Delia Smith’s British Christmas Cake Recipe

Over the years, I have made Delia Smith‘s British Christmas Cake recipe and it always turns out great. I tend to make it when I feel like it so I don’t always have all the ingredients needed so I adapt it to whatever I have.

I tend to keep to the weight of the fruits but change the mix every year. It doesn’t make a huge amount of difference but if you go out and buy the ingredients, you may as well do it as she does!

I usually make my cake around August or September as I like to “feed it” (with brandy) for months. It makes it very tasty and moist. I have kept one of my cakes for over a year and it was still very nice.  I keep it in foil in an airtight tin until a couple of weeks before I need it, I then put marzipan and icing and decorate it ready for Christmas. You will of course need the right tools such as the kitchen equipment from Smeg to help you create a wonderful cake.

Using Morrisons voucher codes, you can get money off all of the ingredients needed to create your delicious Christmas cake. Find everything you need to make this dish online at Morrisons as well as your everyday groceries, all at great prices.  Keep on reading for my adapted version of Delia’s Christmas Cake Recipe.

Ingredients 

For the pre-soaking
450g Medium Currants
175g Sultanas
175g Raisins
50g Chopped Glace Cherries
50g Mixed Chopped Candied Peel
100ml Brandy (or any alcohol you have at home)

Ingredients for the British Christmas Cake Recipe 

225g plain flour
1/2 teaspoon salt (I never add salt as I usually use salted butter)
1/4 level teaspoon nutmeg, freshly grated if you have some of the nuts
1/2 level teaspoon ground mixed spice
225g dark brown sugar
4 large eggs
1 dessertspoon black treacle
225g spreadable butter or you can use normal butter (soft)
50g chopped almonds (skin on)
Zest of 1 lemon and 1 orange

For feeding and topping

Armagnac or brandy to “feed the cake” – I do this once every couple of weeks until Christmas
100g whole blanched almonds (only if you don’t intend to ice the cake)

You’ll need a 20cm round loose-based cake tin, greased, with base and side lined with some baking parchment. Tie double band of brown paper around the outside of the tin for extra protection

Method for Delia Smith’s British Christmas Cake Recipe

You should pre-soak the ingredients the night before you make the cake (I usually soak mine for a couple of days).  Start by putting all the dried fruits in a bowl and mix them with the brandy, then cover with a cloth and leave them to soak for a minimum of 12 hours.

When you’re ready to cook the cake, pre-heat the oven to 140C, Gas Mark 1

Now all you need to do is sift the flour, salt and spices (I don’t bother sifting, I just mix) into a very large roomy mixing bowl, then add the sugar, eggs, treacle (warm the treacle a little first to make it easier) and butter and beat with an electric hand whisk until everything is smooth and fluffy.

Now gradually fold in the pre-soaked fruit mixture, chopped nuts and finally the grated lemon and orange zests.

Next using a large kitchen spoon, transfer the cake mixture into the prepared tin, spread it out evenly with the back of the spoon and, if you don’t intend to decorate the cake with marzipan and icing, lightly drop the blanched almonds in circles over the surface

Finally take a double square of baking parchment with a 50p piece hole in the centre (for extra protection during cooking) and place this not on top of the mixture itself but on the rim of the brown paper.

Bake the cake on the lowest shelf of the oven for 4 hours until it feels springy touched.  Sometimes it can take 30-45 minutes longer than this, but in any case don’t look at it for 4 hours.

Cool the cake for 30 minutes in the tin, then remove it to a wire rack to finish cooling.  When it’s cold, “feed it by making small holes in the top and bottom with a cocktail stick and spooning in a couple of tablespoons of armagnac or brandy, then wrap it in parchment lined foil and store in a airtight tin

The warmth of Christmas lies not only in the rich, sweet flavors on the palate but also in the gentle ambiance that permeates the room. Why not add a custom neon sign to your Christmas corner, transforming heartfelt blessings and sentiments into soft, soothing light and shadow, complementing the moist, fragrant Christmas cake on the table? 

The warm neon signs gently illuminate the entire festive atmosphere, creating a cozy and stylish ambiance. Custom designs and text can be added to make it unique, perfectly blending traditional flavors with modern aesthetics. Personalised neon signs are more than just decoration, it’s a warm and meaningful ritual. 

Review by: Brigitte Kershaw

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