feed. Feed. Feed. It does work!

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  • Binder photo Dodiani

    07 December 2012

    Dodiani commented on this recipe

    This is a wonderful recipe. Easy to make and very tasty. I add more brandy over a week after I baked the cake. I give this cake 5+ stars!

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  • Binder photo Dodiani

    07 December 2012

    Dodiani rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    Delicious moist and really easy to make. I never bake any other Christmas cake and I even bake it for birthdays and other events. I add more brandy over a period of 7-10 days.

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  • Binder photo Debs

    09 December 2012

    Debs commented on this recipe

    Used this recipe for 3 yrs now ! It never fails ,will take longer to cook in a smaller deeper tin ! But I always use some brown paper folded several times around the outside of the cake tin and tied with string as this will stop it drying out and burning on the edges and cover the top with some foil after about an hour in the oven as this will stop the top from burning . It's a beautiful cake and you will not be disappointed .eveyone will comment .

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  • Binder photo Raven

    13 December 2012

    Raven rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    I make this every year. It is moist and delicious and I haven't found a better recipe.

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  • Binder photo MrsDrJones

    13 December 2012

    MrsDrJones rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    VERY moist cake but my fruit was well soaked.(I only used sultanas,raisins and glace cherries).Needed quite a bit longer baking not sure if this is because it was on the bottom shelf, think I will go for the middle of the oven next time.

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  • Binder photo Deeley

    14 December 2012

    Deeley rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    A wonderful Christmas cake. it's the first time I have made this cake and friends and family all love it, in fact it is so popular the one I made in November has gone and so I will be baking another for this years Christmas visitors in the next couple of days.

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  • Binder photo lillyann

    17 December 2012

    lillyann commented on this recipe

    First time I have made this cake and it looks and smells delicious. I changed it slightly, I don't like glace cherries or peel so I added sultanas, raisins chopped apricots and dates and divided the weight between these. I also used amaretto instead of brandy. Although I haven't tasted it yet I can tell it is going to be fab. Its smells almost like a christmas pud. I will keep you posted.

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  • Binder photo Anupama

    19 December 2012

    Anupama commented on this recipe

    Hi Mary , Can you tell me if there is any difference between allspices and mixed spice, i looked for the recipe and do not find much difference in both. I am waiting to start baking the cake for christmas. Would appreciate your help.

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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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