As-you-like-it Christmas cake

As-you-like-it Christmas cake

Use your choice of dried fruit, nuts, citrus zest and booze (or even tea) and get your cake made up to six months in advance

Difficulty and servings

Easy

Cuts into 10-12 slices

Preparation and cooking times

Preparation time

Prep 50 mins

Cook time

Cook 2 hrs - 2 hrs 30 mins

plus overnight soaking

No need to freeze

Method

  1. Put your chosen dried fruit mixture into a large bowl with your choice of alcohol or tea, citrus zest and juice. Mix well, cover and leave overnight.
  2. Heat oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 3. Butter and double-line a deep cake tin - 20cm round or 18cm square - with enough baking parchment to come about 2.5cm above the top of the tin. Wrap the outside of the tin with a few sheets of newspaper, securing with staples or string.
  3. Beat the butter, sugar and vanilla until creamy, then beat in the eggs one by one. Tip in the flour, mixed spice, soaked dried fruit and any liquid from the bowl, plus your chosen nuts, if using. Stir everything together, then scrape into the cake tin. Using the back of your spoon, make a slight dent in the centre of the mixture, then bake for 1½ hrs.
  4. Reduce oven to 140C/120C fan/gas 1, loosely cover the top of the cake with a double sheet of foil or baking parchment, and bake for another 45 mins-1 hr or until a skewer poked right to the bottom comes out clean. Cool in the tin, then lift out and wrap in greaseproof paper or baking parchment. Keep in a cake tin with a tight-fitting lid, or wrapped in a large sheet of foil, in a cool, dark place for up to 6 months. Open the cake every week or two to feed by poking with a skewer in several places and dribbling over a little more of your chosen alcohol or tea.

Per serving

681 kcalories, protein 8g, carbohydrate 112g, fat 24 g, saturated fat 14g, fibre 3g, sugar 97g, salt 0.26 g

Recipe from Good Food magazine, November 2010.

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Latest comments and suggestions

Results 21-40

  • Binder photo Linda

    31 December 2010

    Linda commented on this recipe

    In the past I would only ever make Delia Smith's recipe for Christmas cake. This year I used Sarah's recipe, and now am a convert! I didn't use newspaper - I used brown paper and it did need longer n the oven than the recipe said. It didn't disappoint when it was eaten on Christmas Day; the texture and flavour were both excellent. Roll on next Christmas!

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  • Binder photo Chef Bhuna

    04 January 2011

    Chef Bhuna commented on this recipe

    I am too also a Delia Christmas caker, however this year Sarahs receipe seem to entice me and it delivered packed full of flavour, wonderfully moist and everyone who managed to get a slice past me all commented on it being the best cake they have ever had at Christmas. This is now the only the Christmas cake I will make. Oh and there is just one slice left all for me !

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  • Binder photo Web recipes

    05 March 2011

    Web recipes rated and commented on this recipe

    4 stars

    Like most of the comments, the cake was very moist and took at least an hour longer than stated on the recipe. Was yum though!

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  • Binder photo Bwyd Neis

    06 August 2011

    Bwyd Neis rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    Lovely, emptied my cupboard of anything resembling a dried fruit, this resulted in a lot of dates, some apricots and some yummy nuts. I have made Delia's cake for as long as I can remember, and although it is lovely, we found that this cake was even better, nice one!

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  • Binder photo LindaJS

    22 September 2011

    LindaJS commented on this recipe

    I have just made this cake for Christmas.It was ready in the stated time - no need for extra cooking.Waiting for it to cool and hoping it will taste as good as it looks (and smells!)

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  • Binder photo Clair

    26 September 2011

    Clair commented on this recipe

    I also made this cake last year (2010) and had problems with it being undercooked at the suggested time and I repeated it with my oven thermometer with the same result! I have just re-read the recipe as I am starting to plan for this Christmas and I wonder - was step 4 printed on the pullout or over the page where it was missed easily - I was so annoyed at the time, that I threw the pullout and the cakes away!

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  • Binder photo Lucy

    19 October 2011

    Lucy commented on this recipe

    I should have waited until I tasted this cake in full maturity before reviewing (only gave it 4 stars before) as despite it taking longer than stated in the oven, the cake itself is superb - really moist and packed full of flavour. I will be making it again this weekend in readiness for this years Christmas! I also made extra last year and baked them in (lined) ramekins for mini Christmas cakes to be given out as gifts (mostly for teachers and teaching assistants at my children's school). After my daughters had decorated them they were popped in little celophane bags and fastened with ribbon. They went down a storm!

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  • Binder photo Chef Bhuna

    25 October 2011

    Chef Bhuna commented on this recipe

    Christmas arrives early this weekend in my house! Soakup Friday and cook up Saturday, dont panic about the cooking times, it all depends on the oven you have, mine took a little longer last year but turned out perfectly. This cake beats any other recipe i have made and even...dare i say it...Queen of Christmas ...Delia!! sorry. Merry Baking.. and remember if your stuck for double wrapping the tin check our Delias website.!!

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  • Binder photo Sarah Marshall

    14 November 2011

    Sarah Marshall rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    Just popped my cake into the oven and it smells amazing!!!! can't wait till christmas fingers crossed it turns out well as this is my first ever attempt at a christmas cake!!!

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  • Binder photo owleye36

    16 November 2011

    owleye36 commented on this recipe

    The news paper is there to protect the cake from the heat of the oven- it needs to be that high to reach the centre of the cake however the sides of the cake could easily burn/ go hard

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  • Binder photo carolecream

    27 November 2011

    carolecream rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    Made one of these cakes for work mates birthday in acouple of weeks time, the mix tasted so nice and smelt so great, making another now with aginger twist!!

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  • Binder photo clare

    01 December 2011

    clare commented on this recipe

    please cud anyone help me asap.i made this cake a week ago and have gone to feed it today and the cake seems extremly wet?has anyone else had this?not sure wether to make another?

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  • Binder photo magrat3d

    06 December 2011

    magrat3d commented on this recipe

    This cake smells fantastic and I'm looking forward to tasting it. I love the flexibility as I don't like mixed peel or almonds. After reading the comments I added an extra 25g of flour for luck and left it to cool in the oven. After soaking the fruit overnight I found practically no juice leftover, but I mix the fruit up regularly and keep tasting to make sure its going well.

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  • Binder photo magrat3d

    11 February 2012

    magrat3d rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    This was the nicest christmas cake I have made or tasted, ever.

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  • Binder photo Roxanna

    20 February 2012

    Roxanna rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    Made it and love it...i cooked it for 3hr because i guessed that 2 1/2 hrs would be too short (being a fan of these!) and it was perfect...made it with sherry...so moist but properly cooked. Kaz if you are not sure that it is cooked, just stick a toothpick in next time and if it comes out clean or with a few crumbs on it, it is perfectly cooked!! I am still enjoying it now...soooo nice!

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  • Binder photo Coffeepaws

    11 September 2012

    Coffeepaws rated and commented on this recipe

    3 stars

    Tasted good and I like the idea of making your own mix of fruit. The edges were fine as cake but I used the rest warmed up with custard as puddings as it was tending on the soggy side.

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  • Binder photo kbb964

    24 September 2012

    kbb964 commented on this recipe

    Please can you tell me what depth the cake tin should be ?

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  • Binder photo Alan

    16 October 2012

    Alan commented on this recipe

    Half way through cooking smells great, the instructions was very easy to follow, my three year old daughter helped and she can't wait to taste it. What a shame she will have to wait until christmas day or will she.

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  • Binder photo jackpat

    17 October 2012

    jackpat rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    Love the versatility of this recipe. Its in the oven and baking as I type. The mix tasted amazing and I was sad to scrape it all into the cake tin :)

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  • Binder photo OliveB

    19 October 2012

    OliveB commented on this recipe

    Happy days - cake looks and smells wonderful. Easy to make but took about an hour longer - reckon it will be worth it !!

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Difficulty and servings

Easy

Cuts into 10-12 slices

Preparation and cooking times

Preparation time

Prep 50 mins

Cook time

Cook 2 hrs - 2 hrs 30 mins

plus overnight soaking

No need to freeze

Ingredients

  • 1kg mixed dried fruits (any blend of raisins, sultanas, currants, mixed peel, dried cranberries, glacé cherries, chopped dried apricots, dates, dried figs or dried pineapple)
  • 150ml sherry , brandy, rum or brewed tea, plus extra for feeding
  • zest and juice 2 oranges , 2 lemons or 4 clementines
  • 250g pack unsalted butter , softened, plus extra for the tin
  • 250g light, soft brown sugar
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 4 eggs
  • 200g plain flour
  • 2 tsp mixed spice
  • 100g whole or flaked almonds , chopped hazelnuts, walnuts or brazil nuts (optional)
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Per serving

681 kcalories, protein 8g, carbohydrate 112g, fat 24 g, saturated fat 14g, fibre 3g, sugar 97g, salt 0.26 g

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