Classic Christmas Cake

Name: Classic Christmas Cake
Total time: 180 min
Yield: 12 servings
Cuisine: British
Ingredients: 200g softened butter; 200g dark muscovado sugar; 200g plain flour; 4 eggs, beaten; 50g ground almonds; 100ml sherry; 85g candied peel; 85g glacé cherries, halved; 250g raisins; 250g currants; 100g pecan nuts, chopped; Zest of 1 lemon; 1 ½ tbsp mixed spice; 1 ½ tbsp rose water; 1/2 tsp vanilla extract; 1/2 tsp baking powder

Rich, dark, and sumptuously boozy festive fruit cake packed with spices and nuts.

180 min serves 12 Medium Watch

Ingredients

200g softened butter250g

200g dark muscovado sugar500g

200g plain flour1.5kg

4 eggs, beaten6 pack

50g ground almonds150g

100ml sherry750ml

85g candied peel200g

85g glacé cherries, halved200g

250g raisins500g

250g currants500g

100g pecan nuts, chopped150g

Zest of 1 lemon1 piece

1 ½ tbsp mixed spice35g

1 ½ tbsp rose water150ml

1/2 tsp vanilla extract38ml

1/2 tsp baking powder170g

Method

Heat oven to 160C/fan 140C/gas 3. Line the base and sides of a 20 cm round, 7.5 cm deep cake tin. Beat the butter and sugar with an electric hand mixer for 1-2 mins until very creamy and pale in colour, scraping down the sides of the bowl half way through. Stir in a spoonful of the flour, then stir in the beaten egg and the rest of the flour alternately, a quarter at a time, beating well each time with a wooden spoon. Stir in the almonds.
Mix in the sherry (the mix will look curdled), then add the peel, cherries, raisins, cherries, nuts, lemon zest, spice, rosewater and vanilla. Beat together to mix, then stir in the baking powder.
Spoon mixture into the tin and smooth the top, making a slight dip in the centre. Bake for 30 mins, then lower temperature to 150C/fan 130C/gas 2 and bake a further 2-2¼ hrs, until a skewer insterted in the middle comes out clean. Leave to cool in the tin, then take out of the tin and peel off the lining paper. When completely cold, wrap well in cling film and foil to store until ready to decorate. The cake will keep for several months.

Cost to cook

serves 12 · I have the cupboard staples

Mostly estimated prices. Full-pack shop cost · about £9.81 of it is what this recipe actually uses.

Find it in store

Search the ingredients at your stores:

Tesco Asda

£22.51 est. · serves 12

Ingredients

200g softened butter250g

200g dark muscovado sugar500g

200g plain flour1.5kg

4 eggs, beaten6 pack

50g ground almonds150g

100ml sherry750ml

85g candied peel200g

85g glacé cherries, halved200g

250g raisins500g

250g currants500g

100g pecan nuts, chopped150g

Zest of 1 lemon1 piece

1 ½ tbsp mixed spice35g

1 ½ tbsp rose water150ml

1/2 tsp vanilla extract38ml

1/2 tsp baking powder170g

Method

Heat oven to 160C/fan 140C/gas 3. Line the base and sides of a 20 cm round, 7.5 cm deep cake tin. Beat the butter and sugar with an electric hand mixer for 1-2 mins until very creamy and pale in colour, scraping down the sides of the bowl half way through. Stir in a spoonful of the flour, then stir in the beaten egg and the rest of the flour alternately, a quarter at a time, beating well each time with a wooden spoon. Stir in the almonds.

Mix in the sherry (the mix will look curdled), then add the peel, cherries, raisins, cherries, nuts, lemon zest, spice, rosewater and vanilla. Beat together to mix, then stir in the baking powder.

Spoon mixture into the tin and smooth the top, making a slight dip in the centre. Bake for 30 mins, then lower temperature to 150C/fan 130C/gas 2 and bake a further 2-2¼ hrs, until a skewer insterted in the middle comes out clean. Leave to cool in the tin, then take out of the tin and peel off the lining paper. When completely cold, wrap well in cling film and foil to store until ready to decorate. The cake will keep for several months.