Orlando Murrin's Deluxe Christmas Cake

Orlando Murrin's Deluxe Christmas Cake

An 'intergalactically special' Christmas cake enriched with the honey-vanilla-whisky flavours of bourbon - it'll improve with keeping so bake it early

Difficulty and servings

For the keen cook

Cuts into 12 slices

Preparation and cooking times

Preparation time

Prep 35 - 45 mins

Cook time

Cook 2 hrs 30 mins

Freezable

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to fan 130C/ conventional 150C/gas 2. Butter and double line a deep 20cm cake tin with greaseproof paper. Stir bourbon into the sultanas and let stand while you continue with the next step, stirring occasionally.
  2. Put the remaining fruits and the nuts into a big bowl with the lemon juice. In another very large bowl, cream the butter with the lemon zest and sugar. Add the eggs alternately with the flour in three or four batches, then stir in the sultanas plus any liquid, and all the fruit and nut mixture.
  3. Transfer to the tin and smooth the top, sloping it in towards the centre so it's 2cm below the level of the sides.
  4. Bake for about 2½ hours - it's done when a skewer comes out with no cake mixture sticking to it. Cool in the tin for 10 minutes, turn out and let it cool fully.
  5. Wrap the cake tightly in cling film and foil. (It will keep in a cool spot for up to 2 months.) To add even more flavour and moistness, pierce the top with a skewer and pour over 2 tbsp bourbon every few weeks.

Per slice

594 kcalories, protein 7g, carbohydrate 90g, fat 24 g, saturated fat 11g, fibre 3g, sugar 38g, salt 0.69 g

Recipe from Good Food magazine, November 2003.

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Latest comments and suggestions

  • 23 September 2008

    Vicki rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    Love this cake. This will be the third year I've made it for Christmas

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  • 01 October 2008

    Claire rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    I cook this every year since first seeing the recipe in the magazine years ago. I detest the usual over sweet, over rich christmas cake and so always went without. But since doing this, I love it. I do mine at the end of October and skewer it once a week or so and drizzle with brandy (dont like bourbon). I can get nearly a whole bottle of brandy into my cake (not child friendly, lol). I also exchange the sultanas (dont like them) for dried cherries and blueberries and the walnuts (also dont like) for pecans. I use dates, mango, papaya any tropical or unusual fruits I can get hold of. I have done this cake for birthdays and parties etc and everyone loves it, although mine does come with a drink driving warning! I have this with Mary Cadogan's Jewelled Mincemeat every year and everyone has always said its the best they have had. Even my dad who hates everything and everyone!

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  • 06 January 2009

    emmawemma rated and commented on this recipe

    4 stars

    I cooked two of these for xmas this year. I didn't have the varied number of fruit so used currants, sultanas and raisins and used almonds and brandy instead. Both cakes were fantastic and went down well.

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  • 19 November 2009

    AnnaBanana commented on this recipe

    Wonderful cake, been making it for years as Christmas presents. New slant on it this year - I'm making them fairy-cake/muffin sized.

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  • 01 February 2010

    dat9517 rated this recipe

    5 stars

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  • 24 November 2011

    SabinaP rated this recipe

    5 stars

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  • 02 December 2012

    Rachel M commented on this recipe

    So glad I found this! Made this for a few years after it appeared in the magazine, but then lost the recipe!! No other Christmas cake compares.

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Difficulty and servings

For the keen cook

Cuts into 12 slices

Preparation and cooking times

Preparation time

Prep 35 - 45 mins

Cook time

Cook 2 hrs 30 mins

Freezable

Ingredients

  • 4 tbsp bourbon
  • 200g sultanas
  • 100g glacé cherries , halved
  • 100g/4oz semi-dried pineapple , roughly chopped
  • 2 pieces of stem ginger , finely chopped
  • 500g crystallised fruits (including colourful ones such as orange slices, pears, figs, pineapple) roughly chopped, plus extra whole fruits to decorate
  • 100g walnuts , roughly chopped
  • grated zest and juice of 1 lemon
  • 200g butter , at room temperature
  • 200g golden caster sugar
  • 4 large eggs , beaten
  • 200g plain flour mixed with ½ tsp salt
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Per slice

594 kcalories, protein 7g, carbohydrate 90g, fat 24 g, saturated fat 11g, fibre 3g, sugar 38g, salt 0.69 g

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