Christmas cake
Christmas cake from United Kingdom.
Cook and rest are read from the method. Prep is estimated when the listing left it out. Optional overnight waits and leftover storage are not counted.
- Prep
- 10 min
- Cook
- 2 hr 47 min
- Rest
- None
- Total
- 2 hr 57 min
- Difficulty
- A bit of work
- Spice
- No chilli
- Cost
- Weeknight budget$8–16 USD · indicative, not a store price
About
Christmas cake is listed as dessert from United Kingdom. The steps below follow the imported method, not an editorial rewrite. Times shown were read from those steps.
What you'll need
16 ingredients. Tap each one once it's out on the bench.
Ingredients
- Butter200 g
- Brown sugar200 g
- Wheat flour200 g
- Egg4
- Almond50 g
- Sherry100 ml
- Candied peel85 g
- Glacé cherry85 g
- Raisins250 g
- Currants250 g
- Pecan nuts100 g
- Mixed spice22 ml
- Rose water22 ml
- Vanilla2½ ml
- Baking powder2½ ml
Scaling multiplies the written quantities. Baking still prefers a scale.
Steps
Step 1
Heat oven to 160C/fan 140C/gas 3. Line the base and sides of a 20 cm round, 7.5 cm deep cake tin. Beat the butter and sugar with an electric hand mixer for 1-2 mins until very creamy and pale in colour, scraping down the sides of the bowl half way through. Stir in a spoonful of the flour, then stir in the beaten egg and the rest of the flour alternately, a quarter at a time, beating well each time with a wooden spoon. Stir in the almonds.
2 min
Step 2
Mix in the sherry (the mix will look curdled), then add the peel, cherries, raisins, cherries, nuts, lemon zest, spice, rosewater and vanilla. Beat together to mix, then stir in the baking powder.
Step 3
Spoon mixture into the tin and smooth the top, making a slight dip in the centre. Bake for 30 mins, then lower temperature to 150C/fan 130C/gas 2 and bake a further 2-2¼ hrs, until a skewer insterted in the middle comes out clean. Leave to cool in the tin, then take out of the tin and peel off the lining paper. When completely cold, wrap well in cling film and foil to store until ready to decorate. The cake will keep for several months.
165 min
Nutrition
Per serving · estimate
- Calories
- 1331 kcal
- Protein
- 26.1 g
- Carbs
- 161.3 g
- Fat
- 69.7 g
- Saturated fat
- 29.9 g
- Fibre
- 10.6 g
- Sugar
- 90.8 g
- Sodium
- 142 mg
Calculated from canonical ingredient data (USDA FoodData Central averages and equivalent published tables). Estimates only.
Allergens
Informational only. Not a medical guarantee. Cross-contamination happens in real kitchens.
- Milk
- Wheat
- Eggs
- Tree nuts
- Vegetarian
Adapt this recipe
The original recipe stays as it is. Personal versions are labelled. Serving changes are simple maths.
Adaptations · 0 / 15 used. Resets 11 November.
Substitutions
butter → olive-oil
Use a little less oil than butter. Pastry and laminated doughs are a different problem.
flour (a gluten-free blend (not plain rice flour alone for bread)) → a gluten-free blend (not plain rice flour alone for bread)
Coatings and roux can swap. Yeast breads need a blend designed for gluten-free baking.
egg (silken tofu or skip (depends on the dish)) → silken tofu or skip (depends on the dish)
Carbonara without egg is not carbonara. Fried rice can skip the egg. We will not pretend otherwise.
lemon → lime
Same acidity, different perfume. Taste before you repeat the squeeze.
Tips
- Times on this listing were inferred from the imported method, not kitchen-tested.
History & culture
Inspired by the original
Provenance: Imported. Not developed or tested in our kitchen, so quantities and timings can be approximate. Times on this listing were inferred from the imported method, not kitchen-tested.
Questions about this recipe
Answers taken from this dish's times, amounts, swaps and tips.
How long does Christmas cake take?
2 hr 57 min all in — 10 min prep, 2 hr 47 min cook. Cook and rest follow the method. Leftover storage and optional extra waits are not included.
How many does it serve?
The recipe is written for 4 servings. Scale the ingredient list on the page if you are cooking for a different number.
How hard is it?
A bit of work.
How spicy is it?
No chilli.
What allergens should I watch?
This recipe is labelled for Milk, Wheat, Eggs, Tree nuts. Labels are informational — check the packets in your kitchen. This is not medical advice.
Does it fit a diet?
The published recipe is labelled Vegetarian.
7 more questionsFewer questions
What does it cost to cook?
Weeknight budget — about $8–16 USD, as a grocery budget for this recipe, not a restaurant price.
What equipment do I need?
Oven, Mixing bowl.
How much salt do I put in?
This recipe does not list a salt amount. We will not invent one.
How much brown sugar?
200 g of Brown sugar.
What can I use instead?
butter → olive-oil. Use a little less oil than butter. Pastry and laminated doughs are a different problem. flour (a gluten-free blend (not plain rice flour alone for bread)) → a gluten-free blend (not plain rice flour alone for bread). Coatings and roux can swap. Yeast breads need a blend designed for gluten-free baking. egg (silken tofu or skip (depends on the dish)) → silken tofu or skip (depends on the dish). Carbonara without egg is not carbonara. Fried rice can skip the egg. We will not pretend otherwise. lemon → lime. Same acidity, different perfume. Taste before you repeat the squeeze.
Any tips from this recipe?
Times on this listing were inferred from the imported method, not kitchen-tested.
Can I use an air fryer?
This method is not written for an air fryer. The core technique on the page still applies.