The holiday season is upon us and what could be more festive than indulging in a slice of delicious Christmas cake during the celebrations? This traditional dessert is a staple in many households, and for good reason! The rich, moist cake is packed with the flavors of Christmas – warm spices, dried fruits, and a hint of brandy. In this blog, I will be sharing with you my tried and tested Christmas cake recipe that is sure to become a family favorite. So, get your apron on and let's get baking!
Ingredients
Dry ingredients:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp ground nutmeg
- ½ tsp ground ginger
- ¼ tsp ground cloves
Wet ingredients:
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 4 eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ¼ cup brandy
Fruits and nuts:
- 1 cup dried cranberries
- 1 cup raisins
- 1 cup chopped dates
- 1 cup chopped almonds
- 1 cup chopped walnuts
Mixing these ingredients together may seem like a lot of work, but trust me, the end result is worth it!
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 325°F (160°C) and grease a 9-inch round cake tin.
- In a medium-sized bowl, sift together the dry ingredients – flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves. Set aside.
- In a separate large bowl, cream together the butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy.
- Add in the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Then, stir in the vanilla extract and brandy.
- Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, mixing until just combined.
- Fold in the dried cranberries, raisins, dates, almonds, and walnuts until evenly distributed throughout the batter.
- Pour the batter into the prepared cake tin and smooth the top with a spatula.
- Bake for 1 hour and 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Let the cake cool in the tin for 10 minutes before removing it to cool completely on a wire rack.
And voila! Your mouth-watering Christmas cake is ready to be enjoyed. You can serve it as is or decorate it with a dusting of powdered sugar, icing, or your favorite holiday-themed toppings. This recipe makes a large cake, so feel free to halve the ingredients if you want a smaller one.
Pro tip: For an extra boozy kick, you can brush the top of the cake with some additional brandy before serving.
I hope you give this Christmas cake recipe a try and share it with your loved ones. It's a great way to spread some holiday cheer and make memories in the kitchen. Happy baking and Happy Holidays!
HTML Code:
<intro>The holiday season is upon us and what could be more festive than indulging in a slice of delicious <b>Christmas cake</b> during the celebrations? This traditional dessert is a staple in many households, and for good reason! The rich, moist cake is packed with the flavors of <b>Christmas</b> – warm spices, dried fruits, and a hint of brandy. In this blog, I will be sharing with you my tried and tested <b>Christmas cake recipe</b> that is sure to become a family favorite. So, get your apron on and let's get baking!</intro>
<h2>Ingredients</h2>
<h3>Dry ingredients:</h3>
<ul>
<li>2 cups all-purpose flour</li>
<li>1 tsp baking powder</li>
<li>1 tsp ground cinnamon</li>
<li>½ tsp ground nutmeg</li>
<li>½ tsp ground ginger</li>
<li>¼ tsp ground cloves</li>
</ul>
<h3>Wet ingredients:</h3>
<ul>
<li>1 cup unsalted butter, softened</li>
<li>1 cup brown sugar</li>
<li>4 eggs</li>
<li>1 tsp vanilla extract</li>
<li>¼ cup brandy</li>
</ul>
<h3>Fruits and nuts:</h3>
<ul>
<li>1 cup dried cranberries</li>
<li>1 cup raisins</li>
<li>1 cup chopped dates</li>
<li>1 cup chopped almonds</li>
<li>1 cup chopped walnuts</li>
</ul>
<p>Mixing these ingredients together may seem like a lot of work, but trust me, the end result is worth it!</p>
<h2>Instructions</h2>
<ol>
<li>Preheat your oven to 325°F (160°C) and grease a 9-inch round cake tin.</li>
<li>In a medium-sized bowl, sift together the dry ingredients – flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves. Set aside.</li>
<li>In a separate large bowl, cream together the butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy.</li>
<li>Add in the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Then, stir in the vanilla extract and brandy.</li>
<li>Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, mixing until just combined.</li>
<li>Fold in the dried cranberries, raisins, dates, almonds, and walnuts until evenly distributed throughout the batter.</li>
<li>Pour the batter into the prepared cake tin and smooth the top with a spatula.</li>
<li>Bake for 1 hour and 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.</li>
<li>Let the cake cool in the tin for 10 minutes before removing it to cool completely on a wire rack.</li>
</ol>
<p>And voila! Your mouth-watering <b>Christmas cake</b> is ready to be enjoyed. You can serve it as is or decorate it with a dusting of powdered sugar, icing, or your favorite holiday-themed toppings. This recipe makes a large cake, so feel free to halve the ingredients if you want a smaller one.</p>
<p><b>Pro tip:</b> For an extra boozy kick, you can brush the top of the cake with some additional brandy before serving.</p>
<p>I hope you give this <b>Christmas cake recipe</b> a try and share it with your loved ones. It's a great way to spread some holiday cheer and make memories in the kitchen. Happy baking and <b>Happy Holidays!</b></p>