It wouldn’t be Christmas without a traditional iced fruit cake, and Mary Berry has shared her delicious recipe that will go down a treat this festive season.
Renowned as a British baking icon, Mary is well-versed in all things cake – particularly novelty recipes.
Her recipe for traditional English fruitcake ensures the sponge is moist and dense, with a spicy-sweet flavour profile.
Food experts at Delicious said: “Mary Berry’s rich traditional Christmas cake recipe is filled to the brim with fruit, as well as almonds, brandy and treacle. It’s one of the absolute best if you’re after a rich, fruity bake.”
While the formula is open to interpretation, like swapping booze for brewed black tea or orange juice, one non-negotiable is using the right-sized tin. A 23cm round tin or 20cm square cake tin is recommended for the quantities below.
Method
This recipe will not catch you out by suggesting that the cake needs weeks to mature before Christmas.
However, allowing at least two days to prepare the mixture is essential, as soaking the fruit overnight is crucial to ensure a plump, juicy core. To do this, pour the dried fruit and candied peel into a large bowl.
Add the four tbsp brandy (or an alternative liquid) and stir, ensuring you mix well. Cover the bowl with a tea towel or cling film and leave overnight to soak – there’s no need to keep it in the fridge.
It’s undoubtedly the best option if you have time to bake the Christmas cake a few days before you plan to eat it, as this will allow the fruit to soften further.
Preheat the oven to 140C/fan 120C/gas mark one. Add the remaining ingredients (aside from the fruit and almonds) to a large bowl.
Use a hand-held electric mixer to beat until all the ingredients are thoroughly combined. Stir the nuts through, then add the soaked fruit and any soaking liquid left in the bowl.
Now grease a deep 23cm round tin or 20cm square cake tin with butter and line it with a double layer of baking paper. Grease the paper to prevent sticking and ensure everything is in place in the tin.
Next, gently pour the mixture into the prepared tin, using a spoon to get it all out. Level the top with a spatula and cover with baking paper.
Bake the cake in the hot oven for four to five hours until firm to the touch. Test to see if it’s cooked by pushing a skewer into the middle—it should come out clean.
Allow the cake to cool as it is. Once cooled, remove the baking paper, pierce the top several times with a skewer, and pour over a dash of brandy.
Carefully remove the cake from the tin, but keep it on the baking paper. Wrap the cake with more baking paper and then foil.
Store in a cool place until you’re ready to eat. Mary suggests a maximum of three months for the cake to mature. If you choose to enjoy the cake after Christmas, unwrap it and feed it with two tablespoons of brandy occasionally.
Before serving the cake, decorate it with glacé fruit, marzipan, or ready-to-use icing. For an extra special finishing touch, tie a ribbon around the cake in a festive shade of red or green.
