Traditional Buttered Rum Christmas Cake
Traditional Buttered Rum Christmas Cake is a rich, fruit-filled holiday cake soaked with dark rum and maple syrup. Packed with dried fruit, cranberries, toasted nuts, and warm spices, this classic festive bake develops even deeper flavor as it matures, making it perfect for Christmas celebrations and homemade gifts.
Equipment
- Baking parchment
- Cooling rack
- Deep 20 cm cake tin
- Electric mixer or hand whisk
- Mixing bowls
- Saucepan
Ingredients
Fruit Soak
- 50 g unsalted butter
- 150 ml cloudy apple juice
- 175 g dried cranberries
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 5 tablespoons dark rum
- 800 g mixed dried fruit including peel
Cake Batter
- 4 large eggs beaten
- 85 g pecans or walnuts toasted and roughly chopped
- 225 g light muscovado sugar
- 225 g plain flour
- 225 g unsalted butter softened
- 2 teaspoons mixed spice
- Zest of 1 small orange
For Feeding
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons dark rum
Instructions
- Heat the apple juice in a saucepan.
- Add the butter and stir until melted.
- Remove the pan from the heat.
- Stir in the maple syrup and dark rum.
- Pour the mixture over the dried fruit and cranberries.
- Cover the bowl and soak overnight.
- Preheat the oven to 160°C (140°C fan).
- Grease and line a deep 20 cm cake tin with baking parchment.
- Beat the butter and muscovado sugar until light and fluffy.
- Gradually beat in the eggs.
- Add a spoonful of flour if the mixture begins to curdle.
- Fold in the remaining flour, mixed spice, orange zest, toasted nuts, soaked fruit, and all the soaking liquid.
- Transfer the batter to the prepared cake tin.
- Level the surface and make a slight dip in the center.
- Bake for 1 hour 30 minutes.
- Reduce the oven temperature to 140°C (120°C fan).
- Continue baking for another 1 hour 45 minutes until a skewer comes out clean.
- Cool the cake for 15 minutes.
- Pierce the top with a skewer.
- Brush with the dark rum and maple syrup mixture.
- Cool completely.
- Wrap in baking parchment and store in an airtight tin.
- Feed the cake every 7 to 10 days until ready to decorate or serve.
Notes & Wine Advice
Recipe Notes
Allowing the fruit to soak overnight creates a moist cake with deeper flavor. Feed the cake every 7 to 10 days with rum and maple syrup while it matures. Store the wrapped cake in an airtight tin in a cool, dark place for the best results. The flavor improves significantly after several weeks of maturing before Christmas.Wine Advice
A rich Port complements the dried fruit and warming spices beautifully. For a festive pairing, serve with a glass of Dessert Wine alongside each slice.Nutrition values
Calories: 430 kcal | Carbohydrates: 53 g | Protein: 5 g | Fat: 20 g | Saturated Fat: 10 g | Sodium: 3 mg | Sugar: 35 g