The Ultimate Christmas Cake Traybake: A Festive Delight Made Easy

When we think of Christmas, our minds fill with the delightful aromas of cinnamon, nutmeg, and rich, brandy-infused fruit. We hold a special place in our hearts for a traditional Christmas cake, but we also recognise that its lengthy creation process can seem daunting during the busy festive season. What if we could offer you all that wonderful, nostalgic flavour in significantly less time, with a bake that’s incredibly simple to slice and serve? You’re in luck! Allow us to introduce your new holiday favourite: the Christmas Cake Traybake.

This recipe reimagines the classic dense fruitcake as a straightforward, accessible traybake. It is wonderfully moist, bursting with flavour, and absolutely ideal for serving a crowd, giving as a gift, or simply enjoying with a cup of tea and a mince pie. We’ve distilled the very best elements of tradition and baked them into a modern, no-fuss format. Let’s head to the kitchen!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Classic Flavour, Minimal Effort: Enjoy the deep, rich, spiced fruitiness of a traditional Christmas cake without the long, slow baking time or the need for a special deep cake tin.
• Ideal for Sharing and Gifting: Cut into neat squares, this traybake is perfect for Christmas gatherings, bake sales, or packaged beautifully as thoughtful homemade presents for loved ones.
• Perfect for a Crowd: One tray can be divided into 20-24 generous squares, making it an exceptionally efficient way to bake for festive events.
• Incredibly Moist and Rich: By soaking the fruit and optionally feeding the cake with brandy after baking, we ensure every single bite is packed with moisture and festive cheer.
• Great for Beginners: If you’ve never made a fruitcake before, this is the ideal recipe to start with. The method is clear and the results are consistently fantastic.

Ingredients

• 750g mixed dried fruit (we recommend a mix of raisins, currants, and sultanas)
• 100g glacé cherries, halved
• 50g mixed peel, finely chopped
• Zest and juice of 1 large orange
• 100ml brandy (or dark rum, sherry, or orange juice for an alcohol-free version)
• 225g unsalted butter, softened
• 225g light brown soft sugar
• 4 large free-range eggs, beaten
• 225g plain flour
• 50g ground almonds
• 1 tsp mixed spice
• ½ tsp ground cinnamon
• ½ tsp ground nutmeg
• A pinch of salt
• For decorating (optional): Apricot jam, marzipan, royal or fondant icing

Getting Started: Soaking the Fruit

The true essence of a magnificent fruitcake is found in the fruit itself. To unlock that deep, complex flavour and achieve a wonderfully moist texture, it’s essential to soak the dried fruit before it even touches the cake batter. This crucial step makes an enormous difference, plumping up the fruit and infusing it with festive spirit.

In a spacious bowl, combine your mixed dried fruit, halved glacé cherries, and finely chopped mixed peel. Stir in the orange zest and juice, then pour over the brandy (or your chosen non-alcoholic substitute). Mix everything together thoroughly, cover the bowl, and set it aside to soak for at least 12 hours, or preferably overnight. If you’re organised, you can even leave it for a few days, stirring occasionally. This marination is where the real magic happens!

Step-by-Step Instructions for the Perfect Christmas Cake Traybake

Once your fruit is beautifully plump and aromatic, it is time to begin baking. We’ve organised the method into easy-to-follow steps to help you achieve traybake perfection.

1. Preparation: First, preheat your oven to 160°C (140°C Fan / Gas Mark 3). Thoroughly grease a 30cm x 20cm (12in x 8in) traybake tin and line it with baking parchment, ensuring there is a slight overhang on the longer sides. This will help you lift the cake out later.
2. Cream the Butter and Sugar: In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter and light brown soft sugar together. Use an electric mixer for speed, or a wooden spoon for a good workout, until the mixture becomes light, pale, and fluffy in texture.
3. Incorporate the Eggs: Add the beaten eggs bit by bit, making sure to beat well after each addition. If you notice the mixture starting to curdle, simply add a tablespoon of the pre-measured flour and mix it in.
4. Combine the Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, sift together the plain flour, ground almonds, mixed spice, cinnamon, nutmeg, and a small pinch of salt.
5. Fold It All Together: Gently introduce the dry ingredients into the creamed mixture, using a large metal spoon or a spatula to fold them in. Take care not to overmix; stop folding as soon as the flour is nearly incorporated.
6. Add the Soaked Fruit: Now for the star of the show! Add your wonderfully fragrant soaked fruit mixture to the bowl. Fold it through the batter carefully but completely, ensuring an even distribution of fruit.
7. Bake to Perfection: Transfer the mixture into your prepared tin, using the back of a spoon to level the surface. Place it in the preheated oven to bake for 45–55 minutes. To test for doneness, insert a skewer into the cake’s centre—it should emerge clean.
8. Cool and Feed (Optional): Let the traybake cool in its tin for around 15 minutes. Then, use the baking parchment to carefully lift it onto a wire rack to cool completely. For an extra layer of moisture and flavour, you can ‘feed’ the cake while it’s still warm by poking small holes over its surface with a skewer and spooning over 2-3 additional tablespoons of brandy.

Creative Christmas Cake Designs for Your Traybake

A brilliant advantage of a traybake is that it offers a wonderful blank canvas for creativity. You can opt for a minimalist design or something more elaborate! Playing with different christmas cake designs is a joyful part of the festive season, so we’ve gathered a few ideas to inspire you.

The Classic Iced Look

For that timeless, traditional finish, nothing compares to marzipan and royal icing. Gently warm a little apricot jam and brush a thin layer over the cooled cake. Roll out a block of marzipan to the right size and carefully place it over the jam. You can then top this with a smooth layer of royal icing or ready-to-roll fondant for a polished, professional appearance.

A Rustic, Fruity Topping

If a more natural aesthetic appeals to you, consider creating a beautiful topping with whole nuts and glacé fruits. Before baking, arrange pecans, walnuts, almonds, and vibrant red and green glacé cherries across the top of the batter. The nuts will toast to perfection in the oven, and the fruits will caramelise slightly, resulting in a stunning and delicious finish that requires no extra effort post-bake.

Fun with Fondant

Involve the whole family by using festive cookie cutters. Cover the cake with a simple sheet of white fondant. Then, use star, snowflake, or gingerbread man cutters on coloured fondant to create charming shapes to decorate the top. It’s a simple, effective, and enjoyable way to add a personal touch to your bake.

Planning Your Festive Feast

While this recipe is a highlight of our festive dessert collection, we understand that planning the main meal is equally crucial. Juggling oven space and preparation time is a common challenge during the holiday rush. If you’re seeking main course inspiration that delivers on flavour without demanding hours of your time, we have some excellent suggestions. For a delicious and popular choice that is quick to prepare, why not consider our Garlic Parmesan Chicken Pasta Recipe? Alternatively, for something a bit lighter but still full of zesty flavour, our Lemon Garlic Chicken is consistently a crowd-pleaser and offers a fantastic alternative to heavier roast dinners.

Tips for Success with Your Traybake Recipe

To guarantee your bake is a triumph on every occasion, we have compiled some of our best tips. By following this guidance, you’ll be able to master this festive traybake recipe effortlessly.

• Line Your Tin Properly: Always take the time to line your tin with baking parchment. This not only prevents the cake from sticking but, crucially, also protects the edges from catching and burning, a common issue with fruitcakes due to their high sugar content and longer bake times.
• Use Room Temperature Ingredients: Make sure your butter and eggs have come to room temperature before you begin. This allows them to combine more smoothly, which results in a lighter cake with a more uniform texture.
• Don’t Overmix the Batter: When folding in the flour, do so with a light touch. Overmixing can develop the gluten, leading to a dense and tough cake. Our goal here is a rich, tender crumb.
• Know Your Oven: Every oven has its own quirks. We suggest you start checking your cake from the 45-minute mark. The top should feel firm to the touch and have a golden-brown hue, and a skewer inserted into the centre should come out clean.
• Storage is Key: To maintain the cake’s moisture, proper wrapping is essential. Once it has cooled completely, wrap the cake in a double layer of baking parchment, followed by a layer of foil. When stored in an airtight container in a cool, dark place, it will stay fresh for several weeks. For further guidance on storing fruitcakes, Good Housekeeping provides some excellent advice.

FAQ

Conclusion: Your New Favourite Christmas Tradition

We firmly believe that festive baking should be a source of joy, not stress. This Christmas Cake Traybake encapsulates all the wonderful, comforting flavours of the season in a simple, shareable, and completely delicious format. It’s proof that you don’t have to spend days in the kitchen to produce a spectacular centrepiece for your holiday celebration.

So, this year, we invite you to start a new tradition—one that is a little more relaxed, every bit as tasty, and perfect for bringing friends and family together. We are excited for you to try this recipe and fill your home with the glorious scent of Christmas baking. Please share your thoughts in the comments below to let us know how your christmas cakes turned out, or tag us in your beautiful bakes on social media!

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Prep: 25 mins (+ overnight soaking)
Cook: 45-55 mins
Yields: 20-24 squares

Ingredients

• 750g mixed dried fruit
• 100g glacé cherries, halved
• 50g mixed peel, finely chopped
• Zest and juice of 1 large orange
• 100ml brandy (or orange juice for an alcohol-free version)
• 225g unsalted butter, softened
• 225g light brown soft sugar
• 4 large free-range eggs, beaten
• 225g plain flour
• 50g ground almonds
• 1 tsp mixed spice
• ½ tsp ground cinnamon
• ½ tsp ground nutmeg
• A pinch of salt
• Optional for decorating: Apricot jam, marzipan, fondant icing

Instructions

1. Soak the fruit: In a large bowl, combine the mixed dried fruit, glacé cherries, mixed peel, orange zest, and juice. Pour over the brandy, mix well, cover, and let soak for at least 12 hours, preferably overnight.
2. Prepare: Preheat oven to 160°C (140°C Fan / Gas Mark 3). Grease and line a 30cm x 20cm traybake tin with baking parchment, leaving an overhang on the sides for easy removal.
3. Cream butter and sugar: In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter and light brown sugar together with an electric mixer until pale and fluffy.
4. Add eggs: Gradually add the beaten eggs, beating well after each addition. If the mixture looks like it might curdle, add a tablespoon of your measured flour.
5. Combine dry ingredients: In a separate bowl, sift together the plain flour, ground almonds, mixed spice, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt.
6. Fold together: Gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture using a large metal spoon or spatula until just combined. Do not overmix.
7. Add fruit: Add the soaked fruit mixture to the batter and fold it through until evenly distributed.
8. Bake: Spoon the batter into the prepared tin and level the surface. Bake for 45-55 minutes. A skewer inserted into the centre should come out clean.
9. Cool: Let the traybake cool in the tin for 15 minutes before using the parchment paper to lift it onto a wire rack to cool completely.
10. Feed (Optional): For an extra rich and moist cake, poke small holes over the warm cake with a skewer and spoon over 2-3 additional tablespoons of brandy.