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Christmas Cake

Christmas Eve Dinner Desserts 180 min Medium 15 wyświetleń ~40.87 PLN - (0)
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Description

Christmas cake is a classic, aromatic dessert baked with a mix of dried fruits and spices, often soaked in alcohol or aromatic essence. It originates from the European tradition of holiday cakes and perfectly fits the atmosphere of Christmas Eve — it has a rich flavor, moist texture, and colorful interior thanks to raisins, dried apricots, nuts, and possibly candied orange peel. It can be served sliced thinly as a dessert with coffee, tea, or after the Christmas Eve dinner; it looks great on a platter, dusted with a bit of powdered sugar. The flavor profile features sweet and sour notes from the dried fruits, a buttery cake base, and delicate hints of cinnamon and vanilla; visually, the cake is colorful and rustic, and when sliced, it reveals a contrast between the light cake and the vibrant pieces of dried fruits.

Składniki (15)

Servings:
12
  • Wheat flour 300 g
  • Butter 200 g
  • White sugar 180 g
  • Egg 4 szt.
  • Baking powder 10 g
  • Milk 50 ml
  • Raisins 150 g
  • Dried apricots 100 g
  • Vanilla extract 5 g
  • Lemon zest (grated) 2.5 łyżeczki
  • 🌿 Przyprawy
  • Salt 0.0 szczypt
  • Ground cinnamon 2 g
  • ✨ Opcjonalne
  • Candied orange peel 80 g
  • Walnuts 100 g
  • Rum (for soaking) 50 ml
💰 Szacowany koszt dania: ~40.87 PLN (3.41 PLN/porcję)

💡 Kliknij na składnik aby oznaczyć jako użyty

Preparation steps

Preparing the dried fruits and nuts

1

Prepare the dried fruits: place raisins (150 g) and dried apricots (100 g) in a large bowl. If you are using rum (50 ml, optional), pour it over the dried fruits so that they are just lightly covered, mix, and set aside for at least 1 hour at room temperature. If you are not using rum, pour 50 ml of warm water or orange juice over the dried fruits and set aside. After soaking, drain the dried fruits in a sieve and dry them with a paper towel — overly moist dried fruits will make the cake too heavy.

Ingredients: Raisins, Dried apricots, Rum (for soaking)
Use a large ceramic or glass bowl. If you don't want to use alcohol, use orange juice; you can also soak the dried fruits overnight in the fridge. Do not blend the dried fruits too much to avoid breaking them into smaller pieces.

Preparing the baking pan

2

Preheat the oven to 170°C (top and bottom, no fan). Prepare a loaf pan about 25-30 cm long: thoroughly grease it with butter (you can use a brush) and line the bottom with baking paper, leaving flaps on the edges to make it easier to remove the cake.

The best is a metal loaf pan with a capacity of 1.5–2 liters. If you are using a silicone mold, it is still worth using parchment paper to make it easier to remove the cake.

Butter and sugar

3

In a large bowl, place the softened butter (200 g) and sugar (180 g). Using a hand mixer or a stand mixer with a whisk attachment, beat the butter and sugar on medium speed for 3-5 minutes, until the mixture becomes light, fluffy, and slightly increases in volume. Scrape the mixture from the sides of the bowl with a spatula and continue to beat for another minute.

Ingredients: Butter, White sugar
Use a mixer with a 'paddle' attachment or a whisk; if you don't have a mixer, beat by hand with a wooden spoon for 8-10 minutes. The mixture should be noticeably lighter and smooth.

Adding eggs and flavors

4

Add one egg at a time (240 g in total, which is 4 pieces) to the whipped butter, beating briefly after each addition until the ingredients are combined. Add vanilla extract (5 ml) and grated lemon zest (5 g). Mix just until the ingredients are combined, do not overmix at high speed.

Ingredients: Egg, Vanilla extract, Lemon zest (grated)
Beat on low speed to prevent the mixture from curdling. If the mixture looks slightly curdled (with separated lumps), add 1 tablespoon of flour and gently mix — usually, that's enough.

Mixing dry ingredients

5

In a separate bowl, sift the all-purpose flour (300 g) together with the baking powder (10 g) and cinnamon (2 g). Add a pinch of salt (1 g) and mix the dry ingredients thoroughly with a fork or whisk to evenly distribute the powder and spice.

Ingredients: Wheat flour, Baking powder, Ground cinnamon, Salt
Sifting removes lumps and aerates the flour, resulting in a lighter cake structure. Use a large metal or plastic bowl.

Combining ingredients

6

To the butter mixture, alternately add part of the dry ingredients and part of the milk (50 ml): first about 1/3 of the flour, gently mix with a spatula until combined, then half of the milk, mix; repeat until all ingredients are used, finishing with the flour. Mix only until no raw flour is visible — do not mix too long to keep the batter fluffy.

Ingredients: Wheat flour, Milk
Use a spatula or mixer on low speed. The batter should have a thick, pourable consistency, but not too runny — if it is too thick, add 1 tablespoon of milk at a time.

Adding dried fruits

7

Add the drained dried fruits to the dough: raisins (150 g), chopped dried apricots (100 g), optionally candied orange peel (80 g, optional), and chopped walnuts (100 g, optional). Gently mix to evenly distribute the dried fruits throughout the dough. If the dried fruits were very wet, dust them with 1–2 tablespoons of flour beforehand to prevent them from sinking to the bottom of the pan.

Ingredients: Raisins, Dried apricots, Candied orange peel, Walnuts
Use a silicone spatula or a wooden spoon. Additionally, you can add candied orange peel or walnuts to enhance the flavor and texture.

Baking

8

Transfer the batter to the prepared loaf pan, smoothing the top with a spatula. Place in the preheated oven and bake at 170°C for 50–65 minutes. After 40 minutes, check the cake with a toothpick: insert a wooden stick into the center — if it comes out dry or with a few crumbs, the cake is ready; if it is still coated with wet batter, bake for another 5–10 minutes. If the top is browning too quickly, loosely cover the loaf with aluminum foil or parchment paper.

It's best to bake at a lower temperature for a longer time; this way, the cake will be more evenly baked. Use the middle rack of the oven. Do not open the oven in the first 30 minutes.

Cooling and soaking

9

After baking, remove the pan from the oven and let it cool on a rack for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, gently remove the cake from the pan (use parchment paper to help you). If you are using rum for soaking, poke the cake with a thin stick in several places and gently soak the top and middle with 2–3 tablespoons of rum using a brush or teaspoon. Leave it to cool completely on the rack (at least 2 hours).

Ingredients: Rum (for soaking)
Use a metal cooling rack to ensure even air circulation. If you are soaking the cake in alcohol, do it slowly to avoid soaking the inside.

Decoration and serving

10

Before serving, you can lightly dust the cake with powdered sugar or drizzle it with a thin layer of melted chocolate. When slicing the cake, use a sharp, long knife and clean it after each cut to ensure even slices. Serve sliced into pieces 1–1.5 cm thick.

Ingredients: Candied orange peel, Walnuts
If you want a richer decoration, top with candied peel confetti or nuts. Use a serrated knife or a chef's knife for clean cuts.

Fun Fact

💡

Cookies and fruitcakes have a long history in Europe — they were baked as early as the Middle Ages as a way to preserve seasonal fruits for longer. Many families pass down recipes for fruitcake through generations.

Best for

Wigilia Święta Bożego Narodzenia Spotkania rodzinne przy kawie

Tips

🍽️ Serving

Serve the cake at room temperature, sliced into thin pieces. It pairs wonderfully with black coffee, tea with lemon, or a glass of sweet wine. If you soaked the cake in alcohol, let it sit for a few days to allow the flavors to meld.

🥡 Storage

Store the cake in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. You can also wrap it in plastic wrap and store it in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks; before serving, take it out for a few hours to reach room temperature. The cake can be frozen sliced for up to 3 months — thaw slowly in the refrigerator.

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