Almost every country has its traditions and traditions for Christmas. Today, we are publishing a recipe without which no Christmas table in England would be able to do – a Christmas cupcake. Even an inexperienced cook will find the recipe to be perfect immediately.
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When should you prepare Christmas baking?
A traditional fruit Christmas cake tastes best if it is allowed to ripen before eating.
This allows the flavors to blend beautifully. During this time, you should also feed the cake with a tablespoon of rum/whiskey/cognac (or your personal favorites, cherry brandy or amaretto) once a week or so. This will help to create and enhance the flavor of the cake, as well as ensure that it is wonderfully soft.
You can start the process by baking two or three months before Christmas, but who wants to start cooking at Christmas when it’s the height of summer!
Personally, I think the end of November is ideal as we are just starting to feel the fast approaching Christmas season. And you will have at least 4 or 5 weeks to feed the cake and give it time or flavor before you decorate it, and serve to the table.
Most of the work is done by cooking in a pan (butter, brown sugar, dried fruit, the usual mix of dried fruit including cranberries), glazed cherries, orange zest and juice, lemon zest and cherry brandy are placed in the pan. Cook for about 10 minutes.
Then let it cool for a few minutes, and add ground almonds and 3 eggs. Mix, then add the flour, baking powder, spice mix, cinnamon, and allspice and mix everything together with a wooden spoon. Line a 23 cm cake pan and spoon in the cake mixture.
Then bake in the oven at 150 °C for 45 minutes. Reduce the temperature to 140 °C and bake for another 60–75 minutes, until a skewer inserted comes out clean.
When the cupcake comes out of the oven, we prick the hot cake around the entire circle. About 20 times, and then we add several more tablespoons of cherry brandy with a spoon.
How to store a Christmas cupcake
After you have fed the cake with cherry brandy, wrap it in parchment (make a double layer). Then wrap it twice in foil again and put it in an airtight tin.
You can feed the Christmas cake once a week or so. A tablespoon or two of cherry brandy until you’re ready to serve it.
Be careful, this cake does contain quite a bit of cherry brandy, both in the cake mix and after more brandy is added to the cake. Personally, I don’t think you can get drunk from this cake, the alcohol just gives the cake a richer fruity taste and moist texture.
Easy Christmas Cake Recipe
Christmas cake recipe
This is an easy Christmas cake that turns out perfectly every time. No need to cream, beat, or soak the fruit!
Ingredients
- 175 g (¾ cup) unsalted butter, chopped
- 210 g (1 packed cup) light-brown muscavado sugar
- 400 g (2 + ⅔ cups) mixed dried fruit
- 200 g (1 cup) glacé cherries – roughly chopped
- 100 g (1 cup) dried cranberries
- Zest and juice of 1 orange
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 120 ml (½ cup) cherry brandy
- 85 g (½ cup) ground almonds – (coarsely ground – not the type that is like flour)
- 3 large eggs – lightly whisked
- 200 g (1 + ⅔ cup) plain (all-purpose) flour
- ½ tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp ground mixed spice
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- ¼ tsp ground allspice
Instructions
In a large saucepan, add the butter, sugar, dried mixed fruit, glacé cherries, cranberries, orange, and lemon zest and juice, and all but 4 tbsp of the cherry brandy.
Heat the mixture on a medium heat until it comes to a gentle bubble, then turn the heat down and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Leave the pan to cool for 30 minutes after removing it from the heat.
Prepare the oven to 150°C/300°F and line a 20 cm (8 inch) spring-form round cake tin (with a removable base) with baking parchment.
Add the ground almonds to the slightly cooled fruit mixture and mix until smooth. Then, stir in the egg.
The flour, baking powder and spices should be added to the mixture and then folded together until everything is combined.
The mixture should be poured into the tin and smoothed flat with the back of the spoon.
Bake for 45 minutes, then turn down the heat to 140°C/275°F and cook for a further 1-1,5 hours, until the cake is dark brown on top and an inserted skewer comes out clean. (Note: if you're using a gas oven, the cake may take 15–30 minutes longer to cook). If the cake starts to get too dark, cover it with foil.
Take the cake out of the oven, and while it's still hot, use a skewer to make about 10–12 holes all over the cake.
Add 4 tbsp cherry brandy to the top of the cake.
The cake should be left to cool in the tin. Subsequently, remove it and wrap it in a double layer of baking parchment and then in a double layer of foil. You can put it in an airtight container at room temperature.
Feed the cake with 1–2 tablespoons of cherry brandy once a week for a month or two (depending on when you prepare it).
Bon appétit!
Notes
How should I store a Christmas cake?
If you are using baking parchment or foil, please wrap the cake tightly in a double layer of baking parchment and a double layer of foil. Place the cake in an airtight container at room temperature. Unwrap and feed with a tablespoon of brandy once a week. Then wrap again and store in the same way as before.
How long will it remain?
If the cake is stored properly (see above), it should keep well for 4–5 months at room temperature.
Additionally, you can freeze the un-iced, wrapped cake for up to a year. Before decorating or eating, ensure that the cake comes to room temperature.
Information on nutrition per serving is provided.
Nutrition Information
Serving Size
16 servingsAmount Per Serving Calories 378Total Fat 12gSaturated Fat 6gCholesterol 54mgSodium 41mgCarbohydrates 59gFiber 1gSugar 43gProtein 3g
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