The Wooden Cakebox Co. Xmas Cake

This is a beautifully moist Christmas cake - full of fruit and flavour. It originally came via the Wooden Cake Box Company which, sadly, is no more (but many Milly's customers will recall - and probably own - one of the original boxes). These days the Milly's team are making their own wooden boxes in 15cm and 20cm sizes and they can be found on our website here.

The recipe is best made in two stages. First, the mixed fruit is cooked in a large heavy bottomed saucepan with the butter, sugar, nuts and spices and left to cool (overnight if possible). This is also a good time to line the cakebox. Next the eggs and dry ingredients are added and it’s ready to cook.

This recipe will fit a 25-26cm cake tin but it can be split to make one 20cm cake and two smaller 13cm cakes. These can be wrapped and frozen until you need them. The wooden cakeboxes with their recipes are great for first time fruit cake makers, and produce fabulous results with all other fruitcake recipes. They can be used to make other dense madeira style cakes. You just need to cook the cakes at a lower temperature (160˚C) and lengthen the cooking times.

Baking tips;
1. If your cakes are sinking in the middle, try adding 1/2 cup more dried fruit (per kg of fruit). We like to add currants and dried figs.
2. Add extra roasted almonds for more texture.
3. Cutting down on sugar? Omit the golden syrup and reduce the brown sugar by 1/4. Add extra dried fruit including figs instead.

Christmas Cake Recipe - 26cm Cakebox

Ingredients;
2kg mixed dried fruit
500g butter
500g brown sugar
1 Tbsp golden syrup
zest and juice of 1 lemon
1 tsp mixed spice
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp curry powder
½ tsp salt
125g chopped blanched almonds
200ml brandy or rum
2 Tbsp cornflour
8 eggs, beaten
500g flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda

Method;
Put fruit, butter, sugar and golden syrup into a large saucepan and bring to the boil, stirring to stop the mixture burning. Add lemon, spices, salt, chopped almonds and brandy.

Stirring continuously, simmer for 10 minutes, then add cornflour. Mix well and remove from heat. Leave to cool thoroughly.

Beat eggs. Sift flour, baking powder and baking soda, add alternately to cooled fruit mixture. Bake in the middle of the oven at 160˚C for 30 minutes. Then 120˚C for 4 hours. (Cooking times may vary depending on the oven.) Cool in the box.

Christmas Cake recipe - 20cm Cakebox

Ingredients;
1kg mixed dried fruit
250g butter
250g brown sugar
1 Tbsp golden syrup
zest and juice of ½ lemon
¾ tsp mixed spice
¾ tsp cinnamon
½ tsp curry powder
¼ salt
70g chopped blanched almonds
150ml glass brandy or rum
1 Tbsp cornflour
4 eggs, beaten
250g flour
¾ tsp baking powder
¾ tsp baking soda

Method;
Put fruit, butter, sugar and golden syrup into large saucepan and bring to the boil, stirring to stop the mixture burning. Add lemon, spices, salt, chopped almonds and brandy.

Stirring continuously, simmer for 10 minutes, then add cornflour. Mix well and remove from heat. Leave to cool thoroughly.

Beat eggs. Sift flour, baking powder and baking soda, add alternately to cooled fruit mixture. Bake in the middle of the oven at 160˚C for 30 minutes then 120˚C for 3½ hours. (Cooking times may vary depending on the oven.) Cool in the box. 

Christmas Cake Recipe - 13cm Cakebox

Ingredients;
600g mixed dried fruit
125g butter
125g brown sugar
1 tsp golden syrup
zest and juice of ½ lemon
½ tsp mixed spice
½ tsp cinnamon
¼ tsp curry powder pinch salt
35g (½ packet) chopped blanched almonds
2 Tbsp brandy or rum
2 tsp cornflour
2 eggs, beaten
125g flour
½ tsp baking powder
¼ tsp baking soda

Method;
Put fruit, butter, sugar and golden syrup into a saucepan and bring to the boil, stirring to stop the mixture burning. Add lemon, spices, salt, chopped almonds and brandy.

Stirring continuously, simmer for 5 minutes, then add cornflour. Mix well and remove from heat. Leave to cool thoroughly.

Beat eggs. Sift flour, baking powder and baking soda, add alternately to fruit mixture. Mix well, then spoon into the lined cakebox. Bake at 150˚C for 30 minutes, then 120˚C for 2 - 2½ hours. Cool in the box