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Last minute Christmas cake

One last minute Christmas cake on a cake stand

Last minute Christmas cake

Name: Last minute Christmas cake
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 2 h 45 min
Total time: 2 h 55 min
Yield: 10
Ingredients: 1kg mixed dried fruit; 1 lemon zested and juiced; 150ml sherry plus 3 tbsp; 250g butter; 200g light muscovado sugar; 150g plain flour; 75g ground almonds; ½ tsp baking powder; 2 tsp mixed spice; 75g whole almonds; 40g crystallised ginger roughly chopped (optional); 4 eggs beaten; 2 tbsp smooth apricot jam; 20cm marzipan disc (about 1/2cm thick); 20cm fondant icing disc (about 1/2cm thick), plus cut-out fondant stars or other festive shapes; bow

Samuel Goldsmith

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Serves 8 - 10

Easy

Prep: 10 mins

Cook: 2 hrs and 45 mins

plus cooling and setting

A star rating of 4.5 out of 5.4 ratingsRate

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Missed out on Stir-up Sunday? This traditional Christmas cake can be ready in an afternoon – ideal for when you're short on time to make a Christmas dessert

Vegetarian

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Ingredients

Nutrition

Units:

MetricUS

1kg mixed dried fruit
1 lemon

zested and juiced
150ml sherry

plus 3 tbsp
250g butter
200g light muscovado sugar
150g plain flour
75g ground almonds
½ tsp baking powder
2 tsp mixed spice
75g whole almonds
40g crystallised ginger

roughly chopped (optional)
4 eggs

beaten

To decorate (optional)

2 tbsp smooth apricot jam
20cm marzipan disc

(about 1/2cm thick)
20cm fondant icing disc

(about 1/2cm thick), plus cut-out fondant stars or other festive shapes
bow

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Nutrition: Per serving (10)

kcal746
fat31g
saturates14g
carbs99g
sugars87g
fibre4g
protein11g
salt0.75g

Method

step 1

Put the dried fruit in a large pan with the lemon zest and juice, 150ml sherry, butter and sugar. Bring to a simmer over a medium-low heat and cook for 8 mins. Tip the mixture into a large heatproof bowl to cool for 30 mins-1 hr.
step 2

Heat the oven to 150C/130C fan/gas 2. Line the base and sides of a deep 20cm cake tin with a double layer of baking parchment. Stir the flour, ground almonds, baking powder, mixed spice, whole almonds, ginger and eggs into the fruit mixture until well combined. Tip into the tin, level the surface and bake for 2 hrs-2 hrs 30 mins, or until a skewer inserted into the middle comes out with just a few crumbs clinging to it.
step 3

Remove from the oven, poke all over using a skewer and pour over the 3 tbsp sherry. Cool fully in the tin, then remove and peel off the baking parchment.
step 4

To decorate, if you like, warm the apricot jam over a low heat or in the microwave in short bursts, then brush this over the cake. Smooth the marzipan disc over the top and down the side, then brush over another layer of jam. Smooth over the fondant icing disc, then leave to set before decorating with stars or other shapes (you can use a little more jam to stick these on). If you like, top with a bow. Will keep in an airtight container for a few weeks.

Recipe from Good Food magazine, December 2025

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A star rating of 4.5 out of 5.4 ratings

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