This easy Christmas cake recipe is full of festive fruits, zesty orange peel, and hints of vanilla and chocolate. With a slightly lower fruit to cake ratio than usual and with a couple of my secret ingredients, this cake will easily take centre stage this Christmas.
Whats more, it only takes half an hour to make the cake mixture, theres no need for a food processor or mixer and, with my handy tip, the fruit can be soaked for just 15 minutes rather than overnight.
👩🏻🍳 Why make this recipe
Baking a Christmas cake can be quite a challenge, especially if you don't often find yourself making cakes. But hopefully, this simple Christmas cake guide can ease the burden and walk you through what to do at each stage. From plumping up the dried fruit to feeding your fruit cake to help keep it nice and moist. I'll also share my top tips for:
- How to give a little boost to the flavour, with my secret ingredients, so even fruit-cake-haters will be asking for seconds.
- How to make both a smaller 6 inch (15cm) cake or larger 8 inch (15cm) cake
- How to line a cake tin.
- How to make sure the outer edges of your Christmas cake don't burn in the oven.
- How to speed up the process of soaking the dried fruits.
- How to make the cake mixture without a mixing stand or machine.
- How to ice and decorate your cake.
⏰ When to make your cake
No need to panic if its already December and you have yet to make your Christmas cake. This easy Christmas cake recipe tastes amazing whether its made the week before or several weeks before Christmas.
Its usual to make Christmas cake at the start of November. Allowing time for the fruit cake to rest and for the flavours to really develop. The extra time means you can also feed your cake. This involves skewering the baked fruit cake all over and drizzling over extra alcohol each week. Not only does this boost the flavour but it also helps to preserve and results in a nice moist cake.
However, if you are making this cake last minute - fear not. Feeding with alcohol is not essential and your cake will still be full of flavour.
🍽 What equipment will I need?
Equipment for making the cake:
- One 8 inch (20cm) cake tin or two 6 inch (15cm) tins (depending on if you want to make one big cake or two small Christmas cakes)
- Baking paper to line the tin(s)
- Large bowl to soak fruits
- Large bowl to mix the cake mixture
- Skewer to test if cake is cooked through
- Wire rack to cool
Equipment for icing the cake
- Cake turntable (optional)
- Rolling pin to roll icing
- Pastry brush for apricot jam
- Cake leveller (optional)
- Icing smoother (optional)
🥘 Ingredients
To make one 8 inch (20cm) cake or two 6 inch (15cm) cakes you will need the following:
Ingredient notes
Dried mixed fruit: This recipe uses slightly less fruit than normal in order to allow room for more cake and for some of the other flavours. The fruit can be a general mix of currants, raisins, orange peel etc or you can pick fruits specific to your taste. I like to use dried cranberries and apricots.
Alcohol: In this recipe I chose to use spiced rum as I love the slight hint of vanilla and spiced favour it adds to the fruit cake. However, you can use other spirits depending on your taste. Brandy or whiskey will also add a spice flavour, whereas Amaretto or flavoured liqueurs will add sweeter notes.
If you would prefer to make an alcohol free cake then just replace the alcohol with orange or apple juice.
Oranges: Both the zest and the juice are used in this recipe and both are added to the dried fruits, along with the alcohol for soaking. Soaking plumps up the dried fruits adding moisture and flavour. See set by step instructions below for the quickest way to soak fruits if you don't have time to leave them over night.
Secret ingredients: To really boost the flavour of this recipe I like to add two special ingredients. Cocoa powder and black treacle (not pictured). Only a small amount of each is required to give a deep, chocolatey flavour, perfect for balancing out the fruit and rum.
Both are optional but its important to note that if you decide not to add these, the treacle can just be left out but the cocoa powder must be replaced with the same amount of plain flour. In short - this recipe will work just the same with or without the treacle but cocoa must be replaced.
🎂 How to line a cake tin
This recipe is enough for one 8 inch (20cm) cake tin or two 6 inch (15cm) tins. So you can have the option to make one large cake or two small 6 inch Christmas cake (half the recipe for one small cake). Lining a cake tin is always the same no matter what the size.
For a Christmas cake its usual to double line the inside of the tin with baking paper. This is due to the amount of baking time. The extra paper helps to prevent the edges from burning. For ease I fold the paper in half before measuring and cutting.....
- For the tin base; fold your paper in half and then draw around the tin. You can use the inside base if your tin is slotted. Cut out to create two circles of the same size.
- For the tin sides; cut a length of paper that is a little longer than the circumference of your tin. Fold this in half length ways and then fold the edge up by 2-3 cm.
- On the 2-3cm folded edge cut diagonally up to the fold every 3cm:
- Place one of the base circles in the bottom of the tin and then insert the side paper with the cut edge facing down. The diagonal cuts will overlap each other. Then place the second paper circle over the top of this to complete the lining.
Note: the above tin also has newspaper wrapped around the outside of the tin, secured with string. This is for an extra layer of insulation to make doubly sure that the cake doesn't burn. In most cases this isn't necessary but the option is there if you want to be absolutely sure that the edges won't burn.
🔪 Step by step instructions
Note: This recipe is enough to make one 8 inch cake. If you would like to make a smaller 6 inch cake then either divide this recipe between two 6 inch cake tins or half the recipe to make just one 6 inch cake.
- Add the dried mixed fruit to a large mixing bowl and pour over the spiced rum, and the juice and zest of two oranges. Cover and leave to soak overnight. If you don't have time to leave overnight then transfer to a large pan and heat to a very gentle simmer for 3-4 minutes. Then remove from the heat and leave to cool for 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile add the butter, muscovado sugar and black treacle (if using) to a small pan. Heat gently and stir until melted. Set to one side.
- In a second large mixing bowl add the flour, ground almonds, cocoa powder, mixed spice and bicarb of soda. Mix together well.
- Next pour the melted butter, sugar and treacle into the flour mixture and stir together well.
- Next, whisk the eggs together and gradually add to the mixture. Don't add too much in one go as the mixture may split. Stir well in between each addition.
- Once all the egg is combined, stir in the soaked fruits.
- Transfer the cake mixture to your lined tin (either one 8 inch tin or two 6 inch tins). To bake, place in the centre of a preheated oven (150°C/300°F); the 6 inch cakes for 1hr 50 minutes and the 8 inch cake for 2hrs 10 minutes. Check your cake 15 minutes before the end of these baking times by inserting a skewer into the centre, If the skewer comes out clean then its done. If not, return to the oven and check every 10 minutes until the skewer comes out clean.
- Place the Christmas cake, still in the tin, on a wire rack to cool. Whilst cooling skewer all over and drizzle over 2 tablespoons of spiced rum (or your preferred spirit). After half an hour or so, carefully remove from the tin and leave on the wire rack to cool completely.
- Once cooled, wrap the cake in cling film and store in a tin. Unwrap once a week and spoon over (feed) 2 tablespoon of spiced rum (or your preferred alcohol).
🍰 Icing your Christmas cake
To help keep the fruit cake preserved until Christmas and to stick with the traditional flavours I always cover my cake with a layer of ready to roll marzipan and then a layer of ready to roll white fondant icing. Both the icing and marzipan are held in place with melted apricot jam.
To make this process easier place a blob of melted apricot jam in the centre of a silver cake board and position your Christmas cake in the middle. A cake turntable can also be helpful, but not necessary.
If your cake has a slight rise in the middle; use a cake leveller or a serrated knife and your best judgement to slice off the top of the raised part. The whole cake can then be turned upside down and the flat bottom now becomes the top.
- Soften both the fondant icing and marzipan by kneading well. Roll both into circles, 2-3mm thick. Melt the apricot jam in a small pan and then allow to cool slightly. Use a pastry brush to paste the jam all over the surface of the cake. Lift the marzipan up with a rolling pin and then position over the top. Stretch the 'skirt' of the marzipan out slightly and then back in, to tuck in evenly. Then use a knife to score and remove the excess.
- Paint over a further layer of jam and repeat the process with the icing. At this stage an icing smoother can be used to remove any lumps and smooth off the icing.
- Decorate the cake. I like to make sugared pecans and chocolate stars. They are so simple to make but look so effective.
- Use icing sugar mixed with water to position the sugared pecans and then balance the chocolate stars in between and on top of the pecans.
❓ Frequently asked questions
Skewer the baked fruit cake all over. Be careful to only skewer ¾ of the way down the fruitcake and not right to the bottom. The use a tablespoon to carefully drizzle spoonfuls of spiced rum (or your referred spirit) over and into the skewered holes.
This depends on how much time you have until Christmas and how boozy you want your cake. If you make your cake at the start of November or earlier you can feed it with 2 tablespoon alcohol once a week. If you make the fruit cake just before Christmas then feed every day or every other day until iced.
Soaking fruit overnight before starting this recipe ensures that the fruits are packed full of liquid. This means that the fruit won't suck any extra moisture out of the cake during and after baking. Feeding your Christmas cake regularly after baking will also help to keep it moist as well as building up the flavour.
Christmas cake is one of those recipe that was designed to last a long time. Fruit cake is so dense and full of alcohol that it will keep itself well preserved for a good 3 months. And in fact the longer you leave it the better it gets, which is why you'll find some people baking their Christmas cake in October.
You should however, store the Christmas cake well during this time. Wrap in at least 2 layers of cling film or foil and then place in a cake tin with lid.
The icing however is a different story and is better left until the week before Christmas. This also means your can continue to feed your cake (see above) right up until a few days before Christmas.
As Christmas cake keeps well for so long there is really no need to freeze it. The dense cake filled with fruit and alcohol will self preserve for at least 3 months. Just keep it well wrapped.
If you want to keep it longer than this, I would only freeze fruit cake if it has not yet been iced. The icing will not freeze and defrost well. If your cake is still un-iced then wrap well in two layers of cling film and place in the freezer for up to 6 months. To defrost leave out on the side over night.
🍰 Other easy baking recipes
Not sure about taking on a full Christmas cake? Why not start small and try Christmas Cake muffins instead? Or how about something even more chocolatey and far less fruity: chocolate brownies recipe or brownie chocolate muffins. Or for a real Christmassy treat why not try roast chestnuts at home!
If you're looking for a bake that is completely different then why not try lemon drizzle cake, bakewell tart, apple crumble, plum and rhubarb crumble, banana bread, Banana cake, Yorkshire parkin or sticky apple treacle tart.
If you've tried this recipe, let me know what you think by leaving a star rating in the recipe card or comment section below. I always appreciate your feedback! You can also follow me on Pinterest, Facebook or Instagram or Sign up to my email list!
📖 Recipe
Easy Christmas Cake Recipe
Equipment
- One 8 inch (20cm) cake tin or two 6 inch (15cm) tins (depending on if you want to make one big cake or two small Christmas cakes)
- Baking paper to line the tin(s)
- Large bowl to soak fruits
- Large bowl to mix the cake mixture
- Skewer to test if cake is cooked through
- Wire rack to cool
Ingredients
- 500 g dried mixed fruit
- 200 ml spiced rum or your preferred spirit
- 2 juiced and zested oranges
- 250 g unsalted butter
- 250 g light brown muscovado sugar
- 2 tablespoon black treacle
- 225 g plain flour
- 75 g ground almonds
- 25 g cocoa powder
- 2 teaspoon mixed spice
- ¼ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
- 4 eggs
Instructions
- Add the dried mixed fruit to a large mixing bowl and pour over the spiced rum, and the juice and zest of two oranges. Cover and leave to soak overnight. If you don't have time to leave overnight then transfer to a large pan and heat to a very gentle simmer for 3-4 minutes. Then remove from the heat and leave to cool for 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile add the butter, muscovado sugar and black treacle (if using) to a small pan. Heat gently and stir until melted. Set to one side.
- In a second large mixing bowl add the flour, ground almonds, cocoa powder, mixed spice and bicarb of soda. Mix together well.
- Next pour the melted butter, sugar and treacle into the flour mixture and stir together well.
- Next, whisk the eggs together and gradually add to the mixture. Don't add too much in one go as the mixture may split. Stir well in between each addition.
- Once all the egg is combined, stir in the soaked fruits.
- Transfer the cake mixture to your lined tin (either one 8 inch tin or two 6 inch tins). To bake, place in the centre of a preheated oven (150°C/300°F); the 6 inch cakes for 1hr 50 minutes and the 8 inch cake for 2hrs 10 minutes. Check your cake 15 minutes before the end of these baking times by inserting a skewer into the centre, If the skewer comes out clean then its done. If not, return to the oven and check every 10 minutes until the skewer comes out clean.
- Place the Christmas cake, still in the tin, on a wire rack to cool. Whilst cooling skewer all over and drizzle over 2 tablespoons of spiced rum (or your preferred spirit). After half an hour or so, carefully remove from the tin and leave on the wire rack to cool completely.
- Once cooled, wrap the cake in cling film and store in a tin. Unwrap once a week and spoon over (feed) 2 tablespoon of spiced rum (or your preferred alcohol).
Video
Nutrition
Notes
Both are optional but its important to note that if you decide not to add these, the treacle can just be left out but the cocoa powder must be replaced with the same amount of plain flour. In short - this recipe will work just the same with or without the treacle but cocoa must be replaced. How do you feed fruit cake?
Skewer the baked fruit cake all over. Be careful to only skewer ¾ of the way down the fruitcake and not right to the bottom. The use a tablespoon to carefully drizzle spoonfuls of spiced rum (or your referred spirit) over and into the skewered holes. How often should I feed my cake?
This depends on how much time you have until Christmas and how boozy you want your cake. If you make your cake at the start of November or earlier you can feed it with 2 tablespoon alcohol once a week. If you make the fruit cake just before Christmas then feed every day or every other day until iced. How do you keep fruit cake moist?
Soaking fruit overnight before starting this recipe ensures that the fruits are packed full of liquid. This means that the fruit won't suck any extra moisture out of the cake during and after baking. Feeding your Christmas cake regularly after baking will also help to keep it moist as well as building up the flavour. How long does this cake last?
Christmas cake is one of those recipe that was designed to last a long time. Fruit cake is so dense and full of alcohol that it will keep itself well preserved for a good 3 months. And in fact the longer you leave it the better it gets, which is why you'll find some people baking their Christmas cake in October. You should however, store the Christmas cake well during this time. Wrap in at least 2 layers of cling film or foil and then place in a cake tin with lid.
The icing however is a different story and is better left until the week before Christmas. This also means your can continue to feed your cake (see above) right up until a few days before Christmas. Can you freeze fruit cake?
As Christmas cake keeps well for so long there is really no need to freeze it. The dense cake filled with fruit and alcohol will self preserve for at least 3 months. Just keep it well wrapped.
This post was first published in November 2016. Updated in November 2020 with new images, an improved recipe, new step-by-step photos and new recipe tips.
Frances graham
Just made this cake , very easy and quick recipe ,it’s in the oven now and smells delicious, will let you know what it tastes like after Christmas
Rachel
My cake is in the oven as l type! I did find my completed mix to look much thinner ( more watery) than yours in the video, lm wondering if this could have been down to me using very large oranges. My 8” cake tin wasn’t quite deep enough to hold all the mixture so around half is in a 1lb loaf tin. I will update once baking is complete.
Jo
Hi Rachel
I've just popped my cakes into the oven and like you my mixture was quite wet. How did your cake turn out (if you can remember!) Did you need to leave it in longer? Thanks.
Claire
I like chopped almonds in my Christmas cake, do you think it would be OK to add to this mixture?
Debbie Jones
Hi Claire, yes I think that sounds like a great idea. I'd just fold in the almonds when you add the fruit. Hope you enjoy the cake! And Happy Christmas! 😊 🎄 Debbie x
Tracy
I made this Xmas cake last year 2021, and it was the most delicious Xmas cake ever !
The addition of the treacle is what makes the difference , the cocoa is subtle, and even those in my family who are not big Xmas cake lovers enjoyed it😊
I am definitely making it again this year !!!
sue
Thinking of making this cake, children will be eating it so can I omit the alcohol without spoiling the flavour or texture?
Debbie Jones
Hi Sue, thanks so much for your comment. Yes you can omit the alcohol without issue but you may want to wait to nearer Christmas before you make the cake as the alcohol does help to preserve. So maybe end of nov/beginning Dec. You can also use apple or orange juice as a replacement and feed the cake weekly with a couple of tablespoons of juice to help keep it moist. Hope this helps! Thanks, Debbie x
Christine Bateson
Hi
Not sure if my comment went through. I made this cake yesterday, 9th October, the 6 inch cake. Do I feed it every week or every fortnight? I'll decorate it about 2 wks before Christmas, so have about 9 wks. Thanks
Debbie Jones
Hi Christine thanks for getting in touch. So pleased to hear you've made this Christmas cake. As you've made the smaller one you may just want to drizzle over 1 tbsp rather than 2, but I still recommend you do this once a week. The weekly feeding helps keep the cake moist. I do hope you enjoy the cake! And Happy Christmas for nearer the time 😀🎅 Debbie x
Christine Bateson
Thank you for your reply
Christine Bateson
Hi Debbie
I'm planning on icing my cake the weekend before Christmas, when should i stop feeding it?
Can I use any flavour of jam to help the icing to stick? Also can i leave out the marzipan layer?
Chris
Debbie Jones
Hi Chris, I'd keep feeding every week right up until you ice it, so your cake stays nice and moist. The alcohol will also help to preserve your cake (as well as adding to the flavour). You could even fit in a extra feed just before you ice. Apricot jam is the traditional flavour to use with Christmas cake, but you can use any flavour you like, I'd always recommend using a smooth seedless jam so you don't get any lumps of bumps. The marzipan is optional but without you may not get as smooth a finish as theres one less layer between the fruit cake and icing. Also, the icing may discolour due to the dark coloured liquids and oils in the cake.......this usually takes a couple of weeks to occur though so shouldn't be a problem if you are icing within a week of Christmas. I hope this is helpful and I hope you enjoy your cake! Happy Christmas!! Debbie xx
Christine Bateson
Hi. I made this cake yesterday (9th October) and made the 6 inch cake. Do I still need to feed it every week or will every fortnight be ok?
Chiamaka Onyegbula
Nice and simple recipe, would really love to try it but how can I substitute ground almonds in the recipe as it's not readily available in my country?
Debbie Jones
Hi Chiamaka, thanks for your question! Just replace the almonds with the same amount of flour. If you want you could add a tsp of vanilla extract to make up the flavour that the almonds would have provided. Hope this helps and hope you give the recipe a try! Happy baking! Thanks, Debbie
Natasha
The way you decorated your christmas cake is so awesome and have liked it very much, Thank you for the recipe.
Debbie
So pleased you like it Natasha! 🙂 Hope you enjoy the cake!! Have a lovely Christmas!! Debbie x
Julie
Simply stunning. I adore how you've decorated your Christmas cake. Commenting as BritMums Baking Round-up Editor
Debbie
Thank so much Julie 🙂
Jeremy
Love Christmas cake and every year I have a battle trying to moderate other members of the family from scoffing the whole lot within a few days. You really appreciate every crumb when you take the time to make it yourself and for me, it's all about adapting the cake for your tastes. For e.g, I ditched the marzipan and icing a long time ago as I find the cake verging on too sweet already. I prefer naked cakes. Yay for using ground almonds (I grind my own for the cake every year now) and sourcing good quality (ie with the bitterness removed) candied peel is easier now than ever.
Thanks for the tip about mixing in the eggs. That is always my weakness in making Christmas cake. I have always found that the mixture splits when adding the eggs, but I was adding it in a thin stream within about 8-9 minutes (I thought that was long enough and my arms were aching from holding the handheld whisk). Now I see that it takes a substantially longer time to mix.
What would be the difference in cracking the eggs one by one and adding them straight from the shell? Also, I'm interested in how much feeding it takes to make a cake bitter from the alcohol? I've always stopped at a few tablespoons.
Ps - I've found there to be a massive difference in cooking time between different ovens. We have a range cooker with one big oven and one smaller. Time in smaller was 2hrs 43mins one year and 4hrs in the big oven this year! (My own recipe)
Debbie
Hi Jeremy,
Thanks for getting in touch - so nice to hear that my tips are coming in useful:-)
Yes I definitely agree about adapting to your own tastes. The almonds and chocolate powder are additions I made a couple of years ago that will definitely be repeated every year from now on. Yes icing and marzipan can definitely be very overpowering on a cake that is already super sweet, I always try to keep my icing and marzipan as thin as possible for this reason. But I would probably ditch as well if I was just making for myself. However - I also have a post on christmas cake muffins - these are fantastic as you can decorate each one differently to satisfy a multitude of tastes. I think I actually prefer these 🙂
Ahhh yes - the eggs! I've learnt the hard way that its just best to go as slow as possible and make sure they are well whisked before adding. But I have a machine - and I know that with a handheld whisk its a lot harder and so tempting to just dump the whole lot in. The only saving grace is the addition of a few tablespoons of dry ingredients if it looks like the mix is about to split - this usually saves it and allows you to continue. I would never crack the eggs directly in one at a time - the mixture just can't take it and will more than likely split.
For the feeding I only add 2 tablespoons each time and do this every one to two weeks. But I use sherry which I think is a bit lighter in taste than rum, brandy or whisky - plus it reminds me of my Grandmas sherry trifles 🙂 I don't usually feed the week before Christmas as I like the cake to have dried out thoroughly before icing. I think the idea is to keep the cake moist and the sugar and alcohol is meant to help stop the cake from going off. So I always try to spoon over a bit of sherry at least every fortnight. However, a cake that is well wrapped in clingfilm and kept in a tin will probably be ok anyway.
Yes cooking times do vary from oven to oven. The old skewer test is probably the only way to gauge it and each person has a fairly good idea if their oven runs too hot or not hot enough. For an 8 inch cake I always check it after 2 hours 15. More than likely that it won't be done but I can possibly guestimate how much longer it needs.
Hope your cake is a success this year - and maybe give the muffins idea a go - they really are a great way to share out Christmas cake. Have a lovely Christmas !! Thanks for stopping by!! 🙂
Dannii
I have never made a Christmas cake before, but this is the year I am going to try. The decoration of yours is beautiful.
Debbie
Thanks so much Dannii! Hope your cake turns out well and you find this post of some help 😊
Jasmin Charlotte
This looks gorgeous! I don't love eating Christmas cake but I always love decorating ours!
Debbie
Thanks Jasmin! I know - Christmas cake isn't top of most people's favourite desserts. It's taken a few years for me to get to a recipe that I really enjoy 😊
Beth
Yum!!