Nigel Slater Christmas Cake is made with butter, muscovado sugar, hazelnuts, dried fruits like prunes, apricots, and figs, vine fruits, brandy, and citrus zest. This easy Christmas cake recipe creates a delicious Christmas dessert that takes about 3 hours to prepare and can serve up to 12 people.
Ingredients Needed:
- 250g butter
- 125g light muscovado sugar
- 125g dark muscovado sugar
- 100g shelled hazelnuts
- 650g dried fruits (prunes, apricots, figs, candied peel, and glace cherries)
- 3 large eggs
- 65g ground almonds
- 350g vine fruits (raisins, sultanas, currants, dried cranberries)
- 3 tbsp brandy (plus extra to feed the cake)
- Finely grated zest of 1 orange
- Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
- ½ tsp baking powder
- 250g plain flour
- Apricot jam
For the almond paste:
- 250g icing sugar
- 500g ground almonds
- 1 large egg
- 2-3 tbsp lemon juice
How To Make This Christmas Cake:
- Preheat the oven: Set the oven to 140°C fan/gas mark 3. Line a 20cm cake tin with parchment paper.
- Cream the butter and sugars: In a food mixer, beat the butter and sugars until light and fluffy.
- Prepare the hazelnuts: Toast the hazelnuts in a dry pan until golden brown, then cut each one in half.
- Prepare the dried fruits: Chop the prunes, apricots, and figs, and peel them into small pieces. Remove the hard stalks from the figs.
- Add the eggs: Lightly beat the eggs and add them slowly to the butter mixture, beating continuously. If the mixture curdles, add a little flour.
- Combine the ingredients: Add the ground almonds, hazelnuts, dried and vine fruits, brandy, and citrus zest. Gently fold in the flour and baking powder.
- Bake: Scrape the mixture into the prepared cake tin and smooth the top. Bake for 1 hour, then reduce the heat to 130°C fan/gas mark 2 and continue baking for another 1.5 hours.
- Check for doneness: Insert a skewer into the center of the cake. It should come out clean with a few crumbs. Let the cake cool before removing it from the tin.
- Feed the cake: Once the cake is cool, pierce it all over with a skewer and spoon 3-4 tablespoons of brandy over the cake. Wrap in greaseproof paper and tin foil, and store in a cake tin. Feed the cake every few days with brandy until ready to serve.
Recipe Tips
- Use quality dried fruits: Choose high-quality dried fruits to ensure your cake has the best flavor and texture.
- Keep the cake moist: “Feeding” the cake with brandy over several days helps keep it moist and flavorful.
- Check the cake during baking: After 1 hour, reduce the heat to avoid overcooking the cake.
- Let the almond paste dry: Let the almond paste dry for 4 days before icing the cake to prevent it from becoming sticky.
- Prepare the cake early: Make the cake at least a month in advance to give time for the flavors to develop with the added brandy.
How To Store Leftovers
Storing: Keep the cake wrapped in greaseproof paper and foil in an airtight container. It can be stored for up to 3 months.
Freezing: The cake can be frozen without the almond paste for up to 6 months. Thaw it at room temperature overnight before serving.
Feeding: If you’ve made the cake ahead of time, feed it every few days with 3-4 tablespoons of brandy.
Nutrition Facts
- Calories: 450
- Fat: 25g
- Saturated Fat: 10g
- Cholesterol: 80mg
- Sodium: 60mg
- Carbohydrates: 50g
- Fiber: 4g
- Sugar: 35g
- Protein: 6g
Try More Nigel Slater Recipes:
Nigel Slater Christmas Cake
Description
Nigel Slater Christmas Cake is made with butter, muscovado sugar, hazelnuts, dried fruits like prunes, apricots, and figs, vine fruits, brandy, and citrus zest. This easy Christmas cake recipe creates a delicious Christmas dessert that takes about 3 hours to prepare and can serve up to 12 people.
Ingredients
For the almond paste:
Instructions
- Preheat the oven: Set the oven to 140°C fan/gas mark 3. Line a 20cm cake tin with parchment paper.
- Cream the butter and sugars: In a food mixer, beat the butter and sugars until light and fluffy.
- Prepare the hazelnuts: Toast the hazelnuts in a dry pan until golden brown, then cut each one in half.
- Prepare the dried fruits: Chop the prunes, apricots, and figs, and peel them into small pieces. Remove the hard stalks from the figs.
- Add the eggs: Lightly beat the eggs and add them slowly to the butter mixture, beating continuously. If the mixture curdles, add a little flour.
- Combine the ingredients: Add the ground almonds, hazelnuts, dried and vine fruits, brandy, and citrus zest. Gently fold in the flour and baking powder.
- Bake: Scrape the mixture into the prepared cake tin and smooth the top. Bake for 1 hour, then reduce the heat to 130°C fan/gas mark 2 and continue baking for another 1.5 hours.
- Check for doneness: Insert a skewer into the center of the cake. It should come out clean with a few crumbs. Let the cake cool before removing it from the tin.
- Feed the cake: Once the cake is cool, pierce it all over with a skewer and spoon 3-4 tablespoons of brandy over the cake. Wrap in greaseproof paper and tin foil, and store in a cake tin. Feed the cake every few days with brandy until ready to serve.
Notes
- Use quality dried fruits: Choose high-quality dried fruits to ensure your cake has the best flavor and texture.
- Keep the cake moist: “Feeding” the cake with brandy over several days helps keep it moist and flavorful.
- Check the cake during baking: After 1 hour, reduce the heat to avoid overcooking the cake.
- Let the almond paste dry: Let the almond paste dry for 4 days before icing the cake to prevent it from becoming sticky.
- Prepare the cake early: Make the cake at least a month in advance to give time for the flavors to develop with the added brandy.