Traditional christmas cake

Every Christmas 🎄 I return to this cake,

a small ritual baked into the season.

The moment it begins, the house fills with magic—

spice drifting through the air,

orange zest and juice glowing like winter sun,

and a whisper of brandy warming everything it touches.

I make it a month before the holiday,

tucking it away like a secret,

visiting it each week to feed it a gentle pour of brandy—

a slow, sweet tending,

the flavor deepening with every passing day.

And when Christmas Eve arrives,

I adorn it with care,

and serve it like a gift from the heart—

a slice of tradition,

a taste of memory,

a little piece of Christmas itself.

Ingredients

Here’s a clean, typed-out version of the ingredients from your screenshot:

Christmas Cake Ingredients

• 700 g raisins

• 300 g currants

• 200 g  golden raisins

• 200 g dried cranberries

• 150 g chopped pecans (or walnuts)

• 400 ml bourbon (or brandy)

• 300 g butter

• 180 g dark brown sugar

• 2 tsp 🍊 orange zest, grated

• 4 large eggs

• 2 tbsp black treacle (or molasses)

• 1 tsp almond essence(optional)

• 300 g plain flour

• ½ tsp ground cloves

• 1 tsp ground cinnamon

• 1 tsp mix spice

Method

1. Soak the Fruit

   
   

   Place the raisins, currants, the grated orange zest and mix ,chopped pecans into a large bowl.

   Pour the bourbon or brandy over the mixture. Warm up the mixture

   Stir, cover, and leave to cool and soak—preferably overnight, or even for a full day—to let the fruit swell with flavour.

   
   

2. Prepare the Tin & Oven

   
   

   Line a deep cake tin with baking paper, including the sides.

   
   

   Preheat your oven to a low, gentle heat—about 140°C (275°F)—so the cake bakes slowly and evenly.

3. Cream Butter & Sugar

   
   

   In another bowl, beat the butter and dark brown sugar together until light, soft, and creamy.

   
   

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4. Add Eggs & Treacle

   
   

   Beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition.

   
   

   Stir in the black treacle (or molasses) and the almond essence.

5. Fold in the Dry Ingredients

   
   

   In a separate bowl, combine the plain flour, ground almonds, ground cloves, and ground cinnamon.

   
   

   Gently fold this mixture into the creamed butter and sugar.

6. Combine Batter & Fruit

   
   

   Add the soaked fruit—liquid and all—into the cake batter.

   
   

   Fold slowly and thoroughly until everything is evenly distributed.

7. Bake

   
   

   Spoon the mixture into your prepared tin.

   
   

   Smooth the top.

   
   

   Bake low and slow for 3½ to 4 hours, checking near the end—your cake should be firm and an inserted skewer should come out clean.

8. Cool & Store

   
   

   Let the cake cool completely in the tin, then turn it out.

   
   

   Wrap it in parchment and foil (not plastic).

   
   

   Store in an airtight container.

9. Feed the Cake

   
   

   Once a week, unwrap the cake, poke a few small holes in the top, and spoon a little brandy over it to “feed” it.

   
   

   Wrap it back up and let it mature.

   
   

   Over the weeks, the flavours deepen and become beautifully rich.

10. Decorate & Serve

    
    

    On Christmas Eve, dress the cake—iced, glazed, or simply dusted with sugar.

    
    

    Slice, serve, and enjoy the taste of a month’s worth of love and Christmas spirit.

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