Better Homes & Gardens Heritage Cookbook Italian Christmas Cake

Easy Christmas cake

Good Housekeeping UK

If you're after an easy Christmas cake recipe, you can't beat this one. We've actually used three different types of sugar to boost the flavour profile of this cake, along with some quirky flavours including sour cherry and ginger. For a boozy hit, it's got to be Armagnac.

Cal/Serv: 251

Makes: 30 - 35 servings

Prep Time: 0 hours 30 mins

Cook Time: 3 hours 30 mins

Total Time: 4 hours 0 mins

500 g

(1lb 2oz) each sultanas and raisins

250 g

(9oz) Agen prunes, roughly chopped

100 g

bag dried sour cherries

150 ml

(¼ pint) Armagnac, plus extra to drizzle

Finely grated zest and juice 1 lemon and 1 orange

100 g

(3½oz) molasses sugar

150 g

(5oz) dark brown sugar

250 g

pack unsalted butter, softened, plus extra for greasing

large eggs, beaten

250 g

(9oz) plain flour

1 tbsp.

black treacle

1½ tsp mixed spice

½ tsp ginger

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Put the fruit into a non-metallic bowl with the Armagnac, citrus zest and juices. Cover and leave to soak overnight.
Preheat the oven to 150°C (130°C fan) mark 2. Grease and line a 23cm (9in) cake tin with greaseproof paper. Put the sugar and butter into a large bowl and, using an electric hand whisk, beat until light and fluffy.
Beat in the eggs, a little at a time, taking care the mixture doesn't curdle. If it looks as if it might, add a little of the flour. Beat in the black treacle.
Sift the flour, spices and a pinch of salt into the mixture, then fold in gently with a large metal spoon. Next, fold in the soaked fruit. Tip the mixture into the prepared tin and level the surface.
Wrap a double layer of brown paper around the outer edge of the tin - this helps prevent the cake from burning. Bake for 3-3½hr until a skewer comes out clean. Leave in the tin for 10min, then turn out and cool on a wire rack. Keep the cake in the greaseproof paper, wrap it in clingfilm, then in foil. Store in an airtight container in a cool place.
After two weeks of maturing, prick the cake with a metal skewer and drizzle over 1tbsp Armagnac. Leave to soak in, then rewrap and store as before. The cake will keep for up to three months.

Per Serving:

Calories: 251
Total carbs: 42 g
Sugars: 35 g
Total fat: 8 g
Saturated fat: 5 g

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