Dark Christmas Cake Recipe
Dark Christmas Cake Recipe is a festive, rich dessert made with soaked dried fruits, nuts, and warm spices. Dark brown sugar and molasses add depth, while rum or brandy enhances flavor. The cake is moist, dense, and aromatic, improving over time. Each slice offers a luxurious, traditional holiday experience that delights with sweet, spiced, and fruity notes.
Equipment
- Mixing bowls
- Wooden spoon or electric mixer
- Loaf pan
- Parchment paper
- Saucepan
- Grater (for zest)
- Sieve (optional for dry ingredients)
Ingredients
Cake Batter
- 1 cup butter softened
- 1 cup dark brown sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 1½ cups all purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp ground cloves
- ½ tsp allspice
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp nutmeg
- ¼ tsp salt
- 2 tbsp unsulfured molasses or treacle
- ½ cup chopped nuts walnuts or almonds
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Fruit Mix
- 1 cup raisins
- 1 cup golden sultanas
- ¾ cup chopped dates
- ½ cup currants
- ½ cup mixed candied peel
- 1 cup dark rum or brandy
- ½ cup dried cherries
- Zest of 1 orange
- Zest of 1 lemon
- ⅓ cup strawberry jam
Instructions
Soak The Fruits
- In a large bowl, mix together the raisins, sultanas, chopped dates, currants, cherries, candied peel, orange and lemon zest, and pour over the dark rum or brandy. Cover the bowl and let the fruits soak overnight, or for at least 4 hours, so they become plump and flavourful.
Prepare The Cake Tin
- Grease an loaf pan and line it with parchment paper. Preheat your oven to 150°C (300°F).
Mix The Dry Ingredients
- In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, ground cloves, allspice, cinnamon, nutmeg, and a pinch of salt. Set this aside for later.
Cream Butter And Sugar
- In a large bowl, beat the softened butter and dark brown sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each. Then stir in the molasses (or treacle) and vanilla extract until fully combined.
Combine Batter And Fruits
- Gently fold the dry ingredients into the butter mixture until just combined. Next, fold in the soaked fruits along with any remaining soaking liquid and the chopped nuts. Be careful not to over mix.
Bake The Cake
- Pour the batter into the prepared tin and level the top. Bake in the oven for 2 to 2.5 hours, or until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. If the top starts to brown too quickly, loosely cover it with foil.
Cool And Glaze
- Let the cake cool completely in the tin. Warm a little strawberry jam and brush it over the top for a shiny finish. Store the cake in an airtight container it actually tastes even better after a few days.