Easy Traditional Rich English Christmas Fruit Cake
Looking for a delicious dessert to serve at your festive afternoon tea? Look no further than this traditional English Christmas fruit cake recipe! Made with a rich blend of dried fruits, nuts, and warm spices, this cake is sure to satisfy your sweet tooth and evoke the cozy, nostalgic feeling of the holiday season. Whether you're looking to impress your guests or simply indulge in a tasty treat, this recipe is a must-try. So fire up your oven and get ready to bake your way into the hearts (and stomachs) of your loved ones this holiday season!
What Tea Goes With Traditional English Fruit Cake?
Making this cake makes our house smell insanely festive. I couldn’t help but keep tasting the mixture as I was making it, naughty! I used strongly brewed English Breakfast Tea in the recipe. I used 4 tea bags or 4 heaped teaspoons of loose leaf in just 4fl oz of freshly boiled water and allowed to steep for 5-10 minutes. Alternatively, use half a cup of strong coffee if you prefer.
As well as having tea in this Christmas cake, pairing tea with this Christmas cake is almost mandatory! I love a coconut chai latte with this cake. Here are some other tea recipes that you may also love to try:
What is the Best Alcohol for Fruitcake?
To make it extra naughty and Christmassy, soak the dried fruit in dark rum (or brandy or your fav dark tipple) over night. This bit is just optional but it does make the cake taste that extra bit richer, so I would highly recommend doing this step.
Alternatively, you can pre soak your dried fruit in strongly brewed tea!
What Spices to use in Traditional Fruit Cake
Usually all spice is used in a traditional fruit cake but, because well we currently reside in Bermuda and I couldn’t get my hands on all spice, I had to swap for apple pie spice. But you know what, it worked really well! So I would say that you can use all spice or apple pie spice or any spice similar that you have already.
What Fruit to use in Traditional Fruit Cake
Originally, I started out using various different dried fruit. However, you can easily simplify this and use a mix of your favourite dried fruits. I like to use mainly sultanas with some dried mixed citrus peel added in.
How to Taste Test Your Christmas Cake Without Having to Make Two
I was recently given some great advice, take a 2-3 spoonfuls of the mixture and bake a mini Christmas cake in a muffin tin. That way you can taste your fruit cake straight away and not have to wait until Christmas!
How to Make This Cake Gluten Free
Christmas cake is super easy to make gluten free and dairy free. You can switch to a pre mixed gluten free flour. I have tried making it grain free but perhaps switch to a pre mixed paleo flour would be worth trying out. Butter can be substituted for palm shortening or a non dairy or vegan alternative. I haven’t experimented with using egg alternatives in the cake as yet, so I can’t say for sure, but I would assume you can switch for homemade ‘flax eggs’ or shop bought egg replacements.
Top the finished cake with marzipan or icing or both. Alternatively the cake still tastes amazing with just a dusting of icing sugar on top.
Is Christmas Cake the Same as Fruit Cake?
A Christmas fruit cake is usually darker, heavier and richer than that of fruit cake. Also , traditional Christmas fruit cake is fed with lots of brandy or rum which makes it that extra bit lux! If you would like to make a lighter fruit cake, I would recommend having a go at making this black tea cake - made with sultanas and pecans.
Why do we Have a Christmas Fruit Cake?
There are many traditions from the past that led to traditional fruit cake at Christmas time. During the ancient Roman times, many people enjoyed a cake called ‘satura’. This was a heavy flat preserved fruit cake full of dates, pomegranate and nuts. In England, many people enjoyed plum pudding. The spices in the cake represent the eastern spices from the wise men. Enjoying this cake symbolises the sharing Christmas with family and friends.
Tips for Making This Rich Christmas Fruit Cake
The recipe makes at least 20 servings, it’s huge. I like to split into two small, but relatively deep, tins. You can also use a 10 inch loose bottom tin and make one large fruit cake.
Bake a small portion of the cake mix in a muffin tin so that you can taste test your cake before Christmas!
I like to make my Christmas cake in November, if you are like me and you make your cake in advance, store it in an airtight container wrapped in paper towel. Feed your cake weekly with a shot of dark rum to keep it from going dry.
Here’s how to Make This Easy Christmas Cake From Scratch
INGREDIENTS (Serves 20+)
4 Heaped Teaspoons of Black Tea or 4 Tea Bags
200g (1 1/4 Cups) of Chopped Dried Prunes
200g (1 1/4 Cups) of Pitted and Chopped Medjool Dates
850g (5 Cups) of Mixed Dried Fruit (Raisins/Sultanas/Citrus Peel/Candied Citrus Peel)
225g (1 Cup) of Butter
200g (1 Cup) of Brown Sugar
140g (1/2 Cup) of Cup Molasses
4fl oz (1/2 Cup) of Dark Rum
Zest and Juice of 2 Oranges
285g (1 1/2 Cup) of Glace (Maraschino) Cherries (whole/halved and quartered)
225g (1 1/2 Cups) of Chopped Almonds
2 Teaspoons of Allspice (or Apple Pie Spice)
2 Teaspoons of Ground Ginger
25g (1/4 Cup) of Cacao Powder
3 Eggs
160g (1 1/3 Cups) of Plain/All Purpose Flour
45g (1/2 Cup) of Ground Almonds
1 Teaspoon of Baking Powder
1 Teaspoon of Baking Soda
METHOD
Firstly, brew the tea in 1/2 Cup (4fl oz) of freshly boiled water for 5 minutes, remove the leaves and set aside.
In a large saucepan on a low heat, add the butter, brown sugar, apple pie spice and ginger. Stir continuously for 2-3 minutes and well combined.
Add the chopped dates, chopped prunes and mixed dried fruit.
Next add the molasses, brewed tea, rum (optional), orange juice and orange zest.
Bring the ingredients to a gentle simmer for around ten minutes. Turn off the heat and allow to cool to room temperature. This will take approximately 1 hour.
Pre heat the oven to 300*F/150*C/Gas Mark 2 and line your tin(s) with parchment paper.
Once the fruit mixture is cool, add the chopped almonds, glace cherries, ground almonds, plain flour (or gf flour), cocoa powder, baking powder and baking soda.
Pour the mixture into your prepared tin(s) and place in the oven for 2 hours. If your cake is cooking too quickly, cover with foil and put back in the oven. depending on the width and depth of your tin, the cake maybe ready after just 90 minutes. An inserted skewer will come out clean when the cake is fully cooked.
Once out of the oven, pour a shot of your chosen tipple over the cake and allow to soak in.
Feed with rum/brandy/whiskey once a week until you are ready to indulge. You can also top the cake with marzipan and fondant icing.
I like to cover the cake with film and store in an air tight container.
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