Last-minute Christmas Cake

This last-minute Christmas cake is rich and moist, and it's perfect when you want to whip up an easy dessert with a traditional touch this holiday season.

Christmas trees, lights, songs, presents, Santa -I think Christmas is the most joyous season of the year. It never fails to fill our homes with happiness and cheer.

When it comes to Christmas food, I think the traditional cake has a very special place. However, I don't add it to our Christmas menu every year. And when I have it, i bake it at home. Truth to be told, I hate store bought Christmas fruit cakes. For that one reason, whenever I feel like having this traditional cake, I make it at home from scratch. Believe me, it tastes much better.

This last-minute Christmas cake doesn't require pre-soaking of

fruits a week ahead. Just 4 hours is all you need to get your fruits super soft and plump. Did you hear that? Well, that means you could whip up a marvellous cake even on the day before Christmas. Now that sounds awesome.

For this recipe, I used 3 cups dried fruits and ½ cup mixed peel. If you like nuts, you could add ½ cup chopped walnuts or almonds.

Making Christmas cake from scratch is literally super simple and easy. Why not add this to your Christmas menu this year? Enjoy!

Last-minute Christmas Cake

Make this last- minute Christmas cake this holiday season - It's rich, moist and delicious. Moreover, no pre-soaking of fruits is required.

5 from 44 votes

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Course: Cakes and Muffins

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 2 hours hours

Total Time: 2 hours hours 30 minutes minutes

Author :Nish Kitchen

Servings 12

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Ingredients

MetricUS Customary

• ▢ 3 cups dried fruit
• ▢ ½ cup mixed peel
• ▢ 1 cup rum/ brandy
• ▢ 1 cup plain all purpose flour
• ▢ 1 cup self raising flour
• ▢ 1 teaspoon bicarb soda
• ▢ 1 teaspoon mixed spice
• ▢ 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ▢ 4 eggs at room temperature
• ▢ 250 g unsalted butter at room temperature
• ▢ 1 cup brown sugar

Instructions

• You must start the preparation a day ahead.
• Place dried fruits and mixed peel in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Pour rum (or brandy) into the mixture. Bring to a boil. Simmer for 1-2 minutes. Transfer the fruit mixture to a bowl. Cover with plastic wrap or lid. Let it soak overnight. Stir occasionally.
• The next day place eggs and butter outside the refrigerator and bring to room temperature.
• When you are ready to bake the cake, preheat oven to 170C.
• Line a 23 cm baking tin with double layer of parchment (baking) paper, extending 5 cm outside.
• Tip ½ cup plain (all purpose) flour into the fruit mixture. Coat the fruits well in the mixture. Set aside.
• Sift rest of plain (all purpose) flour, self raising flour, bicarb soda, mixed spice and ground cinnamon into a large bowl. Set aside.
• Beat butter and sugar until pale and creamy. Add one egg at a time, beating well after each addition. The mixture may look curdled at this stage. Add fruits and sifted flour to the mixture. Fold in gently. Make sure there are no pockets of flour.
• Tip the mixture into the prepared tin. Smooth the top. Place on the lowest rack in the oven. Bake for 2 hours or until a skewer inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
• Remove the cake from the oven, and allow to cool completely in the tin.
• To serve, dust with icing sugar or cover with white fondant, if you like.

Notes

-You can add ½ cup chopped almonds or walnuts to the recipe if you like.
-Oven temperatures may vary. So it’s a good idea to check the cake occasionally after an hour.

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 420kcal | Carbohydrates: 52g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 107mg | Sodium: 165mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 38g

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