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The Perfect Traditional Christmas Cake
Aruna
I have been wanting to make a traditional Christmas Cake loaded with dry fruits and redolent with rum and spices for a long time now. This year I finally made it and it turned out to be quite a delight!
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Prep Time
30
mins
Cook Time
1
hr
45
mins
Total Time
2
hrs
15
mins
Course
Cake
Cuisine
Christmas Recipes
Servings
9
" Cake
Ingredients
1x
2x
3x
Dry Fruits I Used (Total 750 gms)
100
Gms
Glace Cherries
100
Gms
Sultanas
100
Gms
Raisins
50
Gms
Currants
150
Gms
Dried Apricots
150
Gms
Dried Figs
100
Gms
Dried Cranberries
Alcohol I Used
300
ml
Rum
Ingredients for the Cake
180 gms + 3tbsp
APF or Maida
100
Gms
Ground Almonds
225
Gms
Butter
250
Gms
Brown Sugar
2
tsp
Mixed Spice
(I used 3/4 tsp Cinnamon powder, 1/2 tsp Clove Powder, 1/4 tsp Mace, 1/4 nutmeg, 1/4 Soonth or Dried Ginger Powder)
1
tsp
Baking Powder
4
Eggs
Zest of 1 Lemon
Zest of 1 Orange
Instructions
Method to Soak the Dry Fruits for a Christmas Cake
Chop the apricots, figs, and cherries to small pieces.
In a large glass bowl, mix together all the dry fruits.
Pour the rum over them and mix well.
Transfer the rum soaked dry fruits into a
glass
bottle.
Close the lid and store away from sunlight.
Let the dry fruits soak in rum for 1 to 10 days.
I soaked my dry fruits for 10 days.
Mix the dry fruits with a dry spoon every day.
Method to Prepare the Cake Pan This is very important.
Line the cake tin with 2 layers of parchment paper (also called butter paper).
Now tie 2 layers of newspaper on the outside such that the edge of the newspaper is about 1.5" above the edge of the cake tin.
Method to Make the Cake
Preheat the oven to 125°C.
Drain and
save
all the liquid from the dry fruit.
I let it sit in a colander for 2 hours.
Toss the dry fruit in 3 tbsp APF. Set aside.
This helps in preventing the dry fruit from sinking to the bottom of the cake.
Cream the butter and sugar.
Incorporate the eggs (one at a time).
Add the ground almonds, mixed spice, and zests of lemon and orange.
Mix well.
Add the APF and baking powder.
Mix well.
Fold in the APF-coated soaked dry fruits.
Ensure that all dry fruits are well-incorporated into the batter.
Transfer the Christmas Cake batter into the lined cake tin.
Level the batter.
Bake at 125°C for about 1 hr 45 mins, or till the skewer comes out clean.
Method to Feed the Cake
Let the cake cool.
Remove from the cake tin.
Unwrap and discard the parchment paper.
Poke holes in the cake with a skewer but not through and through.
Pour about 2 tbsp of the rum that you drained from the dry fruits over the surface of the cake.
Let the cake absorb the rum.
Wrap the Traditional Christmas Cake in fresh parchment paper.
Every 4-5 days, unwarp the cake and feed it.
How may days you do this is entirely up to you. I intend to do it twice or thrice.
Tried this recipe?
Do let me know how you liked it
@aahaaram
or tag
#aahaaram
!