Re-published in time for Christmas 2017 🙂
If you’re looking for a delicious Christmas Cake recipe that’s quick and easy to prepare, then you’ve found it.
This Easy Christmas Cake Recipe is so simple and quick, you’ll wonder why you ever spent all those weeks chopping, soaking and stirring.
And while you’re in the baking mood, why not try making your own Christmas Pudding or Christmas Ice-cream Pudding.
Preparation time is around 10 minutes and it will serve 6-8 people.
Easy Christmas Cake Recipe
To keep things simple, I’ve used a ‘cup’ measure. The cup should hold around 8fl oz/250ml of liquid.
Here goes:-
Easy Christmas Cake Recipe – Ingredients
- 3 cups (around 1 pound / 500 grams) mixed fruit
- 3 oz / 80 grams butter (or usual spread)
- half cup raw sugar (or brown sugar)
- 2 eggs
- Half cup Irish Cream (I used Baileys) or fresh cream is you prefer no alcohol
- 1 cup self-raising flour
- Half tea-spoon ground nutmeg
Easy Christmas Cake Recipe – Method
- Put the mixed fruit into a large mixing bowl
- Put the butter and sugar into a food processor and whiz until well mixed
- Add the eggs and Irish cream and whiz some more
- Add the flour and ground nutmeg and whiz for the last time
- Pour this mixture on top of the mixed fruit and stir well to combine
- Line a cake tin (approx 7″/18cm diameter) with baking paper, pour in the cake mix and flatten on top
- Cook in a very slow oven for around 1 hour 45 minutes (your Christmas cake should be browned and firm to the touch)
- Take out of the oven, cover with foil and allow to cool completely in the tin (this will make the cake nice and moist). See photo image and handy hints below
How easy was that!
Unbaked Christmas Cake
Hot out of the Oven Christmas Cake
Christmas Cake Covered in Foil
Handy Hints and Variations
- Covering the cake/cake tin in foil when it comes out of the oven is important because it helps to moisten the cake. You want your Christmas Cake to be ‘dense’ and ‘heavy’ – not ‘light’ and ‘fluffy’. It will help if you remove the baking paper from around the edge of the cake – it should just pull out
- This cake can also be served hot as Christmas Pudding
- It will keep for up to 4 weeks in the fridge
- Dark brown sugar will make this Christmas cake slightly darker in colour
- If you want a larger Christmas Cake, just double the quantities and bake for a longer time (around 3 hours for a double sized cake)
- This cake has a great smell – and reminds me of Christmas 🙂
Have a go at making my Easy Christmas Cake Recipe and let me know how you get on.
Thanks for visiting my website.
For more Christmas themed blogs, please visit:-
Creative Women Online – The Story of Christmas for Kids
Raising Great Kids Blog – Christmas Stocking Oranges and Socks
Parks in Sydney – Christmas in the Park
New Life on the Road – Our First Christmas Living in our Motorhome
Weekend Getaway Ideas – Christmas Destinations
Lisa’s Healthy Lifestyle Challenge – Christmas Shopping List
Rita Pepper Online – Christmas Past and Present
Dinner in Ten Minutes – Easy Christmas Cake Recipe
Jan Littlehales
You might also enjoy:
Christmas Ice Cream Pudding
Mince Pie Recipe
Christmas Pudding Recipe
This christmas cake looks fantastic. I have always been turned off making a christmas cake because of the time it takes, but this one is perfect. With a huge crowd coming for Christmas this year, I am definitely going to cook this one.
In Germany we tend to bake lots of christmas cookies which is loads of work and living in the tropics I don’t want to be in the hot kitchen for days. But this recipe sounds so easy, I will give it a try this christmas. Thanks!
Hi Jackie – I too had always been turned off by the time and effort needed to make a Christmas cake. This recipe is quick, easy – and delicious. You’ll love it 🙂
Hi Renee – Christmas cookies sounds interesting. I’ll have to check them out. This recipe is very easy and can even be served hot as Christmas pudding – I’m planning on doing just that this year 🙂
It is some years since I last baked a Christmas Cake but I do have the ingredients, to make one this year.
Hi Jan,
Christmas cake is the go. Noticed the header section looks more colorful and inviting. Going to check out the Crumble E-book now.
Hi John,
Crumble book is almost ready 🙂 Hoping to get it out before the end of November. Glad you liked my new header 🙂
Hi Rita,
I also hadn’t made a Christmas cake for a couple of years. I’m so pleased how this one has turned out – give it a go 🙂
Love the idea of making a xmas cake, in such a short time – love how it doesnt require weeks of getting it ready 🙂
Looks very yummy – gosh you are amazing with your recipes…should hire you as our cook 🙂
Cheers
Lisa
Wow – no soaking dry fruits two nights before, I love this easy recipe, Jan!
Thanks for the compliment Lisa 🙂 This cake really is easy and quick to prepare – reckon you can do it in the motor home!
Hi Delicious Blog (Joe 🙂 ) – that’s right, no soaking – and it turns out just as good!!
Lovely 🙂 I’m staying put in Perth this Christmas so I might pull my finger out and get a start on a homemade Christmas cake this year to enjoy at home. Your recipe sounds like a good start point for a Xmas cake newbie 🙂
Hi Monica,
You’re right, this is a great cake to bake for a Christmas cake newbie – let me know how you get on. Enjoy your Christmas over in Perth 🙂
Love fruit cake and I like the idea of it being quick to prepare. Never thought of putting foil over the cake when it cools, must give it ago. Thanks for the tip.
Hi Kerry,
Covering the Christmas cake with foil, immediately after taking it out of the oven, really helps the cake become nice and moist. Of course, you don’t do this with all cakes, but Christmas cakes should be ‘dense’ and ‘heavy’ – not ‘light’ and ‘fluffy’. 🙂 Let me know how you go if you decide to make it Kerry.
I bet this easy christmas cake recipe still turns out like one you’d buy in a shop! 🙂
Hi Lina,
And the good thing is, you know what’s gone into making this one – no nasty preservatives or flavour enhancers!
Hello Jan,
I am no cook as recipes always seem to take so long, and are then gone in minutes. This however looks to be the perfect recipe for a busy blogger!
Plus I’m happy to see no preservatives. Thanks for this, my family will be amazed when I present a cake as good as this!
Hi Angela,
That’s one of the great things about cooking and baking yourself – you can control exactly what goes into making it – ie, no preservatives!
This cake really is super easy and absolutely delicious – I hope your family love it 🙂
Wow what a great simple recipe. great one to make with the kids too as they are really getting inspired lately watching all these junior chefs, which can’t be a bad thing.
I reckon the kids could help make this no problem – perhaps a bit of supervision with the Baileys 🙂
This is a great way to usher in the Christmas season! I haven’t had a Christmas cake n years but can recall the smell and the wonderful taste from my earlier years. Thanks for the recipe!
Hi Cincinnati Kid,
There are so many delicious Christmas traditions – and the Christmas cake is definitely one of them:)
Thanks for commenting.
Great recipe Jan,
Christmas cake is usually a long process to prepare, this Easy Christmas Cake Recipe looks super simple. Thanks for sharing it!
Hi Bev,
You’re right, so many recipes are long and complicated – who’s got the time these days! This recipe is quick and simple – and tastes wonderful 🙂
Hi Jan
New to this site. Never made a Chrissie Cake and this one looks really easy. Going to try and make it today..Wish me luck and thanks for sharing!!
Hi Linda,
Congratulations and good luck on making your first ever Christmas Cake 🙂
Come back and let us know how you got on!
Hi Jan
Thanks for sharing this quick recipe for Christmas Cake. Once upon a time ….did the soaking of fruits for weeks and the cooking for several hours in a slow oven. There are so many other things to do in life and my Christmas baking has gone by the way. 🙂 After reading your recipes you have inspired me again!!!
Hi Virginia,
I can remember my Mum soaking fruits for weeks and for years this put me off making my own Christmas cake. This recipe is quick and easy – so glad you like it 🙂
I’m baking it tomorrow. I have though soaked the fruit over night in some Baileys. Will add the rest in the mixture tomorrow. Why not – it’s Christmas. Love the idea of the Baileys and how quick and easy it is. Merry Christmas!!!
Thanks for dropping by and commenting d.mcbride. Soaking the fruit in Baileys overnight – nice work 🙂 A Merry Christmas to you too!
Hi Jan,
My first Christmas cake was so successful, I made 4 more and gave them as presents, I also used the same recipe and made muffin size and used them as Christmas pudding with custard. Everyone said that it was the best Christmas cake and pudding they had ever tasted and I believe them because I have already eaten the first one. Thank you so much for sharing!!! Have a Happy New Year!!
Hi Linda,
Great to hear your first Christmas cake was such a success – and what a great idea to give some as gifts. Wishing you a Happy New Year too 🙂
Oh wow I just made it it’s sooo delishious miam! I didn’t have baileys or cream I had a drop of rum and added it to a bit of milk instead. Mmm. Although I had to cook it for 2.30 maybe I had the oven a bit low? Any6way when I perfect my adaption I’m going to put it in my new book if you don’t mind. Thank You very much. Miam!
Hi Celeste,
So glad you like this Easy Christmas Cake Recipe – and great to see you’re making it outside of Christmas! Like you say, it really is yummy and so simple to make. I like your variation – rum and a touch of milk is a great alternative to Baileys. Happy for you to include my recipe in your book but ask that you clearly state my website as your source and provide a link back to my website.
Thanks for dropping by – I look forward to hearing from you again.
Hi Jan
Yes um it lasts for ages and makes good midnight snacks, better move on to easter buns me thinks though lol. Oh my mistake it was brandy not rum, btw do you know how you would make this cake dark? i was wondering whether molasses would do the trick. Yes of course I’ll reference your site Jan, much obliged. Thank you.
Celeste.
Hi Celeste,
The cake will be darker if you use dark brown sugar. Adding molasses would work as well, but it would also change the taste – not sure it would go well with Baileys, brandy or rum?? The cream content of the Baileys also lightens the cake – same with the milk you added. You could try adding different liqueurs and orange juice instead. Hope this helps 🙂
Awesome, thanks Jan.
Hi I made my first christmas cake yesterday was so easy and I enjoyed the outcome I have now wrapped it in tin foil could u tell me how long this will keep for as I am making them for Christmas gifts x x
How best is it stored x x
Hi Anne Marie …nice to hear from you. Well done on making your first Christmas cake – there’s no going back to bought ones now 🙂
It should keep for around 4 weeks in the fridge. You could store it in the freezer for much longer …just take out 2 or 3 days before you need it and allow to thaw fully in the fridge.
For either fridge or freezer, wrap closely in foil then place in a sealed plastic bag.
Hope that helps.
Jan
Hi Jan, Please tell me about slow oven. I never made xmas cake before. Love to try yours. Thank you so much.
Anne
Hi Anne,
Nice to hear from you …and great to hear you’re planning to make your first Christmas Cake.
A slow oven means you set the temperature to a low setting. For this recipe a very slow over temperature is required, otherwise the cake will burn on top. If your oven has Celsius settings, set the temperature to 120. If your oven has Fahrenheit settings, set the temperature to 250.
Let me know how you go!
Jan
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Well that’s my 11 year old sons first attempt now in the oven, wish him luck!!!! He really wanted to make a Christmas cake for his grandparents and this recipe looked like the best one for his first try. Will let u know how it turns out!
Fantastic! Well done to your son on making his first Christmas cake. Hope his grandparents love it 🙂
Hi again!
Just an update. I have making this Xmas for awhile now and still everyone’s favorite. I lost the recipe and have searched everywhere online and so happy I finally found it!
Merry Christmas!
Hi Linda,
Lovely to hear from you again. I too will be making this Christmas cake next week. Merry Christmas to you too!
looking forward to trying this cake , can you use marzipan and icing on it the same way as on other cakes ? And if so when can that be done , thank you 😊
Oh and what temperature do you recommend ? Thank you.
Thanks for commenting Sara. Sorry for such a late response – maybe help for Christmas 2022 🙂
Yes you can use marzipan and icing. Oven temp around 120C. Thanks again.