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An iced fruit cake on a white plate with 3 orange slices on top
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4 from 2 votes

Easy Christmas Cake Recipe

Easy Christmas Cake Recipe, beautifully moist and rich, this festive fruit cake is everything you can ask for: rum-soaked mixed dried fruit added to dark smooth batter with an orange touch. The rum icing contrasts beautifully with the cake for added sweetness and colour. A lot quicker than the traditional Christmas fruit cake versions, this recipe is a must-try over the festive season. The very best boozy Christmas fruit cake.
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time1 hour 30 minutes
Total Time1 hour 50 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: English
Servings: 1 cake
Calories: 5266kcal

Ingredients

For the sponge

  • 600 g mixed dried fruit (sultanas, raisins, currants, cranberries, candied orange and lemon peeling)
  • 150 ml rum
  • 125 g butter (soft)
  • 125 g dark brown sugar
  • 4 eggs
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • 125 g plain flour
  • 1 teaspoon orange extract
  • 1 teaspoon mixed spice
  • 50 g ground almonds

For the icing

  • 300 g icing sugar
  • 1 teaspoon rum
  • 2 tablespoon milk

Instructions

  • Add the dried fruit and rum to a pan set over a low to medium heat.
  • Cover with a lid and simmer gently for 10 minutes until the fruit soaks up the rum.
  • Remove from the heat, and leave the lid on for a further 5 minutes.
  • Beat the sugar with the butter until you get a thick paste.
  • Add the eggs one by one beating well after each addition to avoid the mixture curding.
  • Add the baking powder, mixed spice, ground almonds and orange extract, and mix.
  • Sift in the flour and soaked fruit, and mix to get a thicker batter.
  • Grease and flour a round cake tin (23 cm/9 inches) - ideally a tin with removable walls.
  • Spread the mixture evenly.
  • Bake in the preheated oven at 120 degrees Celsius (248 Fahrenheit) for one hour, then increase the temperature to 150 degrees Celsius (300 Fahrenheit) for a further 30 minutes until light brown and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
  • Leave to cool completely.
  • To make the icing, sift the icing sugar, add the rum and milk, and mix well to get a smooth thin mixture.
  • When the cake is cool, spread the icing over, and decorate with sprinkles, cake toppers, dried orange slices or any other decorations of your choice.

Notes

  • Click on the US Customary link to see the measurements displayed in cups and ounces.
  • The servings can be adjusted by clicking the number next to Servings.
  • This cake might looks complicated and time consuming, but it's actually very easy to make with simple ingredients. The cake does not need refrigerating, and it can last for many days at room temperature.

Nutrition

Calories: 5266kcal | Carbohydrates: 916g | Protein: 102g | Fat: 159g | Saturated Fat: 76g | Cholesterol: 1023mg | Sodium: 1349mg | Potassium: 5426mg | Fiber: 68g | Sugar: 707g | Vitamin A: 4134IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 1512mg | Iron: 28mg