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Recipe by Mary Cadogan

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1. Video tutorial: Lining a cake tin
2. Video tutorial: Decorating a classic winter fruit cake

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.

'This cake truly was a pleasure to prepare, all in one saucepan. It was moist and wellflavoured, really rich without being at all heavy.'

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Results 41-60

• Andy26172

  24 November 2008

  Andy26172 rated this recipe

  

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• Sally

  26 November 2008

  Sally commented on this recipe

  Has anyone cooked this recipe in a flat tray? I've been asked to make cake in finger slices wondered how long to cook and what temp suggestions welcomed

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• Melanie Doe

  30 November 2008

  Melanie Doe rated and commented on this recipe

  

  This was the easiest and best tasting Christmas cake I have ever made!

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• Lesley

  10 December 2008

  Lesley rated and commented on this recipe

  

  Rating based on the fact that this seems to have cooked perfectly which is a first for me with a fruit cake! Haven't tasted it yet as will be feeding and decorating for Christmas. Left out the nuts as they make my Dad sneeze!

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• Sweet tooth

  22 December 2008

  Sweet tooth rated and commented on this recipe

  

  Rating also based on the preparation as we have not tried it yet. Very easy to make, chosen as wanted a cake I could make together which was quick with my 2 yr old son. Looking forward to tasting it in a few days.

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• ChubChubs

  23 December 2008

  ChubChubs rated and commented on this recipe

  

  Great recipe that works with adaptations as well. I've made this cake for Christmas day - so i'll see how it tastes straight off. This is the third time i've baked it this month, the other two got eaten!

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• Lorna

  26 December 2008

  Lorna rated and commented on this recipe

  

  Oh my goodness, this went down an absolute treat. This is the first time I've ever made my own Christmas cake although I do bake the usual cakes, muffins and biscuits on a regular basis. Truly delicious, beautifully moist and the macademia nuts added a lovely bite to it. My mum who LOVES Christmas cake was thoroughly impressed. Much better than any shop bought cake I've ever tasted.

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• Jennifer T

  27 December 2008

  Jennifer T rated and commented on this recipe

  

  This was awesomely easy to make, and was deliciously moist and tasty. It was a huge hit with the whole mob - from 3 years to 63! I definitely plan on making this one again. I topped it with the Easy Vanilla Marzipan which complemented it really well. A real winner!

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• phildelahaye

  28 December 2008

  phildelahaye rated and commented on this recipe

  

  lovely - very easy and really moist. I made it at the end of November and fed it a couple of times a week, it was still delicious after Christmas. I will definitely make this again

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• Lovekins

  29 December 2008

  Lovekins rated and commented on this recipe

  

  This cake is fantastic! I made two - a round one (with sweet pedro ximenez sherry) and a square one (with cherry brandy). I made both of these cakes in October and they were both lovely and moist (and boozy as I fed them a few times!!). I'll definitely be making this again (it's even better than Delia's christmas cake).

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• lindad4a

  29 December 2008

  lindad4a rated and commented on this recipe

  

  This was my first ever attempt at making a Christmas cake... and I am feeling extremely chuffed! I made the cake (with pecans rather than the suggested macademia nuts) and then covered it with marzipan and icing. The resulting cake was far better than I had ever hoped and 100% delicious! I've sampled a couple of other cakes this Christmas, but am smugly ashamed to admit that I much prefer mine! And it was an absolute doddle to make!

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• julie

  31 December 2008

  julie rated and commented on this recipe

  

  i made this cake in september and decorated xmas week,it was so easy to make and i decorated it with tealights,like in the november 02 mag,but i did it a bit different,it was tasty though,i,d make it again.

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• Wendy

  02 January 2009

  Wendy rated and commented on this recipe

  

  Fabulous cake. Loved the simmer and stir method. Highly recommend.

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• Wendy

  02 January 2009

  Wendy commented on this recipe

  Fabulous cake. Loved the simmer and stir method. highly recommend.

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• Carol Allen

  02 January 2009

  Carol Allen commented on this recipe

  I made this cake this year for the first time and it is the best christmas cake I've ever made, I did however add a handfull of walnuts and pecans, absolutely delicious, nice and moist.

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• AngieP

  03 January 2009

  AngieP commented on this recipe

  My 8yr old daughter enjoyed helping me make this cake it was so easy and the rest of my family enjoyed eating it over christmas, "Delicious".

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• rebecca

  04 January 2009

  rebecca rated and commented on this recipe

  

  It's all been said already - this was my first ever Christmas Cake and it really is delicious. Made it in October and added lots of cranberries as well. It was so quick and easy to make. Will be making it again and again!! Highly recommended!

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• Joey

  06 January 2009

  Joey rated and commented on this recipe

  

  I made this cake and let it mature for some time, having just finished my last slice it was still moist and had a great flavour while not being too heavy would defiantly do this one again!

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• Karen

  08 January 2009

  Karen rated and commented on this recipe

  

  This is the first Christmas cake that I have ever baked and it turned out fab. Will make again definitely. I didn't put the alcohol in it and my 4 year old and 10 month old loved it too!

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• Cottage Cook

  11 January 2009

  Cottage Cook commented on this recipe

  Hi, I made this cake for the first time this Christmas and it was a huge success. It was easy to make and fruit selection can be to taste. I went away for the holiday and came back to a tiny bit of the cake. This weekend I will make another one - I can't wait.

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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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Difficulty and servings

Makes a 20cm round cake

Preparation and cooking times

Prep 1 hr 1 hr 15 mins

Cook 1 hr min 2 hrs 30 mins

(Cooking time 2 hrs 30 if gas oven)

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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