Mary Berry’s Traditional Christmas Cake Recipe

This Mary Berry Traditional Christmas Cake is a rich and moist recipe, packed with brandy-soaked fruits and warm spices. It’s the ultimate make-ahead festive bake, designed to be made weeks in advance and “fed” with more brandy to mature beautifully in time for Christmas.

Mary Berry’s Traditional Christmas Cake Ingredients

• 425g (15oz) currants
• 250g (9oz) sultanas
• 250g (9oz) raisins
• 300g (11oz) glacé cherries, rinsed, dried, and quartered
• 150g (5½oz) ready-to-eat dried apricots, snipped into small pieces
• 75g (3oz) mixed candied peel, chopped
• 4 tbsp brandy, plus extra for “feeding” the cake
• 300g (11oz) plain flour
• 1 tsp ground mixed spice
• ½ tsp freshly grated nutmeg
• 300g (11oz) unsalted butter, softened
• 300g (11oz) dark muscovado sugar
• 5 medium free-range eggs
• 1 tbsp black treacle
• Finely grated zest of 1 large lemon
• Finely grated zest of 1 large orange
• 60g (2oz) whole unblanched almonds, roughly chopped

How To Make Mary Berry’s Traditional Christmas Cake

Part 1: The Night Before Baking

1. Soak the Fruit: In a very large bowl, combine all the dried fruits (currants, sultanas, raisins, cherries, apricots, and candied peel). Pour over the 4 tablespoons of brandy, stir well to combine, then cover the bowl and leave to soak in a cool place overnight.

Part 2: Baking the Cake

1. Prep Oven and Tin: The next day, preheat your oven to a low 140°C/120°C Fan/Gas Mark 1. Grease a deep 23cm (9in) round cake tin or a 20cm (8in) square cake tin. Line the base and sides with a double layer of baking parchment.
2. Combine Ingredients: In a separate, very large bowl, place the softened butter, dark muscovado sugar, eggs, black treacle, lemon zest, orange zest, flour, mixed spice, and nutmeg. Beat with an electric mixer (or a wooden spoon) until everything is well combined.
3. Finish the Batter: Stir in the chopped almonds. Add the soaked fruit mixture, along with any remaining liquid in the bowl, and fold everything together until evenly incorporated.
4. Fill the Tin and Bake: Spoon the thick batter into the prepared tin and level the surface with the back of a spoon. To prevent the top from browning too much during the long bake, cover it loosely with a disc of baking parchment.
5. Bake: Bake in the center of the preheated oven for 4 to 5 hours. The cake is ready when it’s a rich golden brown, feels firm to the touch, and a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.
6. Cool: Leave the cake to cool completely in the tin.

Part 3: Maturing the Cake

1. Feed the Cake: Once the cake is completely cool, pierce the top in several places with a fine skewer. Gently pour over a little extra brandy (about 1-2 tablespoons).
2. Store: Do not remove the baking parchment from the cake. Wrap the completely cold cake in a fresh double layer of baking parchment and then wrap it again tightly in foil. Store in a cool, dry place.
3. Continue Feeding: “Feed” the cake with a little more brandy every one to two weeks in the lead-up to Christmas. This will keep it moist and help it to mature.

Recipe Tips

• When should I make it? For the best flavour, this cake should be made at least 3 weeks before Christmas, but it can be made up to 3 months in advance.
• How to line the tin properly? For a long bake like this, it’s crucial to double-line the tin to prevent the outside of the cake from drying out or burning. Make sure the parchment comes up higher than the sides of the tin.
• Can I use a different alcohol? Yes, sherry, whisky, or dark rum are all excellent substitutes for brandy. For a non-alcoholic version, you can soak the fruit in the same quantity of orange juice.
• Decorating: Traditionally, the cake is covered with a layer of marzipan about a week before Christmas, and then with royal or fondant icing a day or two before serving.

How To Store Christmas Cake

Store the wrapped cake in a cool, dark, and dry place, like a pantry or a cupboard. An airtight tin is ideal. It does not need to be refrigerated.

Mary Berry Traditional Christmas Cake Nutrition Facts

• Calories: 350-400 kcal
• Fat: 12g
• Carbohydrates: 50g
• Protein: 4g

Nutrition information is estimated and may vary based on ingredients and cooking methods used.

FAQs

Try More Recipes:

• Mary Berry Chocolate and Orange Marble Cake Recipe
• Mary Berry Chocolate Brownie Loaf Cake Recipe
• Mary Berry Boozy Chocolate Cake Recipe

Mary Berry’s Traditional Christmas Cake Recipe

Author: Chloe Saidani Cooking Method:Baking Cuisine:British Courses:Dessert

Difficulty:BeginnerPrep time: 30 minutesCook time:5 hours Rest time: minutesTotal time:5 hours 30 minutesCooking Temp:100 CServings:15 servingsEstimated Cost:25 $Calories:400 kcal Best Season:Available

Description

The ultimate rich, dark, and moist fruit cake, packed with brandy-soaked fruits and warm spices, designed to be made ahead and matured for Christmas.

Ingredients

• Fruit: 425g currants, 250g each sultanas & raisins, 300g glacé cherries, 150g dried apricots, 75g mixed peel, 4 tbsp brandy.
• Cake: 300g plain flour, 1 tsp mixed spice, ½ tsp nutmeg, 300g softened butter, 300g dark muscovado sugar, 5 eggs, 1 tbsp black treacle, zest of 1 lemon & 1 orange, 60g chopped almonds.

Instructions

1. The day before: Combine all the dried fruits and peel in a large bowl, stir in the brandy, cover, and leave to soak overnight.
2. On baking day: Preheat oven to 140°C/120°C Fan/Gas 1. Grease and double-line a deep 23cm (9in) round cake tin.
3. In a very large bowl, beat the butter, sugar, eggs, treacle, zests, flour, and spices together until well combined.
4. Fold in the chopped almonds and the soaked fruit mixture.
5. Spoon the batter into the prepared tin, level the top, and cover with a disc of baking parchment.
6. Bake for 4-5 hours until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.
7. Cool completely in the tin. Once cool, “feed” with a little more brandy.
8. Wrap well in parchment and foil and store in a cool, dry place, feeding with brandy every 1-2 weeks until ready to decorate.

Notes

• This cake is designed to be made well in advance to allow the flavours to mature.
• Soaking the fruit overnight is a non-negotiable step for a moist and flavorful cake.
• The low and slow baking is essential for cooking the dense, fruit-packed cake all the way through without burning the outside.
• Decorate with marzipan and royal icing a week before serving for a traditional finish.

Keywords:Mary Berry’s Traditional Christmas Cake Recipe