Here is how to make a light and fruity Christmas cake – the best Christmas cake recipe that you need.
This traditional recipe for light and fruity Christmas cake has the advantage of being quick, easy and delicious. You don’t need to pre-boil the fruit, which saves a lot of time and forward planning.
Actually, this delicious and simple fruit cake recipe is perfect for all occasions. You can make this cake every year for Christmas, but it also works for birthdays and special occasions.
It’s a moist and flavourful cake that is just perfect with a cup of tea.
The Must Have Ingredients For The Best Christmas Cake
The best part of any fruit cake for me is the raisins, but not all raisins are created equal.
South African raisins are the perfect sweet addition to many Christmas recipes.
Being naturally sundried in the Western and Northern Cape regions, with exceptionally high levels of sunshine and water from the Orange and Olifants rivers, creates the world’s highest quality raisins.
Varieties to look out for in supermarkets are Thompson, Golden and Flame.
Christmas Cake Recipe: Light Fruity Christmas Cake
This is an easy very fruity cake with a light batter than doesn’t need you to boil the fruit before hand.
To make it even easier, use the cake mix of dried fruit.
This is a mix of raisin, sultanas and citrus peel in a delicious ratio.
You can make this traditional Christmas cake in a 22-24cm cake tin or a loaf, or mini loafs. These make lovely home made Christmas presents too.
You’ll find that this recipe is much lighter than some of the other traditional Christmas cakes.
Christmas is a wonderful time of the year, a time to celebrate with family and friends. So, with the holidays fast approaching, here’s an easy cake that will satisfy everyone at the table.
Christmas Fruit Cake Ingredients
To bake your Christmas cake you will need
- 250gm butter
- 210gms caster sugar
- 5 free-range eggs
- 100gm ground almonds
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ¼ tsp ground cinnamon
- ¼ tsp ground ginger
- ¼ tsp ground allspice
- 210gms flour
- 200gm cake mix dried fruit (or 100gms each raisins & sultanas + 20gms citrus peel)
- 80gms glace cherries, cut in half or quarters
- 60gms dates (stoned and roughly chopped)
- 100gms roughly chopped pecan nuts
- 50gms blanched almonds (optional to decorate the top of the cake)
- 100ml brandy to sprinkle
Instructions: How to make a Christmas Fruit Cake
First, to prepare – preheat the oven to 140C and line the baking tin with baking paper.
Next, use an electric mixer to cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
Add each egg one at a time, ensuring the batter is mixed well be for the next addition. Scrape the bowl down as you go.
Add all of the spices, the ground almonds and flour and beat until it is all well combined.
Add the fruit and briefly mix.
Next, tip your mixture into your lined cake tin and bake for 1.5 hours until firm to the touch and when a sharp knife is inserted into the middle it comes out clean.
Leave it in for a little longer if necessary. Smaller cakes will bake for a shorter time so adjust accordingly
Sprinkle with the brandy and store tightly wrapped up until you need it.
If you are making this far in advance of Christmas, add more brandy every 2 – 3 weeks.
More Christmas Dessert Recipes
This traditional christmas cake is a great follow up to your Christmas dinner, whether you are cooking a convection oven turkey, going with a different meat or even making a vegetarian alternative for Christmas dinner.
There are also dozens of desserts to try over the holiday season. We’ve added several new ones to our list this year.
You might also like these easy Christmas cake ideas, they are so delicious and add a sense of fun with Christmas themes that the whole family will appreciate at the dinner table.
Gingerbread Star Christmas Trees
Enjoy, and Happy Christmas!
Christmas Cake Recipe created by Sam Linsell of Drizzle and Drip
Anna Marikar, mum of four and seasoned blogger, has spent over a decade sharing her parenting journey and passion for kid-friendly crafts and free printables.
Her easy-to-follow craft ideas and practical parenting advice have transformed In The Playroom into a cherished resource for parents.
This light and fruity Christmas cake recipe sounds delicious and easy to make! I love the addition of South African raisins for that perfect sweetness. The cake mix of dried fruit is a time-saver. Thanks for sharing this delightful Christmas treat that can be enjoyed on any occasion! 🎄🍰🍇