Festive Christmas Cake – A Holiday Classic!
Celebrate the season with this rich, fragrant Christmas Cake, filled with luscious fruits, warm spices, and a hint of brandy. It’s the perfect showstopper for your holiday table — moist, flavorful, and full of Christmas cheer!
Ingredients
- 1 cup candied cherries
- 1 cup candied citrus peels
- 1 cup dried currants
- 1 cup raisins
- 1 cup chopped dates
- 1 cup blanched, slivered almonds
- 1 cup brandy
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 teaspoon ground allspice
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ cup molasses
- ½ cup apple juice
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 6 large eggs
Directions
- Soak the Fruits
In a large bowl, combine the candied fruits, dried fruits, and almonds with the brandy.
Cover and let them soak overnight to absorb all the flavor. - Prepare the Dry Ingredients
Toss the soaked fruits with ½ cup of flour to coat them lightly.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the remaining flour, cloves, allspice, cinnamon, salt, and baking soda.
Stir in molasses and apple juice until well combined. - Make the Batter
In another large bowl, cream the butter until light and fluffy.
Add the brown sugar and mix well.
Beat in the eggs, one at a time, until smooth and creamy. - Combine Everything
Gradually add the dry mixture to the creamed butter mixture, mixing just until blended.
Gently fold in the flour-coated fruits. - Bake the Cake
Pour the batter into a prepared cake pan (greased and lined with parchment paper).
Bake in a preheated oven at 300°F (150°C) for about 2 hours, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. - Cool and Serve
Allow the cake to cool completely in the pan before removing.
Wrap tightly and let it rest — it gets even more flavorful over time!
Details
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 2 hours
- Total Time: 2 hours 30 minutes
- Servings: 12
- Calories: ~450 kcal per serving
Tip: For an extra festive touch, brush the cooled cake with a little more brandy before wrapping it — it keeps the cake moist and intensifies the flavor.
