Rick Stein's Christmas Cake
Even though it’s only early November, this is the ideal moment to bake a cake that will develop into something wonderfully rich by Christmas. Rick Stein captures the festive spirit with his classic fruit cake from his cookbook Rick Stein’s Christmas.
Ingredients
- 175g sultanas
- 275g currants
- 175g raisins
- 50g glacé cherries, halved
- 50g mixed peel
- Grated zest of 1 orange
- Grated zest of 1 lemon
- 75ml brandy, sherry, or orange juice
- Sunflower oil (for greasing)
- 225g softened butter, plus extra for greasing
- 225g dark muscovado sugar
- 4 eggs, beaten
- 225g plain flour
- 60g chopped mixed nuts or ground almonds
- 1 tsp mixed spice
- ¼ tsp freshly grated nutmeg
- Extra brandy, sherry, port, or rum for feeding
Decoration
- 3–4 tbsp apricot jam
- 350g assorted dried fruits and nuts (walnuts, brazils, pecans, figs, glacé cherries, angelica, candied peel pieces)
Preparation
- Mix the dried fruits, cherries, and peel with the orange and lemon zest the day before baking.
- Add brandy, sherry, or orange juice. Cover and leave to soak overnight.
- Prepare a 20cm round cake tin: cut two circles of baking paper for the base.
- Cut a strip of paper about 10cm longer than the circumference and 5cm higher than the tin's depth. Fold a 2cm strip along one edge, then snip it every 2cm for easier fitting.
Rick Stein’s traditional fruit cake is a perfect make-ahead treat that deepens in flavor as Christmas draws near.
Author’s Summary
This timeless holiday recipe from Rick Stein invites bakers to start early and let rich fruits soak and mature for a deeply flavorful Christmas centerpiece.