Air Fryer Christmas Cake Recipe
Air Fryer Christmas Cake Recipe is a festive, fruit filled cake made with dried fruits, nuts, spices, and a touch of brandy or rum. Baking in the air fryer creates a moist, tender interior and golden crust. Preparing ahead and occasional brandy feeding enhances flavor, making it a rich, spiced dessert that captures the warmth and joy of holiday celebrations.
Equipment
- Mixing bowls
- Whisk or electric mixer
- Wooden spoon or spatula
- 18 cm round cake tin (air fryer safe)
- Parchment paper
- Measuring spoons and cups
- Air fryer
Ingredients
- 200 g raisins
- 150 g sultanas
- 100 g dried apricots roughly chopped
- 100 g glace cherries halved
- 75 g mixed peel
- 1 tbsp ground mixed spice
- Zest and juice of 1 small orange
- 2 tbsp golden syrup
- ¼ tsp baking powder
- 56 g ground rice
- 200 g butter softened
- 200 g light brown soft sugar
- 4 large eggs
- 200 g self raising flour
- 65 g ground almonds
- 4 tbsp brandy or dark rum plus extra for feeding
Instructions
Prepare The Fruit
- In a large bowl, combine raisins, sultanas, chopped dried apricots, glace cherries, mixed peel, and a pinch of mixed spice. Pour in brandy or rum, add the orange zest and juice, and stir everything together. Let the fruit soak for at least 30 minutes so the flavours develop.
Get The Cake Tin Ready
- Line your air fryer safe cake tin with parchment paper. Lightly butter the sides to prevent the cake from sticking.
Mix The Dry Ingredients
- In another bowl, sift together the self raising flour, baking powder, ground almonds, and ground rice. Set this aside for later.
Cream Butter And Sugar
- In a large bowl, beat the softened butter with light brown sugar until the mixture is pale and fluffy. Add the golden syrup and mix well.
Add The Eggs
- Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each one. If the mixture starts to look a bit curdled, stir in a tablespoon of flour to bring it back together.
Combine Everything
- Gently fold the soaked fruit and dry ingredients into the butter mixture using a spatula. Make sure everything is evenly combined, but don’t overmix.
Bake In The Air Fryer
- Pour the batter into your prepared tin and smooth the top. Preheat the air fryer to 160°C (320°F) and bake for about 1 hour 15 minutes. Check if it’s done by inserting a skewer it should come out clean. If the top is browning too fast, cover loosely with foil.
Cool, Feed, And Serve
- Let the cake cool completely in the tin. Then remove it and wrap it in parchment paper and foil. For extra flavor, brush with a little more brandy or rum every few days. Slice and enjoy your festive cake!
Notes
For a richer, moister Christmas cake, feed it with brandy or rum every few days after baking. Store wrapped in parchment and foil in a cool, dark place. The flavours deepen beautifully, making it perfect for festive celebrations.