Traditional Christmas Cake Recipe

Step 1: To begin making the Traditional Christmas Cake Recipe, we first have to soak all the dry fruits in rum and juice (you can avoid the rum)

Step 2: This process helps ferment the fruits and also helps to release all the flavors and make the christmas cake moist and rich

Step 3: Place the sultanas, dried prunes, dried dates, dried figs and dried apricots into a large mixing bowl

Step 4: Pour over the rum and orange juice and sprinkle over the orange zest

Step 5: Mix until well combined, then cover the bowl with cling film and set aside overnight or a few weeks or a month or a year

Step 6: They say the longer you ferment, the fruits get fermented, the richer the taste of the christmas cake

Step 7: To make the Christmas Cake Batter proceed to the remaining steps are once the fermentation of the fruits are over

Step 8: Preheat the oven to 170 C

Step 9: Sift the flour, baking powder and the spices together and keep aside

Step 10: I like to sift it twice over as the flour gets good air pockets and also makes the cake more fluffy

Step 11: Line the base and sides of a 9 inch springform cake pan with a double layer parchment paper, making sure the paper reaches the top of the tin

Step 12: Or you can alternatively grease the pan with butter and dust it with flour

Step 13: In a large bowl or a KitchenAid Stand Mixer, whisk the Classic spread (or butter) and sugar together until fluffy

Step 14: Gradually beat in the eggs one at a time

Step 15: Add in the flour slowly until well combined

Step 16: Slowly add in the soaked dried fruits, its liquids, the almond powder, chopped nuts and combine it into the flour mixture

Step 17: Don't over beat, we just want all the ingredients to be well combined

Step 18: Spoon the above Christmas Cake mixture into the springform pan and level the surface with the back of a spoon

Step 19: Bake the Christmas Cake for 45 minutes approximately or until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean

Step 20: The cake typically tends to darken a lot during baking, if this happens cover the top with parchment paper in the middle of the baking process

Step 21: Once the christmas cake is baked remove it from the oven allow it to cool completely in the pan

Step 22: Store the Christmas Cake in an airtight container, wrapped in greaseproof paper and aluminium foil, for two to three months

Step 23: You can also bake the Traditional Christmas Cake in smaller pans and gift them to your family this holiday season

Step 24: Serve the Traditional Christmas Cake along with Qahwa | Arabic Coffee Recipe and Ginger Cardamom Chai (Spice Infused Indian Style Milk Tea) to compliment the cake for your evening