Mary Berry Victorian Christmas Cake Recipe

This traditional Victorian Christmas cake is rich, dark, and deeply fruity, made to be baked well ahead of the festive season and matured to perfection. The texture is dense yet moist, packed with dried fruit, warming spices, and a gentle citrus note. Although it looks impressive, the method is steady and straightforward, making it suitable for confident beginners as well as experienced bakers. Allow around 30 minutes of preparation, with slow baking and time afterward for feeding and storing.

Ingredients

For the Cake

• 450g currants
• 175g sultanas
• 175g raisins
• 100g glacé cherries, rinsed and finely chopped
• 75g mixed peel, finely chopped
• Finely grated zest of 1 orange
• Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
• 4 tbsp brandy, plus extra for feeding

For the Batter

• 225g unsalted butter, softened
• 225g dark muscovado sugar
• 4 large eggs
• 225g plain flour
• ½ tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp mixed spice
• ½ tsp ground cinnamon
• ½ tsp freshly grated nutmeg
• 1 tbsp black treacle

To Finish

• Butter, for greasing
• Baking parchment

How to Make Mary Berry Victorian Christmas Cake Recipe

• Prepare the Oven and Tin: Preheat the oven to 140°C, or 120°C fan. Grease a deep 20cm round cake tin and line the base and sides with a double layer of baking parchment, allowing the paper to come a little above the rim.
• Soak the Fruit: Place the currants, sultanas, raisins, cherries, mixed peel, orange zest, lemon zest, and brandy into a large bowl. Stir well, cover, and leave to soak for at least an hour, or overnight if you have time.
• Mix the Batter: Cream the softened butter and dark muscovado sugar together until smooth and well blended. Beat in the eggs one at a time, adding a spoonful of the flour with each egg to prevent curdling. Stir in the treacle.
• Combine and Fill the Tin: Sift the remaining flour, baking powder, and spices into the bowl and fold in gently. Add the soaked fruit along with any soaking liquid and mix until evenly combined. Spoon the mixture into the prepared tin and level the surface.
• Bake Slowly: Bake on the lowest shelf of the oven for about 4 hours, or until the cake feels firm and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. If the top browns too quickly, cover loosely with foil.
• Cool and Store: Leave the cake to cool completely in the tin. Once cool, remove the paper, wrap well in fresh parchment and foil, and store in an airtight container.

Tips

Why did my Christmas cake crack on top?

A cracked top usually means the oven was too hot. Bake the cake low and slow, and place it on a lower shelf to encourage even heat.

How do I keep the cake moist?

Feeding the cake with a little brandy every week helps keep it moist and improves the flavour. Do not overdo it; one to two tablespoons at a time is enough.

Can I bake this cake closer to Christmas?

Yes, but the flavour improves with time. Ideally, bake it at least four to six weeks ahead to allow it to mature.

Serving Suggestions

• Serve in thin slices with a cup of strong tea or coffee
• Pair with a slice of mature cheddar for a traditional touch
• Decorate with marzipan and icing for a classic Christmas finish

Storage

Room Temperature

Store wrapped tightly in parchment and foil in an airtight tin for up to three months, feeding occasionally.

Refrigerator

Refrigeration is not recommended, as it can dry the cake and dull the flavours.

Freezing

The undecorated cake freezes well for up to six months. Wrap securely and thaw slowly at room temperature before decorating.

Nutrition

• Calories: 420 kcal
• Carbohydrates: 58g
• Protein: 5g
• Fat: 18g
• Saturated Fat: 10g
• Sodium: 120mg

Nutritional values are estimates and may vary depending on ingredients used.

FAQs

Mary Berry Victorian Christmas Cake Recipe

Recipe by Milli RoseCourse: DessertCuisine: BritishDifficulty: Moderate

Servings

4

servings

Prep time

30

minutes

Cooking time

40

minutes

Calories

300

kcal

Total time

1

hour 

10

minutes

A rich, traditional Victorian Christmas cake packed with dried fruit, warming spices, and a hint of brandy. Perfect for baking ahead and maturing for the festive season.

Ingredients

• 450g currants

• 175g sultanas

• 175g raisins

• 100g glacé cherries, chopped

• 75g mixed peel

• Zest of 1 orange

• Zest of 1 lemon

• 4 tbsp brandy

• 225g unsalted butter, softened

• 225g dark muscovado sugar

• 4 large eggs

• 225g plain flour

• ½ tsp baking powder

• 1 tsp mixed spice

• ½ tsp ground cinnamon

• ½ tsp nutmeg

• 1 tbsp black treacle

• Butter and parchment for tin

Directions

• Preheat oven to 140°C (120°C fan) and line a deep 20cm round tin.
• Mix dried fruit, peel, zests and brandy. Leave to soak.
• Cream butter and sugar, then beat in eggs with a little flour.
• Fold in remaining flour, spices, treacle and soaked fruit.
• Spoon into tin and level the surface.
• Bake for about 4 hours until a skewer comes out clean.
• Cool completely, then wrap and store. Feed with brandy weekly.

Notes

• Bake on a low shelf for even cooking.
• Feed weekly with brandy for best flavour.
• Can be frozen undecorated for up to 6 months.