Quick cherry and almond Christmas cake recipe
Making a Christmas cake at home is quicker and easier with this delicious recipe. Packed full of the rich, festive flavours we all love, this luxurious boozy pud is bound to be a showstopper. Follow this easy Christmas cake recipe for guaranteed success.
See method- Serves 12
- 30 mins to prep and 2 hrs 15 mins to cook, plus cooling
- 541 calories / serving
Ingredients
- 175g (6oz) butter, chopped
- 175g (6oz) dark muscovado sugar
- 1 tbsp treacle
- 1 x 150g pack dried fruit mix (including cranberries, raisins and cherries)
- 175g (6oz) soft dried apricots, roughly chopped
- 175g (6oz) soft dried prunes, roughly chopped
- 200g (7oz) sultanas and raisins
- 100g (3 1/2oz) dried cherries
- 2 clementines, finely zested and juiced
- 1 pink grapefruit, finely zested
- 125ml (4fl oz) cherry brandy or amaretto plus 4 tbsp extra to fill the cake
- 50g (2oz) toasted almonds, roughly chopped
- 50g toasted hazelnuts, roughly chopped
- 3 large eggs, lightly beaten
- 75g (3oz) ground almonds
- 200g plain flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp ground mixed spice
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp ground ginger
- icing sugar, to dust
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Shop ingredientsEach serving contains
- Energy
- 2270kJ 541.0kcal
- Fat
- 23g
- Saturates
- 8g
- Salt
- 0.2g
- Sugars
- 57g
of the Reference intake
Carbohydrate 73.5gProtein 8.5gFibre 4.6g
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Sign in to shopMethod
- In a large pan, combine the butter, sugar, treacle, fruit, zests, juice and liqueur. Bring to the boil, stirring until the butter melts. Reduce the heat and simmer for 10 mins, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat and leave to cool for 30 mins.
- Meanwhile, preheat the oven to gas 2, 150°C, fan 130°C. Line a 20cm (8in) deep, loose-bottomed cake tin.
- Stir the nuts, eggs and ground almonds into the fruit mixture. Sift in the flour, baking powder and spices. Gently stir until well mixed.
- Spoon the mixture into the prepared tin and bake for 45 mins. Reduce the heat to gas 1, 140°C, fan 120°C and cook for a further 1-1¼ hrs, until the cake is deep golden and firm to the touch. If the cake darkens too fast, cover with foil. To test if it’s ready, insert a skewer into the centre – if it comes out clean, the cake is cooked. Remove and leave to cool for 5 mins.
- Make small holes in the cake with a skewer. Spoon over the extra liqueur and leave to soak and cool in the tin. When cool, wrap tightly in baking paper and foil and leave to mature in a cool, dark place for up to 3 months. Dust with icing sugar before serving.
- See more Easy Christmas baking recipes
