North East Family Fun : Easy Classic Christmas Cake Recipe (Inspired by Mary Berry) (2024)

Nothing beats a homemade Christmas cake. I wouldn't say it is our family tradition as I don't make one every year but I do when I can as it is so worth the effort. Christmas cakes do need a fair few ingredients and we spent around £20 on ours.

That does include a cheap bottle of Amaretto from Aldi and we had leftover ingredients that we used to make Mincemeat.

North East Family Fun : Easy Classic Christmas Cake Recipe (Inspired by Mary Berry) (1)

A Christmas cake is actually pretty simple to make - it's the measuring out of ingredients and the actual baking that takes time.

I have tried a few recipes over the years from Delia Smith to Nigella but Mary Berry's is my favourite and the one I always use now. I have made a few tweaks to the original recipe though. I hope you like it!

North East Family Fun : Easy Classic Christmas Cake Recipe (Inspired by Mary Berry) (2)
Soak your dry fruits in Amaretto overnight

North East Family Fun : Easy Classic Christmas Cake Recipe (Inspired by Mary Berry) (3)
Line your baking tin with a double layer or baking parchment

North East Family Fun : Easy Classic Christmas Cake Recipe (Inspired by Mary Berry) (4)
Mix all other ingredients in a food processor or by hand until well combined

North East Family Fun : Easy Classic Christmas Cake Recipe (Inspired by Mary Berry) (5)
This is what your cake batter should look like

North East Family Fun : Easy Classic Christmas Cake Recipe (Inspired by Mary Berry) (6)
Gently fold your cake batter into the soaked fruit

North East Family Fun : Easy Classic Christmas Cake Recipe (Inspired by Mary Berry) (7)


North East Family Fun : Easy Classic Christmas Cake Recipe (Inspired by Mary Berry) (8)
Spoon mixture into your prepared cake tin and smooth the surface with a spatula. Bake for approx 4.5 hours

North East Family Fun : Easy Classic Christmas Cake Recipe (Inspired by Mary Berry) (9)
Your fruit cake needs to cool and can then be wrapped ready for feeding.

Classic Christmas Cake Ingredients

You will need a 20cm round deep cake tin. This recipe is supposed to create 12-15 slices but ours lasts a lot longer than this. The cake is pretty deep so you can get away with serving pretty thin slices I think.

100g Glace cherries
100g Ready-to-eat dried apricots
275g Currants
175g Sultanas
175g Raisins
50g Candied peel
5 tbsp Amaretto
225g Plain flour
1/2 tsp Grated nutmeg
1/2 tsp Ground mixed spice
225g Unsalted butter
225g Darkmuscavadosugar
4 Large eggs
50g Chopped almonds
1 tbsp Black treacle
Grated rind of 1 orange

Method

The preparation begins the night before. Start with your cherries - snip them into quarters and pop them into a sieve. Run under a cold tap for a few minutes and then pat dry.

Snip your apricots into small pieces then add the cherries, apricots and other dried fruit do a large mixing bowl. Cover with 5 tbsp of Amaretto (I just give it a good glug), stir and cover with a tea towel. Leave overnight in a cool room.

The following morning.......

1 - Pre-heat theoverto 140C/Fan 120C/Gas 1. Grease and line your 20cm deep round cake tin with a double layer of baking parchment.

2 - Place the flour, spices, butter, sugar, eggs, almonds, treacle and orange rind into a large bowl or food mixer and beat well.

3 - Carefully fold the soaked fruits into your cake batter until combined.

4 - Spoon the mixture into your cake tin and smooth the top with a spatula. Loosely cover the top with a double layer of baking parchment.

5 - Bake in a pre-heated oven for 4.5 hours or until the cake feels firm and a skewer insertedinthe centre comes out clean.

6 - Leave the cake to cool in the tin and then wrap completely with a fresh double layer of baking parchment and then finally wrap the whole cake in tin foil. Store in a cool, dry place.

Every week, pierce the cake with a skewer in around 10 places and spoon amaretto over the cake to 'feed' it before re-wrapping. You will need to cover the cake with almond paste (or marzipan) about a week before icing.

Royal Icing Recipe

Ingredients
3 egg whites
600g sieved icing sugar
1 tbsp lemon juice

Method

1 - After covering your cake with marzipan, brush with a little apricot jam

2 - Lightly whisk the egg whites and gradually add the icing sugar and lemon until the mixture forms soft peaks

3 - Spread the icing onto the cake - you can be as creative as you like and form soft peaks or smooth. Decorate with Christmas ornaments. Here are some of my favourites (affiliates):

Easy Classic Christmas Cake Q&A

Q - How early can you make this cake?
A - We usually make in October / November but I don't see any reason why you could not make it earlier.

Q - Do you have to feed the cake?
A - No you don't but it tastes lovely so I would recommend not skipping this part

Q - Do you have to use alcohol to soak the fruit/feed the cake?
A - Apple or Orange Juice are good non-alcoholic alternatives

Q - I don't like amaretto - is there anything else I can use?
A - Whisky, Sherry, Brandy and Cherry Brandy work well

Q - I don't like marzipan/icing - can you recommend an alternative?
A - I would just leave your cake naked - it still tastes delicious and will go well with a wedge of cheddar cheese.

Other Christmas Recipes

Gingerbread Tree Decorations


North East Family Fun : Easy Classic Christmas Cake Recipe (Inspired by Mary Berry) (10)

These Gingerbread Tree Decorations are perfect to make with children - you can make them at the start of December and they will last until Christmas. They make your house smell lovely too.

Click here to read my Gingerbread Tree Decoration Recipe


Chocolate Orange Slow Cooker Fudge Recipe

North East Family Fun : Easy Classic Christmas Cake Recipe (Inspired by Mary Berry) (11)

This fudge can be prepared in a slow cooker and is SO easy to make. It tastes delicious and makes a wonderful Christmas gift. What is not to love?

Click here to read my full Chocolate Orange Slow Cooker Fudge Recipe.

Pigs in Blankets Mac n Cheese


North East Family Fun : Easy Classic Christmas Cake Recipe (Inspired by Mary Berry) (12)

Pigs in Blankets with Mac n Cheese is a winning combination. A winter classic with a festive twist. We love it!

Alternative Christmas Cake Recipes

Nutty Christmas Cake by Me Annie Bee

North East Family Fun : Easy Classic Christmas Cake Recipe (Inspired by Mary Berry) (13)

If you like a cake which is nice and nutty and not too moist, check out this Christmas Cake recipe by Me Annie Bee.

Low-effort Christmas Cake by Rachel Bustin

North East Family Fun : Easy Classic Christmas Cake Recipe (Inspired by Mary Berry) (14)

Rachel describes this recipe as super easy with the most effort needed being to weigh out the fruit! Check out this low-effort yetfabulous Christmas Cake recipe by Rachel Bustinhere.

Easy Gluten-Free Christmas Cake by Kate On Thin Ice


North East Family Fun : Easy Classic Christmas Cake Recipe (Inspired by Mary Berry) (15)

If you are looking for a gluten-free Christmas Cake , check out this Gluten Free Christmas Cake Recipe by Kate on Thin Ice or how about this lighter and healthier recipe as an alternative?

Let me know if you've baked your own Christmas Cake this year.

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North East Family Fun : Easy Classic Christmas Cake Recipe (Inspired by Mary Berry) (16)

North East Family Fun : Easy Classic Christmas Cake Recipe (Inspired by Mary Berry) (2024)

FAQs

How to make Mary Berry's fruit cake? ›

Put the flour, grated nutmeg, mixed spice, butter, sugar, eggs, chopped almonds, black treacle and the citrus zest into a large bowl and beat well to mix thoroughly. Fold in the soaked fruits. Spoon the mixture into the prepared cake tin and spread out evenly with the back of a spoon.

What is Christmas cake often eaten with in northern England? ›

In Yorkshire, Christmas cake is usually eaten with Wensleydale, a type of cheese produced in North Yorkshire. It's a tradition that dates back at least to Victorian times, according to food historian Peter Brears from Leeds.

How long before Christmas should I make my Christmas cake? ›

Some say you should make your Christmas cake 6 weeks before eating, but the advice given on Nigella.com is that 12 weeks before is the optimum time to get baking. Your Christmas cake should be fed every 4 to 6 weeks but in the meantime, after baking, it should be stored away in a secure, air tight container.

What is traditionally hidden in Christmas cake? ›

Whoever finds the fava bean in their slice is considered to have good luck for the coming year. Additionally, a small trinket or figurine is sometimes hidden in the cake, and the person who finds it is said to be the "king" or "queen" of the celebration.

What is the best alcohol to soak fruit in for Christmas cake? ›

What alcohol should you use? Strong, flavourful spirits with a high ABV are ideal for feeding fruitcakes. You can use rum, brandy or whisky for spice, or if you like citrus flavours, try an orange liqueur. Cherry brandy and amaretto will also work well if you prefer these.

How long do you soak fruit in alcohol for Christmas cake? ›

You can soak the fruit for days (or weeks) by adding alcohol and mixing as you go, allowing the dried fruit to soak up all the liquid. We do this by adding alcohol (or fruit juice or even a mix) bit by bit until the fruit is plump, or you can just soak overnight and add the rest of the alcohol after the cake is baked.

What is the name of the cake traditionally eaten in Britain at Christmas? ›

Simnel cake
TypeFruitcake
CourseDessert
Place of originUnited Kingdom
Media: Simnel cake

What is the name of the famous English Christmas cake? ›

The traditional Scottish Christmas cake, also known as the Whisky Dundee, is very popular. It is a light crumbly cake with currants, raisins, cherries and Scotch whisky. Other types of Christmas cakes include an apple creme cake and a mincemeat cake.

What is England's Favourite cake? ›

The UK's favourite cakes in numbers:
RankCakeMonthly search volume
1banana bread74000
2victoria sponge74000
3chocolate cake49500
4red velvet cake40500
26 more rows
Sep 12, 2022

What alcohol is good for Christmas cake? ›

What is the best alcohol to put in a Christmas cake? A reasonably strong spirit (such as whisky, rum or brandy) with a warm, fiery flavour or a sweet liqueur (such as cherry brandy or amaretto – NOT a cream liqueur) will compliment the flavour of the cake, and help to preserve the cake, so it will keep for longer.

How often should you moisten a Christmas cake? ›

Method
  1. It is best to feed your cake, every fortnight from when it has been baked. ...
  2. Using a skewer, prick several holes into the top of your cake. ...
  3. Spoon over 1-2 tbsp of the alcohol/fruit juice of your choice ensuring that the whole cake is evenly covered.

Is October too early to make Christmas cake? ›

It's best to get baking around two or three months before Christmas. This gives you plenty of time to let it mature and 'feed' your Christmas Cake regularly as the big day approaches.

What is the oldest Christmas cake? ›

That honor goes to a 4,176-year-old cake that was found in an Egyptian tomb, according to the Guinness organization. It is on display in a food museum in Switzerland.

What does a Christmas cake girl mean? ›

In the 1980s, a woman unmarried by 25 was dismissed as "Christmas cake" — thrown out on Dec. 26. These days the big number is 31, and women unmarried by that age are "New Year's Eve noodles," noodles being a typical New Year's Eve dish.

What is the difference between a fruit cake and a Christmas cake? ›

A Christmas cake usually has far more fruit in it than an ordinary fruit cake and also traditionally will have a layer of marzipan on the top, and that and the sides will then be covered with a layer of icing.

How do you make the perfect Mary Berry sponge cake? ›

Method
  1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/160°C fan/350°F/Gas 4. ...
  2. Break the eggs into a large mixing bowl, then add the sugar, flour, baking powder and soft butter.
  3. Mix everything together until well combined. ...
  4. Divide the mixture evenly between the tins. ...
  5. Place the tins on the middle shelf of the oven and bake for 25 minutes.

How to make a lemon drizzle cake Mary Berry? ›

Lemon drizzle cake with lemon curd and double cream
  1. 350g/12oz butter, softened, plus extra for greasing.
  2. 350g/12oz caster sugar.
  3. 4 lemons, zest only, plus juice of 2 lemons.
  4. 3 large pieces candied lemon peel , finely chopped.
  5. 6 free-range eggs.
  6. 3 tsp baking powder.
  7. 300g/10½oz self-raising flour.
  8. 50g/2oz cornflour.

How do you keep fruit cake moist when baking? ›

It's really important to soak your fruit mix so that they soften and plump up. This way, they'll stay moist and juicy and won't absorb moisture from the cake batter during baking, ensuring that your cake stays moist.

Why is my homemade fruit cake dry? ›

If you have too much flour in a recipe and not enough fat, like butter or oil, your cake is going to be dry and hard. For best results, I would encourage you to use a scale when baking, but if you don't have a scale, then just make sure you're using measuring cups correctly.

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