Christmas Cake
Shared by Orla · 30 September 2026
The story behind the recipe
A Christmas cake recipe passed down from Mum, made every year as part of our Christmas tradition. I remember the fruit soaking weeks in advance, the smell of the cake baking through the house, and sneaking a little taste when Mum wasn’t looking. It’s a recipe filled with the kind of memories that make Christmas feel like Christmas.
- Orla
Ingredients
970g Christmas Cake Fruit Mix 640g Christmas Pudding Fruit Mix 350g Soft dark brown sugar 250 ml alcohol of choice (Brandy, Whiskey, Rum) 200g nibbed almonds Zest of 2 lemons Zest of 1 orange 350g very soft butter 450g plain flour 1 tbsp mixed spice 2 teaspoons ground nutmeg 100g Gem ground almonds 6 large or 7 medium eggs
Method
Soak the fruit: Mix the fruit, brown sugar and alcohol (or orange juice). Leave for 1 month. If short on time, boil the mixture, cool completely and leave overnight. Make the cake: Add the soaked fruit mixture to a large bowl. Add the almonds, lemon and orange zest, softened butter, flour, mixed spice, nutmeg and ground almonds. Mix well. Add the eggs and stir until everything is fully combined. Divide the mixture between 2 lined 6-inch tins. Tap the tins gently on the counter a few times to remove air bubbles. Bake at 130°C fan: 6-inch cakes: 2½–3 hours 10-inch cake: 3–4 hours