Simple Christmas Cake Recipe

It is a easy, scrumptious Christmas cake recipe, full of fruit and embellished with a traditional overlaying of marzipan and fondant icing.

It is easy to make, straightforward to bake, straightforward to cowl and straightforward to embellish – good for the vacation season!

It appears incredible and your family and friends will adore it.

It has a stunning, intense flavour, with loads of texture because of all of the additions. It is all coated with marzipan and white sugar paste, and topped with easy sugar paste holly decorations.

You will begin by beating sugar, margarine and black treacle collectively, then introduce eggs and flour in alternating batches. There’s numerous eggs and few dry elements on this recipe as a result of the dried fruit is thirsty!

Upon getting the bottom batter, you will add all the yummy fruits and nuts: blended dried fruit, candied peel, glace cherries, and almonds. You will additionally add blended spice, nutmeg and lemon zest to actually carry out the Christmas flavours.

After that, it is merely a case of baking, cooling and overlaying in marzipan and icing for a traditional Christmas cake that by no means fails to impress.

If all that sounds fairly nice, then my straightforward Christmas cake recipe, full with step-by-step directions and loads of pics and ideas to make sure you find yourself with a incredible Christmas cake.

Elements

Gear

Directions

Put together your Christmas cake tin

Put together your baking tin by greasing after which triple lining with two layers of baking paper on the within and one layer of brown paper on the skin.

For step-by-step pictures displaying how to do that, comply with my foolproof information to lining a Christmas cake tin right here.

Make your Christmas cake

Preheat the oven to 140C (120C fan).

Put the margarine and sugar in a big bowl.

Beat collectively till barely pale and fluffy.

Add the treacle to the bowl.

Beat in.

Add one egg.

Combine.

Sprinkle some flour within the bowl and blend once more.

Preserve alternating till all the eggs and all the flour is added.

Add the blended fruit.

On high add the blended peel, glace cherries, blanched almonds, floor almonds, blended spice, nutmeg and lemon zest.

Combine and make a want!

Pour your cake combination into your lined cake tin.

Cowl with a sq. with a gap snipped in it, as per the cake lining directions.

Bake your Christmas cake within the centre of the oven for 3 to three 1/2 hours. It is prepared when a skewer pushed into the centre of the cake comes out clear. As soon as baked, enable the cake to chill in its tin for quarter-hour.

Take away the brown paper, then raise your cake freed from its tin and switch to a wire rack to chill utterly.

Now you can peel the baking paper away.

Do not forget to maneuver the paper from the bottom, too.

Cowl your Christmas cake with marzipan

When your cake has cooled utterly, flip the other way up in order that the flat edge is on high. In case your cake domed quite a bit throughout cooking and will not sit flat, you possibly can trim it a bit of with an extended serrated knife earlier than flipping over.

Brush the highest (which was the underside!) of your cake throughout with a skinny layer of apricot jam. It will assist the marzipan stick.

Mud your work floor with icing sugar to cease any sticking, then knead your marzipan till it is comfortable and clean.

Mud your floor once more, if essential and roll your marzipan out right into a tough disc form, massive sufficient to cowl the entire cake with a bit of to spare.

Roll the marzipan over your rolling pin, then gently lay on high of the cake.

Clean off down the edges with the palm of your hand. Trim the bottom with a pointy knife.

Cowl your Christmas cake with white sugar paste

Mud your work floor with icing sugar once more.

Roll your sugar paste out right into a tough disc form, massive sufficient to cowl the entire cake with a bit of to spare.

Roll the sugar paste over your rolling pin, then gently lay on high of the cake.

Clean off down the edges with the palm of your hand. Trim the bottom with a pointy knife.

Further decorations to your Christmas cake

Seize two small items of leftover white sugar paste and work into two balls – this will probably be your holly and berries.

Flatten every ball of sugar paste. Put 2-3 drops of inexperienced meals colouring on one and 2-3 drops of crimson meals colouring on the opposite.

Knead every ball till they’re evenly colored.

Mud your work floor once more and roll the inexperienced sugar paste out thinly.

Use a pointy knife to chop out holly leaf shapes. In case you like, you need to use the purpose of the knife to attain veins onto the leaves.

Take small items of the crimson sugar paste and roll into balls to kind holly berries.

Your arms might have color on them so wash and dry them earlier than you proceed or you might stain the white sugar paste.

Apply your leaves and berries to the cake, utilizing a moist finger to assist them stick.

Ta da! A cake match for a Christmas feast. Would not it look scrumptious? It actually is without doubt one of the Christmas desserts I most sit up for.

A slice of this straightforward, conventional Christmas cake actually is the proper solution to spherical off vacation meals. Get pleasure from and Merry Christmas!

Pointers, tips and troubleshooting ideas for the proper straightforward Christmas cake

Is that this home made Christmas cake recipe easy to make?

Hopefully, the clue is within the title right here. After a number of failed makes an attempt I’ve mastered the artwork of Christmas cake making and have put collectively this recipe to share these straightforward to comply with step-by-step directions so you can also make an ideal Christmas cake too! Wow household and mates effortlessly with this straightforward Christmas cake recipe.

Will I want any particular gear for this straightforward Christmas cake recipe?

You need to be capable to discover every thing you want within the common kitchen: weighing scales and measuring spoons to organize the elements, a big mixing bowl to carry every thing collectively, a unfastened backside cake tin, and parchment paper and brown paper to line it with and a few string.

You will additionally want metallic skewer to check the cake, and wire rack for cooling. The complete listing of kit could be discovered on the recipe card under.

The place can I purchase black treacle?

You need to be capable to simply discover black treacle within the baking aisle of the grocery store. It often is available in a small tin. 

Is straightforward Christmas cake appropriate for vegetarians?

Sure, this straightforward Christmas cake is ideal for a vegetarian because it incorporates no meat, poultry or fish merchandise. 

Is straightforward Christmas cake appropriate for vegans?

As it’s this recipe wouldn’t be appropriate for vegans because it incorporates dairy margarine and eggs. 

I haven’t tried making a vegan model of this cake but however you may give it a go by merely utilizing plant-based vegan margarine and an egg replacer. Give considered one of these choices a go (every = 1 egg, so multiply as wanted for any given recipe).

• 1 tablespoon of crushed chia seeds or flax seeds blended with 2 tablespoons of water and left for 10 minutes within the fridge.
• 3 tablespoons of aquafaba (the water you get in a tin of chickpeas).
• 3 tablespoons of applesauce (keep in mind this may add sweetness).

I’d most likely attempt the chia or flax seed methodology, as the opposite two choices might make the combo too moist. 

Is straightforward Christmas cake gluten-free?

For this straightforward Christmas cake I’ve used wheat-based plain flour so no, this isn’t gluten-free.

If you’re making this for somebody who must keep away from gluten of their food plan, why not attempt making it with gluten-free flour.

I all the time advocate utilizing an excellent high quality model, which is able to often be produced from a mix of various flours equivalent to rice flour, and oat flour, elevating brokers, after all, and often a binding agent equivalent to xanthan gum.

Is straightforward Christmas cake keto-friendly?

Sadly, this straightforward Christmas cake incorporates too many carbohydrates to be thought-about keto-friendly. 

Is straightforward Christmas cake fit for human consumption whereas pregnant?

There’s nothing on this straightforward Christmas cake that ought to pose a threat to a pregnant lady. Make certain the cake is made utilizing elements which can be in good situation, and it is ready and baked hygienically. 

Recommendation relating to egg security varies from nation to nation, as a consequence of completely different manufacturing and dealing with strategies, so please test steerage native to you. 

A Mummy Too doesn’t provide medical recommendation, please search assist from a medical skilled when you have any questions. The NHS additionally has a incredible useful resource on meals to keep away from while pregnant which has numerous useful info. 

Is straightforward Christmas cake dairy-free?

I’ve used dairy margarine however you possibly can simply use plant-based margarine to make this recipe dairy-free. Bear in mind this would possibly not make the cake vegan because it nonetheless incorporates egg, however would then be appropriate for somebody who must keep away from dairy.

Is straightforward Christmas cake alcohol-free? 

Sure, lots of festive bakes are enriched with alcohol, and plenty of traditional Christmas truffles are even fed with whisky or rum within the run-up to Christmas to assist protect the cake and add flavour.

This generally is a troublesome time of yr for somebody who must keep away from alcohol so this cake is a winner because it incorporates none!

I have not soaked the dried fruit for this recipe however in case you wished to you need to use water or fruit juice. 

Can I make this recipe with out apricot jam?

The apricot jam is used to assist stick the marzipan to the cake, in case you don’t have apricot jam you need to use marmalade as an alternative however ensure that to fish out any peel!

You may also simply go straight in with the marzipan however I discover a bit of apricot jam helps every thing stick properly and creates a little bit of glue to carry the marzipan to the cake.

Don’t use strawberry jam because the flavours can be fairly odd! Apricot is impartial because it tastes just like the almonds within the marzipan, and marmalade additionally compliments the citrus flavours from the cake so blends in undetected. 

I haven’t acquired black treacle, can I take advantage of golden syrup?

The black treacle actually provides richness to this cake with all these stunning toffee molasses flavours.

In case you don’t have treacle you need to use golden syrup as an alternative, I’d advocate additionally utilizing the darkest brown sugar it’s important to add a few of that molasses flavour you’re lacking from the treacle. 

Can I add further fruit to this fruit cake recipe?

This straightforward Christmas cake is a fruit-heavy bake. I’ve used a ready-made dried blended fruit bag to avoid wasting me having separate baggage of raisins currents, and sultanas.

In case you like you can also make up your personal mixture of dried fruit however I’d advocate protecting the overall quantity the identical in any other case the cake batter will probably be overloaded and never bake correctly. 

You’ll be able to mess around with no matter dried fruit you want. A base of raisins is an efficient place to begin after which you possibly can attempt issues like including fig, cranberries, or dates, any bigger items must be chopped to as much as in regards to the dimension of raisins. 

How ought to I retailer straightforward Christmas cake?

As soon as embellished you possibly can preserve your Christmas cake in an hermetic container, this helps shield the cake from drying out. Preserve the cake in a cool darkish spot, within the cabinet or pantry. 

How lengthy does straightforward Christmas cake preserve?

This conventional vacation cake can preserve for fairly some time when saved accurately, this cake is made with out alcohol so received’t preserve so long as some nevertheless it ought to final for a few weeks when saved in a sealed container. 

Can I depart straightforward Christmas cake out on the counter?

No, you possibly can depart the cake out for serving nevertheless it must be saved in a sealed container to cease it from drying out or being contaminated with micro organism. 

Can I make this straightforward Christmas cake forward?

Sure, historically Christmas truffles are made on fire up Sunday, which is the final Sunday earlier than introduction, the final Sunday in November. After which given time to mature over December with the addition of a Christmas drink of whisky or rum.

As we’re making this cake with out alcohol it received’t preserve fairly as lengthy so I’d advocate making this a number of days earlier than you wish to serve. 

Can I preserve straightforward Christmas cake within the fridge?

There is no must take up fridge area with this Christmas cake, it is higher to retailer it in a sealed container simply someplace cool and darkish like in a cabinet or pantry. 

Can I freeze straightforward Christmas cake?

Sure, this cake freezes properly, if you wish to freeze some accomplish that as quickly as you possibly can after serving, this manner the cake is frozen at its greatest.

If you’re freezing quite a bit it is likely to be an thought to chop it into slices earlier than freezing, that approach you possibly can simply get out what you want.

Wrap the cake properly to stop freezer burn, and pop a label in your container so you realize when it went within the freezer. It will preserve within the freezer for as much as 3 months.

What’s the easiest way to defrost straightforward Christmas cake?

All it’s essential do is get out the slices you wish to defrost, unwrap them, and pop them within the fridge on a plate to thaw out in a single day.

It’s necessary to defrost this cake within the fridge because it’s not being reheated so must be saved at a low temperature to scale back the danger of bacterial unfold.

As soon as defrosted, devour inside 24 hours and don’t refreeze already frozen cake. 

Can I make this recipe in particular person parts?

I haven’t tried making this recipe as particular person parts, in case you wished you may attempt to use a muffin tray as an alternative to make mini Christmas truffles, which might be tremendous cute as items.

Line your muffin tin with doubled up cupcake circumstances and divide the batter between them, you would possibly want 2 trays.

Bake for an hour at 140C (120C fan), and test the truffles at this level. As these are quite a bit smaller than the regular-sized cake they may bake faster however do ensure that they’re completely cooked. An hour is probably not sufficient so do return to the oven if wanted.

To brighten you possibly can reduce circles of marzipan and sugar paste icing to suit superbly on high. Add a festive sparkle with both some mini holly leaves or some ready-made Christmas sprinkles. 

Can I make straightforward Christmas cake in a stand mixer equivalent to a KitchenAid or Kenwood Mixer?

Sure, in case you like you can also make the cake batter in a stand mixer like KitchenAid, this takes a number of the work out of stirring for you!

Begin by including the sugar, and margarine, steadily enhance the pace to beat till pale and fluffy, add the treacle, and beat once more.

Now time for the eggs, you possibly can combine in an egg with a number of tablespoons of the weighed out flour to cease the combo splitting. Repeat this till all of the eggs are blended after which add the remaining flour and spices.

Scrape down the edges of the bowl as you go to ensure every thing is evenly included.

Relying on the dimensions of your bowl, you might wish to do the remaining by hand because the stand mixer can develop into overwhelmed by all of the fruit. Add the dried fruit, blended peel, floor, and blanched almonds, cherries, and lemon zest combine properly and make a want!

Do I must soak the dried fruit?

For this recipe, I haven’t soaked the dried fruit, however you possibly can in case you like. This helps make the cake good and moist and plumps up notably dried out currents.

Weigh out your fruit the night time earlier than and canopy with water, or fruit juice, cowl the bowl with a clear tea towel and depart for the fruit to soak up the liquid. Drain off any extra liquid earlier than placing the fruit into the cake combine. 

How can I ensure that straightforward Christmas cake is completely cooked?

Making Christmas cake is especially a ready sport as soon as the cake is within the oven. In case you comply with all of the steps within the recipe your cake ought to prove completely yearly. Listed below are a number of further ideas and tips to preserve you on monitor. 

Put together the tin following the information, this may guarantee the skin of the cake doesn’t burn, Christmas cake is within the oven for a very long time so its a good suggestion to guard the outer edges as they’re vulnerable to drying out. 

Preheat your oven, and get the cabinets organized so the cake could be in the course of the oven. In case your oven temperature runs sizzling you need to use an oven thermometer to ensure it doesn’t go above 140C (120C fan).

Don’t be tempted to maintain opening the door to check out the cake as these temperature fluctuations will have an effect on the bake. In case you like you possibly can test the cake about midway by, or after it has been within the oven for 2 hours to see the way it’s getting on. 

Whenever you assume the cake is finished, it ought to really feel very agency, you possibly can check it with a metallic skewer to ensure it is cooked within the center. The skewer ought to come out clear.

Enable the cake to chill within the tin for some time earlier than making an attempt to take it out. 

Make certain the cake is totally cooled earlier than including the marzipan and icing, you may even retailer the cake in a sealed container and add the ornament the following day.

Why did my straightforward Christmas cake prove dry and burnt?

Maybe the oven was too sizzling? Christmas cake must be cooked low and sluggish so ensure that the oven isn’t over 140C as this may enhance the danger of the cake burning. You’ll be able to shield the skin by following the cake tin lining information.

In case you’ve acquired a fan oven the paper lid might blow off, so you may as an alternative use a chunk of tin foil with a gap within the center, then you possibly can fold the perimeters right down to create extra of a safe lid. 

It’s a good suggestion to test the cake after a few hours within the oven so you possibly can see the way it’s getting on. Every oven is barely completely different so some folks’s Christmas truffles will probably be completed in two and a half hours, and a few would possibly take nearer 4 and even 5 hours to complete baking. 

Do not forget this can be a wealthy darkish fruity treacle Christmas cake so will look quite a bit darker when it is cooked than pale golden sponge truffles that you simply is likely to be extra used to baking.

Why did my straightforward Christmas cake prove moist within the center?

That is most likely as a result of the cake was taken out too quickly. You should use a metallic skewer to check the cake, if it comes out moist the cake wants to return within the oven, endurance is essential with this bake. Set a timer so that you keep in mind to test the cake, after which go and have a cuppa or 3!

Why didn’t my straightforward Christmas cake rise?

Christmas cake doesn’t have any elevating agent added to it, you simply need a good mild rise throughout, as ideally, we would like the highest of the cake to be flat.

When you’ve put the batter within the tin, as an alternative of leveling it off, push it out to the edges ever so barely to make a little bit of a properly within the center, this may degree out when the cake is baked and create a flat high.

In case you’re cake has domed quite a bit you possibly can trim any extra off as soon as the cake has cooled. 

How can I add/change the flavours on this straightforward Christmas cake?

That is my straightforward Christmas cake recipe that has all the important thing elements, you possibly can mess around with the flavours to fit your tastes.

The dried fruit ingredient might be probably the most open, as you can also make up the overall quantity with no matter dried fruit mixture you want.

I discover it greatest to make use of a base of about 300g for raisins after which the remaining could be no matter you could have within the cabinet, dried cranberries, dried figs, sultanas, even dried pineapple or mango like this tropical fruit Christmas cake.

Can I take advantage of the two-piece marzipan methodology when adorning?

In case you’re used to overlaying your cake by making a disc for the highest and a strip for the edges, then that methodology is nice too! In actual fact, it will possibly make your cake look neat with crisp, sharp edges.

I have not used this methodology for this recipe as a result of it is a bit of trickier with a contact of additional effort, and I did promise a straightforward cake!

Nonetheless, if you would like to provide the two-step marzipan course of a attempt, my good buddy Charlotte of Restoration Cake is an extremely gifted baker, and he or she has a really clear and straightforward to comply with information to marzipanning your cake in two halves.

I do not like fondant icing can I cowl the cake with one thing else?

In case you like, you may cowl the cake with royal icing on high of the marzipan layer.

Royal icing is made with icing sugar and egg whites. BBC Good Meals has a beautiful recipe for royal icing. You might then clean it over the cake with a palette knife, or apply it in pleasing, snowy swirls and peaks as with this Martha Collison recipe.

Print this Christmas cake recipe

Here is that straightforward Christmas cake recipe once more in printable format:

Print Recipe

Simple Christmas Cake Recipe

It is a easy, scrumptious Christmas cake recipe, full of fruit and embellished with a traditional overlaying of marzipan and fondant icing.

Prep Time50 minutes

Prepare dinner Time3 hrs 30 minutes

Complete Time4 hrs 20 minutes

Course: Festive makes

Delicacies: British

Eating regimen: Vegetarian

Servings: 24 slices

Writer: Emily Leary

Elements

To make your Christmas cake

• 200 g baking margarine room temperature
• 225 g comfortable gentle brown sugar
• 1 tbsp black treacle (molasses)
• 5 medium free vary eggs room temperature
• 250 g plain white flour (all function flour)
• 750 g blended dried fruit
• 55 g blended reduce peel
• 100 g glace cherries
• 100 g blanched almonds
• 65 g floor almonds (almond meal)
• 1 tsp blended spice
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg
• 1 lemon zest

To cowl your Christmas cake

• 1 tbsp apricot jam
• 450 g marzipan
• 675 g white sugar paste
• icing sugar (powdered sugar) to mud

Further decorations to your Christmas cake

• 2-3 drops crimson gel meals colouring vegetarian if required
• 2-3 drops inexperienced gel meals colouring vegetarian if required

Directions

Put together your Christmas cake tin

Make your Christmas cake

• Preheat the oven to 140C (120C fan).

• In a bowl, cream the margarine and sugar collectively till barely pale and fluffy.

• Add the treacle to the bowl and beat in.

• Add the eggs, one after the other. Sprinkle some flour within the bowl and blend once more. Preserve alternating till all the eggs and all the flour is added.

• Add the blended fruit, blended peel, glace cherries, blanched almonds, floor almonds, blended spice and nutmeg.

• Lastly, grate your lemon rind into the bowl.

• Combine and make a want!

• Pour your cake combine into your ready tin.

• Bake your Christmas cake within the oven for 3 to three 1/2 hours. It’s prepared when a skewer pushed into the centre of the cake comes out clear.

• As soon as baked, enable the cake to chill in its tin for quarter-hour.

• Then, switch the cake to a wire rack to chill utterly.

Cowl your Christmas cake with marzipan

• When your cake has cooled, flip the other way up in order that the flat edge is on high and brush throughout with a skinny layer of apricot jam. It will assist the marzipan stick.

• Mud your work floor with icing sugar to cease any sticking, then knead your marzipan till it’s comfortable and clean.

• Mud your floor once more, if essential and roll your marzipan out right into a tough disc form, massive sufficient to cowl the entire cake with a bit of to spare.

• Roll the marzipan over your rolling pin, then gently lay on high of the cake, clean off down the edges with the palm of your hand. Trim the bottom with a pointy knife.

Cowl your Christmas cake with white sugar paste

• Mud your work floor with icing sugar once more.

• Roll your sugar paste out right into a tough disc form, massive sufficient to cowl the entire cake with a bit of to spare.

• Roll the sugar paste over your rolling pin, then gently lay on high of the cake, clean off down the edges with the palm of your hand. Trim the bottom with a pointy knife.

Further decorations to your Christmas cake

• Knead your white sugar paste again right into a ball and divide into two.

• Flatten every ball of sugar paste. Put 2-3 drops of inexperienced meals colouring on one and 2-3 drops of crimson meals colouring on the opposite.

• Knead every ball till they’re evenly colored.

• Mud your work floor once more and roll the inexperienced sugar paste out thinly.

• Use a pointy knife to chop out holly leaf shapes. In case you like, you need to use the purpose of the knife to attain veins onto the leaves.

• Take small items of the crimson sugar paste and roll into balls to kind holly berries.

• Your arms might have color on them so wash and dry them earlier than you proceed or you might stain the white sugar paste.

• Apply your leaves and berries to the cake, utilizing a moist finger to assist them stick.

Vitamin

Energy: 415kcal | Carbohydrates: 67g | Protein: 6g | Fats: 15g | Saturated Fats: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fats: 3g | Monounsaturated Fats: 7g | Trans Fats: 1g | Ldl cholesterol: 34mg | Sodium: 105mg | Potassium: 335mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 49g | Vitamin A: 356IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 97mg | Iron: 2mg

* Notice: dietary info is estimated, primarily based on publicly accessible knowledge. Nutrient values might fluctuate from these printed. Data on this web site shouldn’t be taken as medical recommendation. Cuisines establish the first area of inspiration for a dish.

Tried this recipe?Snap a pic and tag @amummytoo on Instagram or tag @EmilyLearyCooks on Twitter. I am unable to wait to see your posts!

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