Ohmygosh. I’m so excited to be sharing this recipe with you today!!!
Christmas is only a little over a week away now and I’ve been so excitedly planning and baking a plethora of Christmas desserts.
I’ve been creating this Christmas cake in my head for weeks (yes, I think about what I’m going to bake. All the time)! It’s got three super Christmassy elements and I’m so excited about it that I’m going to be making it for Christmas Day dessert.
It all starts with a delicious, lightly chocolatey, super moist, spiced Christmas fruit cake. I have to say I don’t like fruit cake generally, but the selection of fruit in this cake is so good, and the texture of this cake was so good, that I was addicted and could not. stop. eating it.
The cake got slathered in eggnog cream. Yes. Eggnog cream. Silky, boozy, spiced, delicious, eggnog mascarpone cream.
Decorations were made up of gorgeous little rosemary trees, the odd berry, and my new favourite Christmas almond and vanilla shortbread cookies. And a super generous dusting of icing sugar “snow”, of course!
I think it looks so super festive, and has everything you could want for Christmas – delicious fruit cake, a little hint of chocolate, boozy eggnog cream and Christmas cookies. Hope you try this cake and make it for your Christmas, too! X
- CHRISTMAS CAKE
- 165g prunes
- 125g sultanas
- 125g raisins
- 90g butter
- 90g dark brown sugar
- 90g honey
- 40g Bailey's (or similar)
- 20g strong coffee
- 1 orange, zest and juice
- ½ tsp cinnamon
- ½ tsp nutmeg, freshly grated
- 1 tbsp cocoa
- 2 small eggs, lightly whisked
- 75g plain flour
- 40g almond meal
- ¼ tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp baking soda
- ¼ tsp sea salt
- EGGNOG CREAM
- 100g mascarpone
- 100g thickened cream
- 20g caster (superfine) sugar
- 1 shot (30ml) Bailey's
- ½ tsp nutmeg, freshly grated
- TOPPINGS
- Almond Christmas Shortbreads, link below recipe
- Fresh rosemary springs
- Berries, optional
- Icing sugar, for dusting
- CHRISTMAS CAKE
- Place the prunes, sultanas, raisins, butter, sugar, honey, baileys, coffee, orange zest and juice, cinnamon, nutmeg and cocoa in a medium pot on the stove.
- Bring to a boil over a high heat, then reduce to a simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool for 30 minutes.
- In the meantime, grease and line the base and sides of a 9' springform tin with baking paper.
- Preheat the oven to 150 C (300 F).
- Once the fruit mixture has cooled, mix in the eggs, followed by all the remaining dry ingredients.
- Pour into the prepared tin, and bake for 35 - 40 minutes. The top will be firm but still shiny.
- Allow to cool completely before removing from the tin.
- EGGNOG CREAM
- Place all the ingredients in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment, Whip on high speed until stiff peaks form.
- Spread the cream over the top of the cake.
- TOPPING
- Arrange rosemary, Christmas cookies, and berries over the cake and dust generously with icing sugar.
- Keep refrigerated. Serves 10 - 12.
- Happy baking!
Find the recipe for the Christmas Shortbread Cookies HERE!
Christmas cake recipe adapted from Nigella.
