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Dark Christmas Cake

Dark Christmas Cake recipe image
This traditional Dark Christmas Cake is a dense, moist treat packed with intense flavors of cinnamon, mace, and cloves. The combination of plump raisins, currants, candied cherries, and crunchy almonds creates a luxurious texture that improves with age. It is an essential centerpiece for the holiday season, often served thinly sliced with a drizzle of icing or a dollop of cream. While it requires patience to prepare and bake, the result is a spectacular dessert that brings warmth and nostalgia to any festive gathering. Store it wrapped in cloth to let the flavors meld and deepen over time.
Cooking Method: ,
Cuisine:
Courses:
Difficulty: Intermediate
Servings: 50
Calories: 3350.5
Dietary: Vegetarian
Description
This traditional Dark Christmas Cake is a dense, moist treat packed with intense flavors of cinnamon, mace, and cloves. The combination of plump raisins, currants, candied cherries, and crunchy almonds creates a luxurious texture that improves with age. It is an essential centerpiece for the holiday season, often served thinly sliced with a drizzle of icing or a dollop of cream. While it requires patience to prepare and bake, the result is a spectacular dessert that brings warmth and nostalgia to any festive gathering. Store it wrapped in cloth to let the flavors meld and deepen over time.
Ingredients
  • 1 pound Blanched almonds
  • 3 pound Seedless raisins
  • 2 pound Currants
  • 1 pound Candied cherries,
Directions
  1. 1
    Preheat the oven to 250&# 194;°F (120ðC) and grease and line several large loaf or tube pans with parchment paper.
  2. 2
    Roughly chop the blanched almonds and candied cherries into bite-sized pieces.
  3. 3
    In a large mixing bowl, combine the seedless raisins, currants, chopped almonds, and candied cherries.
  4. 4
    In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, spices (cinnamon, mace, allspice, nutmeg, cloves), baking soda, and salt.
  5. 5
    Cream the soft butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy, then beat in the egg yolks one at a time.
  6. 6
    Gradually add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture, alternating with prune juice and brandy, mixing until just combined.
  7. 7
    Fold the dried fruit and nut mixture into the batter until evenly distributed.
  8. 8
    In a clean bowl, whip the egg whites until stiff peaks form, then gently fold them into the batter to lighten it.
  9. 9
    Divide the batter evenly among the prepared pans, smoothing the tops with a spatula.
  10. 10
    Bake in the preheated oven for 2 to 3 hours, or until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.
  11. 11
    Allow the cakes to cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then turn out onto wire racks to cool completely before wrapping and storing.

Nutrition Facts

Servings 50

Amount Per Serving
Calories 3350.5kcal
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 116.7g180%
Saturated Fat 9.1g46%
Cholesterol 0.0mg0%
Sodium 88.5mg4%
Total Carbohydrate 587.0g196%
Dietary Fiber 53.6g215%
Sugars 513.9g
Protein 69.2g139%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

Keywords: christmas, cake, fruitcake, holiday, dessert, spiced, raisins, currants, almonds, candied, cherries, baking, traditional, winter, festive, moist, rich, nuts, dried, fruits
Read it online: https://www.chefs-mate.com/recipe/dark-christmas-cake/