Jamie Oliver's Christmas Cake
Try this Jamie Oliver's Christmas cake recipe.
Try this Jamie Oliver's Christmas cake recipe.
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 lemon
- 1/2 tsp ground ginger
- 4 eggs, at room temperature
- 300 g plain flour
- 150 g ground almonds
- a pinch of ground cloves
- 600 g raisins
- 200 g currants
- 100 g dried sour or glacã© cherries
- 250 g mixed dried fruits (try prunes apricot, apples, pears) finely chopped
- 400 ml booze plus extra to 'feed' the cake (brandy sherry, tia maria, rum... all work well)
- 300 g butter at room temperature
- 200 g dark brown sugar
- 2 tbsp treacle (i used golden syrup)
- 150 g walnuts chopped
- Carbohydrate 61.8318684375 g
- Cholesterol 40.3125 mg
- Fat 25.7776884375 g
- Fiber 4.61955316030979 g
- Protein 7.77254875 g
- Saturated Fat 10.3537075 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (148g)
- Sodium 116.634 mg
- Sugar 57.2123152771902 g
- Trans Fat 2.040321 g
- Calories 483 calories
Step-by-step
- Place the dried fruit in a saucepan with the booze and bring to a simmer. Pour into a bowl, cool, cover and leave to soften.
- Preheat the oven to 150C/gas 2 and line the base and sides of a 23cm round tin or a 20cm square tin with a double layer of greaseproof paper. You’ll need the side lining to be a good 8cm higher than the tin.
- If you’d like your cake to be particularly moist, blitz half the soaked fruit in a food processor to make a paste, and stir back into the rest of the fruit.
- In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
- Grate in the zest of your lemon and beat in the eggs, one at a time.
- Mix in the treacle.
- Sift the flour and combine with the spices and ground almonds.
- Mix into the butter mixture, alternating with the soaked fruit.
- Finally, fold in the walnuts.
- Spoon the mixture into the lined tin and bake in the oven for about 3 hours.
- Check after 2½ hours and then every 20 minutes, or until a skewer comes out clean.
- As soon as the cake comes out of the oven, brush with a little more booze.
- Leave to cool in the tin for 5 minutes and then remove, placing it directly onto a large sheet of tin foil.
- Wrap it up twice to retain the heat for as long as possible.
- After a few hours, remove the foil and wrap the cake up again in a double sheet of greaseproof paper and a double sheet of tin foil, making sure you can access the cake from the top.
- Store in an airtight container for 2–12 weeks.
- During this time, feed the cake the alcohol of your choice by gently pouring it over the top and rewrapping.
- I decided to frost this traditional cake with a soft topping made by whipping together mascarpone cheese and cream with 2 tbsps of icing sugar.
- Spread evenly the frosting over the cake and decorate with some glacé cherries or Christmas decorations.
My Festive Baking Adventure: Jamie Oliver's Christmas Cake
The aroma of warm spices and rich fruitcake always brings back cherished memories of Christmases past. This year, I decided to tackle a recipe that’s been on my list for ages: Jamie Oliver’s Christmas cake. As a busy working mom, finding the time for elaborate baking projects can be challenging, but the promise of a delicious, homemade cake, perfect for sharing with loved ones, was enough to spur me on. I imagined the joy on my children’s faces, their eyes wide with wonder as they dug into this decadent treat, and that fuelled my determination to master this recipe.
The initial prep work was a little time-consuming – carefully measuring out the dried fruits, chopping the walnuts, and zesting the lemon. But even this part felt festive, like a ritualistic preparation for a special occasion. The instructions were pretty straightforward, and I loved the suggestion of blitzing some of the soaked fruit into a paste; it definitely added to the cake's moisture and richness. The process of creaming the butter and sugar was therapeutic, watching the mixture gradually transform into a light and fluffy cloud. Mixing in the spices, with their warm and comforting scents, filled my kitchen with a holiday ambiance.
Baking the cake itself was a slow and steady process, requiring patience and attention. The aroma that wafted from the oven was simply divine, a heady mix of cinnamon, ginger, and booze-soaked fruit. Checking the cake's doneness with a skewer felt like a crucial moment, a test of whether my efforts would bear fruit (pun intended!). The moment the skewer came out clean was pure elation – a sign of success! The post-baking process, wrapping the cake and storing it for several weeks to mature, was almost as important as the baking itself. It’s a testament to the magic of traditional baking, allowing the flavors to meld and deepen over time.
The final touch, frosting the cake with a simple mascarpone and cream topping, was the perfect ending to this culinary journey. The soft, creamy frosting complemented the rich cake perfectly. My kids were ecstatic, devouring slices with gleeful abandon. It was the most rewarding part of the entire process, witnessing the joy that a simple, homemade cake could bring. This cake wasn’t just about the recipe; it was about the memories made, the love shared, and the festive spirit infused in each bite. It's a recipe I'll definitely be cherishing and repeating for many Christmases to come.
Ingredients:
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 lemon
- 1/2 tsp ground ginger
- 4 eggs, at room temperature
- 300 g plain flour
- 150 g ground almonds
- a pinch of ground cloves
- 600 g raisins
- 200 g currants
- 100 g dried sour or glacé cherries
- 250 g mixed dried fruits (try prunes, apricot, apples, pears) finely chopped
- 400 ml booze plus extra to 'feed' the cake (brandy, sherry, Tia Maria, rum... all work well)
- 300 g butter at room temperature
- 200 g dark brown sugar
- 2 tbsp treacle (I used golden syrup)
- 150 g walnuts, chopped
Tips and Variations:
- For an extra boozy kick, feel free to increase the amount of alcohol used.
- If you prefer a lighter cake, reduce the amount of dried fruit.
- Get creative with the decorations! Use candied peel, marzipan, or even edible glitter for a truly festive touch.
- This cake keeps well for several weeks, making it ideal for making ahead of time.
Baking Jamie Oliver's Christmas cake wasn't just about following a recipe; it was about embracing the tradition, the process, and the joy of creating something delicious to share with loved ones. The result was a cake that was not only stunningly delicious but also imbued with love and festive spirit. So, this Christmas, why not try baking your own and create some unforgettable memories?
