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Christmas cake with macerated fruits

Christmas cake with soaked fruit

Baking

The traditional British Christmas cake: grapes, cherries, and candied orange peel soaked for several days in sherry, brandy, and kirsch, combined with an …

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Recipe from วณิพก, Lookruk, Tvcccp and 1 other contributors, adapted by Recette de cuisine · · updated on

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Christmas cake is a typical British dessert, often enjoyed during the Christmas holidays. The following recipe is a traditional, easy-to-make version. However, the fruit-soaking process can take time to achieve the desired flavour.

Ingredients and directions

  • Prep time45 min
  • Cook time4 hr 30 min
  • Resting72 hr
  • Total77 hr 15 min
  • DifficultyEasy
  • CostBudget
  • Cooking methodfour
  • Estimated cost$19.63 $1.23 / serving Estimated price; varies by store. Converted from euros at the ECB rate of October 15, 2026.
  • Vegetarian

Ingredients

16 people

Marinated fruits

  • $4.97
  • $1.63
  • $3.52
  • $1.53
  • $2.03

Dough

  • $1.60
  • $1.03
  • $1.44
  • $0.16
  • $0.32
  • $0.92
  • $0.48

Prices from US supermarkets for 9 of 12 ingredients; Belgian prices for the rest.

Directions

  1. Place all the fruits in a large salad bowl and pour the alcohols over them. ≈ 3 min
  2. Cover with aluminum foil and refrigerate.
  3. Mix the fruits daily for at least three days; after two weeks, almost all of the alcohol will have been absorbed. ≈ 4 min
  4. Whisk the eggs with the brown sugar and margarine. ≈ 4 min
  5. Add the almonds and molasses, and mix well. ≈ 4 min
  6. Sift the flour and spices together, then beat until a smooth dough forms. ≈ 4 min
  7. Mix it with the fruits and pour into a baking dish lined with parchment paper. ≈ 3 min
  8. Bake in a low oven (140 °C) for at least 4 hours, or up to 5 hours, depending on your oven.
  9. Let it cool completely before serving.
  10. Store the cake in an airtight container; it will stay fresh for at least four months. ≈ 3 min
  11. Traditionally, it is prepared on the first Sunday of Advent and “fed” with brandy or kirsch every two or three days until Christmas. ≈ 3 min

The bill

Christmas cake with soaked fruit

  • 600 g of Zante currants$4.97
  • 400 g of golden raisins$1.63
  • 400 g of candied cherries, cut into quarters$3.52
  • 200 g of grapes$1.53
  • 50 ml of cherry liqueur (or rum)$2.03
  • 4 medium-sized eggs$1.60
  • 300 g of unsalted margarine$1.03
  • 300 g of brown sugar$1.44
  • 100 g of flour with yeast already added$0.16
  • 200 g of all-purpose flour$0.32
  • 100 g of almond flour$0.92
  • 2 tablespoons of blackstrap molasses$0.48

Total$19.63

that's $1.23 per person

Estimated price; varies by store.

Equipment

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Before you start

Ingredients

  • 600 g of Zante currants
  • 400 g of golden raisins
  • 400 g of candied cherries, cut into quarters
  • 200 g of grapes
  • 100 g of chopped candied fruit peel
  • 200 ml of sherry
  • 100 ml of brandy
  • 50 ml of cherry liqueur (or rum)
  • 4 medium-sized eggs
  • 300 g of unsalted margarine
  • 300 g of brown sugar
  • 100 g of flour with yeast already added
  • 200 g of all-purpose flour
  • 100 g of almond flour
  • 2 tablespoons of mixed spice
  • 2 tablespoons of blackstrap molasses

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