This delicious Mary Berry Christmas Fruit Cake is a simple and nutritious treat perfect for festive gatherings. Packed with juicy dried fruits and a splash of brandy, it offers a moist texture that’s hard to resist. Feel free to use your favourite dried fruits to make it your own!
This Christmas Fruit Cake Recipe Is From Makes It Easy Cookbook by Mary Berry
Ingredients Needed:
Dried Fruits:
- 225g (8oz) ready-to-eat apricots, finely chopped
- 450g (1lb) raisins
- 200g (7oz) dried cranberries
- 150g (5oz) dried blueberries
- 225g (8oz) currants
- 125ml (4fl oz) brandy
Cake Batter:
- 225g (8oz) butter, softened, plus extra for greasing
- 250g (9oz) light muscovado sugar
- 5 large eggs
- 225g (8oz) plain flour
- 2 tsp ground mixed spice
How To Cook Christmas Fruit Cake:
- Prepare the Fruits: Place all the chopped dried fruits and brandy in a large bowl. Stir to coat the fruit, cover, and leave to soak for at least 6 hours or overnight.
- Preheat the Oven: Preheat your oven to 140°C (120°C Fan/Gas 2).
- Prepare the Cake Tin: Grease and line a 20cm (8in) square cake tin with non-stick baking paper.
- Make the Cake Batter: In a large bowl, combine the butter, sugar, eggs, flour, and mixed spice. Beat using an electric hand whisk or wooden spoon until well mixed. Stir in the soaked fruits.
- Bake the Cake: Spoon the batter into the prepared tin and level the top. Bake in the preheated oven for about 4½ hours, or until lightly golden. Check doneness by inserting a skewer into the centre; it should come out clean.
- Cool the Cake: Allow the cake to cool in the tin for 10 minutes before transferring it to a wire rack to cool completely.
Recipe Tips
- Soak the Fruits Well: Let the dried fruits soak in brandy overnight. This helps them absorb moisture and flavour, making the cake richer and more delicious.
- Use Room Temperature Ingredients: Make sure your butter and eggs are at room temperature before mixing. This helps create a smooth batter and a lighter cake.
- Check Oven Temperature: Always use an oven thermometer to ensure your oven is at the correct temperature. Baking at the wrong temperature can affect the cake’s texture and baking time.
- Cover with Foil: If the top of the cake starts to brown too quickly, cover it loosely with foil. This prevents burning while allowing the cake to cook through.
- Cool Completely: After baking, let the cake cool in the tin for 10 minutes, then move it to a wire rack. Cooling completely helps the flavours develop and makes it easier to slice.
How To Store Leftovers
- Refrigerate: Wrap leftover Christmas Fruit Cake in cling film or foil and put it in the fridge. It will stay good for about 4 weeks.
- Freeze: You can freeze leftover Christmas Fruit Cake for up to 6 months. After it cools, wrap it tightly in cling film and then in foil. To thaw, move it from the freezer to the fridge overnight before serving.
Nutrition Facts
- Serving Size: 1 slice (approx. 100g)
- Calories: 343
- Total Fat: 12.3g
- Saturated Fat: 3.2g
- Cholesterol: 61mg
- Sodium: 7mg
- Potassium: 178mg
- Total Carbohydrate: 51g
- Dietary Fiber: 2g
- Sugars: 36g
- Protein: 4.2g
Try More Mary Berry Recipes:
- Mary Berry Honey Loaf
- Mary Berry Banana Loaf
- Mary Berry Sultana Tea Loaf
- Mary Berry Cherry Loaf
- Mary Berry Ginger Loaf
Mary Berry Christmas Fruit Cake
Description
This delicious Mary Berry Christmas Fruit Cake is a simple and nutritious treat perfect for festive gatherings. Packed with juicy dried fruits and a splash of brandy, it offers a moist texture that’s hard to resist. Feel free to use your favourite dried fruits to make it your own!
Ingredients
Dried Fruits:
Cake Batter:
Instructions
- Prepare the Fruits: Place all the chopped dried fruits and brandy in a large bowl. Stir to coat the fruit, cover, and leave to soak for at least 6 hours or overnight.
- Preheat the Oven: Preheat your oven to 140°C (120°C Fan/Gas 2).
- Prepare the Cake Tin: Grease and line a 20cm (8in) square cake tin with non-stick baking paper.
- Make the Cake Batter: In a large bowl, combine the butter, sugar, eggs, flour, and mixed spice. Beat using an electric hand whisk or wooden spoon until well mixed. Stir in the soaked fruits.
- Bake the Cake: Spoon the batter into the prepared tin and level the top. Bake in the preheated oven for about 4½ hours, or until lightly golden. Check doneness by inserting a skewer into the centre; it should come out clean.
- Cool the Cake: Allow the cake to cool in the tin for 10 minutes before transferring it to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
- Soak the Fruits Well: Let the dried fruits soak in brandy overnight. This helps them absorb moisture and flavour, making the cake richer and more delicious.
- Use Room Temperature Ingredients: Make sure your butter and eggs are at room temperature before mixing. This helps create a smooth batter and a lighter cake.
- Check Oven Temperature: Always use an oven thermometer to ensure your oven is at the correct temperature. Baking at the wrong temperature can affect the cake’s texture and baking time.
- Cover with Foil: If the top of the cake starts to brown too quickly, cover it loosely with foil. This prevents burning while allowing the cake to cook through.
- Cool Completely: After baking, let the cake cool in the tin for 10 minutes, then move it to a wire rack. Cooling completely helps the flavours develop and makes it easier to slice.
Mary Berry Christmas Fruit Cake
Can this be made with gluten-free flour?
Yes, you can use gluten-free plain flour to make this cake. Just make sure your flour blend includes xanthan gum for structure, and check that all other ingredients are gluten-free.