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Perfect Christmas Fruit Cake with Brandy

A handcrafted blend of rich flavors that captures the essence of Christmas, this fruit cake is moist and flavorful, perfect for sharing and festive celebrations.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 2 hours 30 minutes
Total Time 3 hours
Servings: 10 servings
Course: Dessert, Snack
Cuisine: British, Holiday
Calories: 350
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Main ingredients
  • 225 g unsalted butter, softened
  • 225 g dark brown sugar
  • 4 large eggs, beaten
  • 225 g self-raising flour
  • 1 teaspoon mixed spices
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1 tablespoon molasses
  • 450 g mixed dried fruits (raisins, currants, sultanas)
  • 75 g chopped candied fruit
  • 50 g chopped almonds
  • 2 tablespoons brandy Extra brandy for feeding

Method
 

Preparation
  1. Preheat your oven to 150°C. Grease a 20 cm round cake tin and line the bottom with parchment paper.
  2. In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until it’s nice and fluffy.
  3. Gradually add in the beaten eggs, mixing well after each addition.
  4. Sift the flour and spices into the bowl, folding them gently into the batter.
  5. Stir in the molasses, dried fruit, candied fruit, and almonds until well combined.
  6. Pour the batter into your prepared cake tin, smoothing the top with a spatula.
Baking
  1. Bake in the oven for 2 to 2.5 hours, or until a skewer comes out clean.
Cooling and Feeding
  1. Let the cake cool in the tin for 10 minutes before transferring it to a wire rack to cool completely.
  2. Once cool, poke holes in the cake with a skewer, then brush generously with brandy.
  3. Wrap the cake tightly in baking paper and aluminum foil. Feed it with brandy weekly until Christmas!

Notes

Chop your dried fruits into smaller pieces for even distribution. Don’t rush the creaming stage; it’s key to a fluffy cake! Experiment with different nuts or dried fruits; you can even add a hint of orange zest for a citrus twist.