Classic Christmas cake | How to cook perfect Christmas cake | Traditional Christmas Cake
As the very first real cake I ever baked, Christmas cake occupies a special place in my heart
Prep Time20 mins
Cook Time3 hrs 30 mins
Total Time3 hrs 50 mins
Ingredients
- 2 Cups ( 275 grams All Purpose Flour
- 1.4 Cups (275 grams ) Butter Softened
- 2 Cups (275 grams ) Brown Sugar
- 5 Eggs
- 1/4 Cup Pistachio chopped
- 1/4 Cup Cashew chopped
- 1/2 Cup Almonds
- Zest of One Orange be careful not to grate the white
- 1 pc Cinnamon
- 8 Cloves
- 1/4 tsp Nutmeg shavings
- 3 Cups Soaked dried fruits
Instructions
- Prepare the tin as explained above and set your oven to preheat at 150°C.
- Grind the cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg to a fine powder. Also grind up the almonds separately. Set these aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter until it is airy and pale. Add in the brown sugar and cream again.
- Now whisk in the eggs, one at a time.
- Add ground almonds, spice mix and orange zest. Mix Well.
- No whisk or beater after this point.
- Sift flour and mix it with spatula. Add all the nuts and soaked fruits also. Mix well.
- Spoon the batter into your prepared cake tin, pushing it into all the corners and leveling the top. Tap out any trapped air bubbles.
- Place it in the preheated oven and bake for 3.5 hours, checking on it regularly after the first 2 hours.
- Remove the cake from the oven and allow it to cool completely in the tin.
- Feed the cake: This step is optional. Poke holes in the cake with a skewer. ‘Feed’ a spoon of rum, brandy, or whisky through the holes. You can do this once a week for as long as you want, until you are ready to cut the cake. Store it at room temperature wrapped in baking paper and aluminium foil.