The holiday season is a time for joy, family, and delicious treats. One classic holiday dessert that is sure to impress your family and friends is a rich brandy Christmas fruitcake. This decadent cake is packed with dried fruits, nuts, and spices, and soaked in brandy for a moist and flavorful treat. If you're looking for the best recipe for a rich brandy Christmas fruitcake, you've come to the right place.
Here are our top 7 tried and tested recipes!
RICH FRUIT CHRISTMAS CAKE
This dark rich moist fruit cake can be prepared in advance. Feed it regularly with Brandy, Rum or Whisky and it will mature over time. It's a great Christmas cake recipe is the perfect size for a single tier wedding cake.
Provided by Lynn Hill
Categories Afternoon Tea
Time 8h50m
Number Of Ingredients 16
Steps:
- In a large bowl, mix together the dried fruits, glace cherries, and orange zest. Pour over the Brandy and orange juice and mix well. Cover the bowl with a clean tea towel and leave for at least 6 hours, preferably overnight. Stirring occasionally. Allowing all the fruits to soak up the brandy and orange juice.
- THE NEXT DAY
- Preheat the oven to 170c deg Fan assisted oven
- Grease and line 1 x 8 inch/20cm round deep-sided loose bottom cake tin with baking parchment. Line the outside of the tin with a folded sheet of brown paper. Tied with string. This will help prevent the edges of the cake from baking too dry and possibly burning.
- In a large separate bowl, mix together the flour, salt and mixed spice. Using your finger tips rub in the butter until you have a breadcrumb consistency.
- Add the sugar and ground almonds. Using your hands or a wooden spoon. Mix until well combined. Break up any remaining clumps of sugar and butter.
- Add the soaked fruit, eggs and treacle and gently mix together until everything is well combined. This part can be done a lot easier and quicker when using a good electric mixer with a large bowl.
- Pour the batter into the prepared tin making sure the top is level and smooth. Bake in the oven for 1hr 20mins. Then turn the temperature down to 160c Fan and bake for a further 55 - 60 mins or until the cake is fully baked. Testing the centre of the cake with a skewer until it comes out clean. To help prevent the top of the cake from over baking, you can place a sheet of baking parchment across the top and over the cake.
- If the skewer still has uncooked mixture left on it, continue baking at the same temperature. Testing again every 10 mins until the skewer comes out clean.
- Leave in the tin to cool completely.
- Take out of the tin and leave the inner lining on the cake. Feed the cake with a couple of tablespoons of Brandy.
- Wrap in more baking parchment and feed every other day for a few weeks. Leave wrapped and in an airtight container until required.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 588 kcal, Carbohydrate 94 g, Protein 10 g, Fat 21 g, SaturatedFat 11 g, Cholesterol 122 mg, Sodium 181 mg, Fiber 5 g, Sugar 53 g, ServingSize 1 serving
RICH BRANDY CHRISTMAS FRUITCAKE
A very very rich fruitcake...perfect for Christmas, just remember, the longer it sits in the tin, the tastier it will be.
Provided by Samuel Holden
Categories Dessert
Time 5h20m
Yield 8 inch cake
Number Of Ingredients 20
Steps:
- The night before you cook this place all the fruit fruit peel and nuts into a bowl and soak for 12 hours in the brandy and orange juice; Stir every time you go into the kitchen!
- pre-heat oven to 275ºF/140ºC.
- Grease and line with greaseproof paper an 8 inch/20cm round cake tin.
- Sift the flour salt and spices into a large mixing bowl.
- In a separate bowl cream the butter and sugar together until the mixtures fluffy.
- Beat the eggs and add them a little at a time.
- Fold in the flour and spices.
- Stir in the fruit that has been soaking along with any excess liquid.
- Mix in the treacle.
- Spoon into the cake tin and spread out evenly.
- Cover the cake with a double square of greaseproof paper with a small hole in the top.
- Bake the cake on the lower shelf for 4& 1/4- 3/4 hours.
- When the cake is cold wrap in double greaseproof paper and store in an airtight tin.
- Feed the cake every two days for the first 2 weeks with a spoonful of brandy and/or orange juice and/or glacè cherry syrup.
- First poke little holes in the cake with a knitting needle or a skewer.
- Come Christmas you will have a very very rich fruit cake.
- Use royal icing to ice it or almond paste and royal icing, I don't like almond paste!
RICH CHRISTMAS FRUITCAKE
I have been making this particular fruit cake recipe for about 28 years now. It's a traditional cake for weddings, birthdays and Christmas in Australia. Although I submitted the original recipe, I personally would soak the fruit for a day or two in port or brandy before I baked the cake, as I like a really moist and boozy fruit cake. I double or triple the recipe depending on the size tins I will be using, and often make about 12 of these in varying sizes as gifts for Christmas.
Provided by JustJanS
Categories Dessert
Time 4h
Yield 1 cake
Number Of Ingredients 17
Steps:
- Line a 8-inch round, or 7-inch square tin with 3 layers of paper.
- Having said that, I find it easier to line it with one, then wrap the OUTSIDE of the tin in several layers of newspaper, tied with kitchen string.
- Weigh and measure ingredients.
- Sift flour salt and spices.
- Cream butter and sugar.
- Gradually add the eggs to the creamed mixture.
- Mix well.
- It may look a bit curdled at this stage, but that's OK.
- Add the fruit, nuts, then the flour and liquid.
- Stir gently and thoroughly. I do this with my (clean) hands.
- Place in the prepared tin, hollowing out the centre a little to allow for rising.
- You can decorate the top with blanched whole almonds now if you wish.
- Bake in a 325°F oven (decreasing the temp gradually as the cake cook) for 3- 3 1/2 hours.
- When baked, leave in the tin for at least 10 minutes before turning out-until completely cold is better though.
- This is good made in about October, and stored wrapped in foil in an airtight container until Christmas.
EXTRA-FRUITY CHRISTMAS CAKE
Make this beautifully rich Christmas cake a month ahead of the big day. With brandy-soaked fruit in every bite, it's a taste of the season
Provided by Benjamina Ebuehi
Categories Dessert
Time 2h50m
Number Of Ingredients 20
Steps:
- Put all the dried fruit, the mixed peel and citrus zests in a large bowl, the pour over the brandy. Stir, cover and leave to soak overnight.
- The next day, heat the oven to 150C/130C fan/gas 2. Line the base and side of a deep 23cm cake tin with a double layer of baking parchment, so it comes a few centimetres above the rim.
- Beat the butter, sugar and treacle together in a large bowl using an electric whisk, until pale and creamy. Alternatively, use a stand mixer. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl every so often. Sift the flour, baking powder and spices into a separate bowl, then stir this into the wet ingredients along with the ground almonds until combined.
- Stir in the rehydrated fruit along with the soaking liquid, then spoon the batter into the prepared tin and level the surface with the back of a spoon. Bake for 2 hrs 25 mins-2 hrs 30 mins, or until a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean.If the cake starts to darken too quickly, cover with foil.
- Leave to cool completely in the tin, then prick small holes all over the surface using a cocktail stick or skewer and brush over a little brandy. Wrap the cake in baking parchment, then a sheet of foil. Store in an airtight container and feed the cake with 1-2 tbsp brandy each week for three or four weeks, stopping the week before you want to ice it. Will keep in a cool, dry place for six months.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 411 calories, Fat 13 grams fat, SaturatedFat 6 grams saturated fat, Carbohydrate 61 grams carbohydrates, Sugar 50 grams sugar, Fiber 3 grams fiber, Protein 5 grams protein, Sodium 0.2 milligram of sodium
RICH FRUITCAKE
This fruitcake slices into 50-80 small pieces if you use it for a wedding or christening. It's delicious eaten straight away, or poked with a few holes and fed with brandy
Provided by Sophie Godwin - Cookery writer
Categories Dessert
Time 3h20m
Number Of Ingredients 16
Steps:
- The night before, pour 75ml of the brandy over the fruit, cover and leave to sit, letting the fruit soak up the alcohol.
- Heat oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 3. Line a deep, 25cm square cake tin with a double layer of baking parchment, then wrap a double layer of newspaper around the outside, so that it comes about 2.5cm above the sides of the tin, and secure with string.
- Sift the flour, spices, cocoa powder and ½ tsp salt together. Mix a third of this mixture into the soaked fruit. Cream the butter, zests and sugar until light and fluffy, stir in the treacle, then beat in the eggs one at a time. Fold in half the remaining flour mixture. Once mixed, fold in the fruit mixture followed by the remaining flour mixture.
- Spoon into the prepared tin, smoothing the top with a palette knife. Bake in the centre of the oven for 2 hrs 30 mins, checking the cake with 15 mins to go. When a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean, it's ready.
- Leave to cool in the tin for 30 mins then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely. To store, peel off the baking parchment, poke holes into the cake and feed with the remaining brandy. Wrap well in cling film. Will keep for three months.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 180 calories, Fat 5 grams fat, SaturatedFat 3 grams saturated fat, Carbohydrate 29 grams carbohydrates, Sugar 22 grams sugar, Fiber 1 grams fiber, Protein 2 grams protein, Sodium 0.1 milligram of sodium
BEST BOILED FRUITCAKE
This recipe produces a really moist fruit cake it was given to me by my mom, and it's really easy. My mom uses it for Christmas cake by icing it. I use it for birthdays, Christmas, or just for a treat.
Provided by Mark Richards
Categories Desserts Fruit Dessert Recipes Cherry Dessert Recipes
Yield 10
Number Of Ingredients 11
Steps:
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (160 degrees C). Line one 8 inch deep sided cake tin with parchment paper.
- Place the fruit cherries, peel, walnuts, sugar, butter or margarine, mixed spice, baking soda and milk in a medium sized saucepan. Bring to a boil and simmer for 5 minutes. Let mixture cool to body temperature.
- Stir in the flour and the eggs. Pour batter into the prepared pan. Wrap outside of pan with brown paper or newspaper.
- Bake at 325 degrees F (160 degrees C) for 40 minutes then reduce temperature to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C) and continue to baking cake for 1-1/2 hours. Remove cake from oven and allow it to cool in tin for 5 minutes then turn it out onto a cooling rack, remove greaseproof paper and leave until cool. Cake can be stored for up to 6 months wrapped in foil and in an air tight tin.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 587.5 calories, Carbohydrate 99.4 g, Cholesterol 75.8 mg, Fat 19.4 g, Fiber 1.5 g, Protein 6.6 g, SaturatedFat 9.8 g, Sodium 621.1 mg, Sugar 38.4 g
CHRISTMAS FRUITCAKE
It's a shame that fruitcake as a species gets such a bad rap. With its two key ingredients--rum and butter--it ought to be a hit. This recipe includes dried fruit, instead of the glowing, candied stuff we've all learned to associate with fruitcake, and is less dense and more cake-like than many fruitcake recipes. It has become a favorite of my friends and family around the holidays (even the skeptical ones), and is delicious by itself, or covered with a layer of almond paste.
Provided by Karen Uffelman
Categories Desserts Specialty Dessert Recipes Liqueur Dessert Recipes Rum
Time P20DT6h57m
Yield 8
Number Of Ingredients 17
Steps:
- Soak cherries, mango, cranberries, currants, and citron in 1/4 cup rum for at least 24 hours. Cover tightly, and store at room temperature.
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Butter a 6x3-inch round pan or loaf pan and line it with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, cream together butter and brown sugar until fluffy. Beat in egg. Whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon; mix into butter and sugar in three batches, alternating with molasses and milk. Stir in soaked fruit and chopped nuts. Scrape batter into prepared pan.
- Bake in preheated oven for 40 to 45 minutes. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then sprinkle with 2 tablespoons rum.
- Cut out one piece parchment paper and one piece cheesecloth, each large enough to wrap around the cake. Moisten cheesecloth with 1 tablespoon rum. Arrange cheesecloth on top of parchment paper, and unmold cake onto it. Sprinkle top and sides of cake with remaining rum. Wrap the cheesecloth closely to the surface of the cake, then wrap with paper. Place in an airtight tin, and age for at least 10 weeks. If storing longer, douse with additional rum for every 10 weeks of storage.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 302.3 calories, Carbohydrate 33.3 g, Cholesterol 54.1 mg, Fat 14.8 g, Fiber 1.3 g, Protein 2.5 g, SaturatedFat 7.8 g, Sodium 202.7 mg, Sugar 20.5 g
Tips:
- Use high-quality ingredients. This will make a big difference in the taste of your fruitcake. Use fresh, ripe fruit, good-quality brandy, and real butter.
- Soak the fruit in brandy well in advance. This will allow the fruit to absorb the flavor of the brandy and plump up.
- Don't overmix the batter. Overmixing will make the cake tough. Mix just until the ingredients are combined.
- Bake the cake at a low temperature for a long time. This will help the cake to develop a rich, flavorful crust without overcooking the inside.
- Wrap the cake in cheesecloth and store it in a cool, dark place for several weeks before serving. This will allow the flavors to meld and the cake to mature.
Conclusion:
Rich brandy Christmas fruitcake is a delicious and festive holiday treat. It's a bit of work to make, but it's worth the effort. With its rich, flavorful crust, moist interior, and boozy aroma, this cake is sure to be a hit with your family and friends.
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