Easy Christmas Cake Traybake
An effortless and festive Easy Christmas Cake Traybake combining warm spices, dried fruits, and a moist texture. Perfect for holiday gatherings, this traybake is simple to prepare, easy to share, and adaptable to various dietary preferences.
- Prep Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 40-45 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 55 minutes
- Yield: 12-16 servings 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: British
- Diet: Gluten Free (with substitution)
Ingredients
Scale
Dried Fruit Mix
- 200g dried mixed fruit (raisins, sultanas, chopped apricots)
Wet Ingredients
- 175g unsalted butter, softened
- 175g brown sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 2 tbsp golden syrup or honey
Dry Ingredients
- 225g self-raising flour (or gluten-free flour blend for gluten-free version)
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp ground nutmeg
- ¼ tsp ground cloves
- Zest of 1 orange
Instructions
- Prepare Your Fruit: Soak the dried mixed fruit in warm tea or juice for at least 1 hour to plump up the fruit and keep the cake moist.
- Mix the Wet Ingredients: Cream together the softened butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, fully incorporating each before adding the next.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: Sift self-raising flour, ground cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and orange zest together in a separate bowl to ensure even distribution of spices and zest.
- Bring It All Together: Gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture. Then stir in the soaked dried fruit and golden syrup or honey until just combined, avoiding overmixing.
- Bake and Cool: Pour the batter into a lined traybake tin. Bake at 160°C (320°F) for 40 to 45 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow to cool completely in the tin before cutting into squares.
Notes
- Use freshly ground spices for best flavor and aroma.
- Do not skip soaking the dried fruit; it keeps the cake moist and flavorful.
- Ensure butter and eggs are at room temperature to help batter mix smoothly.
- Line your traybake tin with parchment paper with overhang for easy removal.
- Check the cake 5 minutes before the baking time ends to avoid overbaking.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 piece (approx. 1/16 of the cake)
- Calories: 250 kcal
- Sugar: 18g
- Sodium: 80mg
- Fat: 10g
- Saturated Fat: 6g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 35g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 3g
- Cholesterol: 50mg
Keywords: Christmas cake, traybake, festive dessert, spiced cake, dried fruit cake, holiday baking, easy Christmas recipe, gluten-free cake
Find it online: https://cherrycooks.com/easy-christmas-cake-traybake/
