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christmas cake
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5 from 4 votes

Christmas Cake

An old-fashioned Christmas Cake Recipe from 1941 with fruit, chopped walnuts, spices and rum.
Prep Time45 minutes
Cook Time2 hours 30 minutes
Total Time3 hours 15 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Australian
Keyword: christmas cake
Servings: 64 slices
Calories: 140kcal

Ingredients

  • 225 grams butter
  • 1 cup brown sugar (200 grams)
  • 4 eggs
  • 3 cups plain flour (400 grams)
  • ½ teaspoon nutmeg
  • pinch salt
  • 450 grams currants (3 cups)
  • 450 grams sultanas (3 cups)
  • 340 grams raisins (2 cups)
  • 90 grams glace cherries, halved (⅔ cup)
  • 90 grams walnuts, chopped (⅔ cup)
  • 1 teaspoon bicarb soda
  • ½ cup rum or brandy (plus a little extra to brush over the cake once it's out of the oven)
  • 1 tablespoon white vinegar
  • ½ cup hot milk

Instructions

  • Pre-heat oven to slow (150 degrees celsius or 140 degrees celsius, fan-forced)
  • Line a round cake tin (approx 24cm in diameter) with 3 layers of baking paper.
  • Cream butter and sugar until the mixture is pale and creamy. Beat on med-high if using a stand mixer.
  • Add eggs and beat again (on med if using a stand mixer).
  • Sift flour, salt and nutmeg.
  • Add dry ingredients to mixture alternately with the fruit and nuts, stirring to combine.
  • Mix hot milk with vinegar and rum. Add bicarb soda and dissolve. Add to the mixture and stir well to combine.
  • Pour mixture into cake tin and use the back of a dessertspoon if necessary to spread the mixture evenly in the tin.
  • Bake in a slow oven for 2 ½ hours or until golden in colour and a skewer inserted into the middle of the cake can be removed without any cake sticking to it.
  • Remove the cake from the oven and brush the top with a little extra rum or brandy. Place foil over the top of the cake and then wrap in a clean towel.
  • Leave the cake to cool for at least 24 hours, preferably a few days.
  • Remove the cake from the tin and wrap in foil and a clean tea towel. Store in a cool, dark place for up to 3 weeks. Store in the fridge for up to 2 months and in the freezer for a year. (Always use your own judgment though, these times are a guide only).

Nutrition

Calories: 140kcal | Carbohydrates: 24g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 18mg | Sodium: 51mg | Potassium: 183mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 13g | Vitamin A: 111IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 21mg | Iron: 1mg