So, it’s December and your plans to make a Christmas cake haven’t materialized. Despite my best intentions, I seem to find myself in this position every year, and I don’t think I’m alone.
Fear not, however, because here is my foolproof recipe for a last-minute Christmas cake. It’s adapted from Delia Smith’s last minute mincemeat Christmas cake recipe, and it’s a recipe I have been making for several years now, adapting and, I think, improving the recipe. The only thing I’d recommend doing in advance is soaking the fruit in Brandy overnight.
This is a cake that can be made right up until Christmas. It really doesn’t need time to mature, and manages to strike a balance between a rich, fruity cake, but it is also lighter in texture – not quite the deep, dark and dense cake we often expect at this time of year, and as such, I find it is more widely enjoyed by people who have tried it. Especially those who think they don’t like Christmas cake – they seem to love this one.
It can be decorated traditionally, as I have done in the photo using marzipan and fondant icing. Or, simply brush the top with apricot jam and decorate with some beautiful dried fruit and nuts, which I often do. It is worth mentioning that it keeps better if it’s iced, depending on how far in advance you’re making the cake, and also how quickly you’re likely to get through the cake when it’s first cut.
This is not an especially large cake, made in a 20cm or 8 inch tin. But as with anything, I always think less is more – everyone can have a couple of slices and really enjoy it, rather than end up feeling joylessly obliged to keep eating your cake until March.
Last minute Christmas cake
Makes 1 x 20cm/8” cake which serves 16-20
Ingredients
For overnight soaking:
300g dried fruit – I always use sultanas, not raisins
100g candied peel, chopped – I use homemade – a mixture of half blood orange, half lemon
400g jar excellent quality mincemeat
150ml brandy
For the cake:
150g butter
150g dark brown muscovado sugar
3 large eggs, beaten
1 tsp salt
1 ½ tsp mixed spice (ensure it contains cinnamon, not cassia)
Zest of 1 orange
Zest of 1 unwaxed lemon
225g self raising flour, sifted
3 tsp baking powder
Method
Start by soaking the fruit overnight. You can get away with around 4 hours soaking, but overnight is best if you possibly can. Place all the ingredients together into a large mixing bowl and stir well to combine. Cover with cling film and leave.
The next day, line your cake tin well using non-stick greaseproof paper. Preheat the oven to 150C Fan/170C/Gas Mark 3.
Place the butter and sugar into a bowl and beat together well. Add the eggs gradually, beating well after each addition. The mixture will be quite runny at this stage. If you have one, it’s a good idea to use a stand mixer or electric beaters here to ensure the mixture is beaten even more thoroughly than you can manage by hand.
Add the salt, spices, orange and lemon zest and the soaked fruit, including all the liquid. Beat together well. Finally, add the sifted flour and baking powder and fold in gently until evenly combined.
Tip the mixture into the prepared tin and neatly level off. Bake, uncovered for 90 minutes. Test by inserting a skewer into the centre of the cake. If it comes out clean, it’s cooked. It may need another 15-30 minutes covered to cook through if your oven is a little slow. Covering the cake in foil will stop it from browning too much.
Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the tin for 20-30 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack. Remove the paper and allow to cool fully before wrapping and storing or decorating.
In theory, this cake can be eaten same day – it needs no maturing or feeding before being ready to enjoy.
Love this, nice to know its not too late for Christmas cake! Love your picture too!
Thank you Jayne! Yes – not too late! So pleased to hear you like the picture, too! x
I would never have thought to add mincemeat to a Christmas cake but it makes sense to and I think I would love this. I will try it out once I have made my mincemeat, I am trying Mary Berry’s this year. Do you have a favourite mincemeat Charlotte?
Thank you Laura. It is a really nice addition to the mixture. I make Vanessa’s instant cranberry mincemeat from Prepped as it’s delicious and so fruity. I’m not a fan of mincemeat with suet and nuts personally (although I know it’s traditional) so I make it with fresh cranberries and dried cherries, figs, sultanas and homemade candied blood orange peel. Do let me know what you think of Mary Berry’s mincemeat – it’s not a recipe I’ve tried.
hi Charlotte
Thank you for this recipe, I used it last week, made a cake on 18th Dec, iced on 21st, it was fabulous. I much prefer cherries to peel, so my cake contained only sultanas, cherries and raisins. I realised at the last minute that I only had 50ml of brandy so made the rest up with kirsch. It was a real success, thank you so much.
Wonderful news, thank you for sharing, Ruth. Best wishes, Charlotte
Just made your mincemeat christmas cake ” ,it’s still in the oven “but so easy I hope it turns out as nice as it smells thanks for your tips
Thank you and I do hope you enjoy it!
Last minute Christmas cake really was last minute and it turned out fantastic..Really Thank you. Will certainly make again.
Dear Jean,
I am so pleased to hear this. Thank you for sharing. I hope you and your family enjoy the cake and glad to hear you will make it again.
Best wishes for a happy new year,
Charlotte
Hi. Is this recipe suitable for making in advance too? I’m off to the supermarket with the list. Thank you.
Hi Deresha, it certainly is. Just make sure it’s wrapped well. I hope you enjoy it. Best wishes, Charlotte
Hi, once made how long would you say this cake keeps for? Many thanks.
Hi Cassie, As long as the cake is wrapped well, it should keep for a couple of months. I made mine in mid-november. Hope you enjoy! Charlotte
I used the Silverwood tin that you can split into smaller cakes. Its sunk :o( Any ideas why? Would it be the commercial mincemeat?
Dear Jax, Sorry to hear your cake has sunk. I have seen this happen before if it is not baked for long enough – the inside is not quite set. Every oven is different, and can affect the baking time. Best wishes, Charlotte
Thank you so much Charlotte – made this with rum and it was absolutely delicious. Slight dip on the top so i just turned it over to ice.
Fabulous – I’ve iced in the same way before, too!
Hello Charlotte, I made your variation of Delia’s Last Minute Christmas Cake a few days before Christmas. I was not expecting much having usually made and laced a Christmas cake in November each year. This year we decided we didn’t want a cake with marzipan and icing. Imagine my surprise when I cut into your recipe. It is a lovely recipe and we loved it and I will be making it during the year, cannot wait until next Christmas.
Then last Tuesday I made your Date and Walnut cake, the updated recipe. Well, yes, another super variation on traditional. Now Saturday and I have just had a small piece with coffee and it is moist and almost toffee like, delicious after maturing for 3/4 days. Another keeper recipe. Thank you for making your recipe available, all I need to do is look through and see which to make next.
Cynthia
Thank you so much, Cynthia. It’s so nice to her this – I couldn’t be happier to read your comments, thank you! Charlotte
Hi Charlotte.
I love the sound of this Christmas cake. How would I adapt it for a 6” tin please?
Dear Victoria, Thank you so much for your message. I have not made this cake in a 6″ tin, but it should adapt nicely. I’d probably make half the quantity of the mixture, perhaps up to 60% of the quantity if you would like an especially tall cake, depending on your tin. In terms of baking times, it’s hard to say for sure, as every oven is different, but I’d suggest baking it at the same temperature as advised and testing after 45 minutes. It may be very wet inside still or nearly cooked. To test, I stick a cocktail stick in the centre of the cake. If it’s still very wet and wobbly, it will probably need another 20 minutes, maybe more if it’s a very tall cake. If it’s just a bit damp, I’d test every 10 minutes (insert another cocktail stick into a nearby spot in the centre again), until no wet mixture adheres to the stick. You should notice a couple of small crumbs. Then it’s ready to remove from the oven and cool. Unfortunately, it will probably require a bit of testing and judgement as to when it is cooked. Please let me know how it goes. I do hope that is helpful. Best wishes, Charlotte
Hi Charlotte, I have just come to sort out my Christmas cakes after everyone said they were the best they had ever tasted last year and realised I hadn’t left you a thank you! So Thank you! 60% was perfect I a 6” tin and they were loved by the whole family! I will never use another recipe!
Wonderful news, Victoria. I’m so pleased to hear it. Thank you for sharing! Charlotte