How to Make Creole Christmas Cake

Co-authored by Jessica Gibson

Last Updated: December 3, 2022 References

If you love traditional Christmas cake but want to make one with a twist, try making a Creole Christmas cake. Mix demerara sugar, molasses, and warm spices with rum, brandy, and port to make the base for this fantastic cake. Like most Christmas cakes, this one is best when made about a month advance so the flavors develop. Decorate your Creole Christmas cake any way you like and enjoy!

Ingredients

Pre-Soaking

3 tablespoons (44 ml) of rum
3 tablespoons (44 ml) of brandy
3 tablespoons (44 ml) of cherry brandy
3 tablespoons (44 ml) of port
3 tablespoons (44 ml) of water
1 ¹⁄₂ teaspoons (7.4 ml) of Angostura bitters
½ teaspoon (1 g) of ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon (1 g) of freshly grated nutmeg
½ teaspoon (1 g) of ground cloves
½ teaspoon (2.5 g) of salt
1 ¹⁄₂ teaspoons (7.4 ml) of vanilla extract
1 tablespoon (12.5 g) of brown (muscavado) sugar
3 cups (450 g) of raisins
1 1/2 cups (225 g) of currants
2/3 cup (110 g) of prunes, chopped
1/2 cup (50 g) of glacé cherries, chopped
1 1/2 cups (110 g) of whole candied peel, finely chopped
1/2 cup (50 g) of raw mixed chopped nuts

The Cake

2 cups (250 g) of self-raising flour
1 1/3 cups (250 g) of demerara sugar
1 cup plus 1 1/2 tablespoons (250 g) of butter, softened
5 large eggs, room temperature
2 tablespoons (40 g) of apricot jam pushed through a strainer, for decoration

Makes an 8 in (20 cm) cake

Part 1

Part 1 of 3:

Pre-Soaking the Fruit and Nuts

1
Plan to soak the fruit and nuts a week before you make the cake. In order to hydrate and flavor the dried fruits with mixed nuts, you'll need to start the mixture a week in advance of baking the cake.^{[1]
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- If you forget to start the soaking mixture the week before, you can mix it together a few hours before baking the cake, but the fruit won't be as plump or flavorful.
2
Put the raisins, currants, prunes, cherries, peel, and nuts into a pot. Set a large pot on the stove and put 3 cups (450 g) of raisins into it along with 1 1/2 cups (225 g) of currants, 2/3 cup (110 g) of chopped prunes, 1/2 cup (50 g) of chopped glacé cherries, 1 1/2 cups (110 g) of finely chopped candied peel, and 1/2 cup (50 g) of mixed chopped nuts.^{[2]
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- Use your favorite mixed nuts, such as walnuts, almonds, and pecans.
Variation: For an extra tropical flavor, substitute the same amount of diced dried pineapple for the currants.
Put ½ teaspoon (2.5 g) of salt in the pot and add 1 tablespoon (12.5 g) of brown (muscavado) sugar. Then grate ½ teaspoon (1 g) of nutmeg and add it along with ½ teaspoon (1 g) of ground cinnamon and ½ teaspoon (1 g) of ground cloves.^{[3]
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4
Pour in the water, vanilla, and the alcohols. Measure out and add all of the alcohols to the spiced fruit and nut mixture. You'll need to add 3 tablespoons (44 ml) of rum, 3 tablespoons (44 ml) of brandy, 3 tablespoons (44 ml) of cherry brandy, 3 tablespoons (44 ml) of port, 3 tablespoons (44 ml) of water, 1 ¹⁄₂ teaspoons (7.4 ml) of vanilla extract, and 1 ¹⁄₂ teaspoons (7.4 ml) of Angostura bitters.^{[4]
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- You can find Angostura bitters for sale at liquor or some grocery stores, near the mixers.
5
Simmer the fruit and nut mixture for 15 minutes. Stir the mixture with a wooden spoon and turn the burner on to medium. Once the liquid begins to bubble, turn the burner down to low so it simmers. Keep the lid off of the pot and simmer the mixture for 15 minutes. Some of the alcohol will cook out as some of the liquid evaporates.^{[5]
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- Stir the fruit and nut mixture occasionally so it cooks evenly. The sugar should dissolve completely.
Carefully move the pot to a cold burner to help the mixture cool faster. Leave the mixture uncovered until it cools completely. This could take up to 1 hour.^{[6]
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7
Refrigerate the mixture for a week. Once the mixture is cold, transfer it to an airtight container and put it in the refrigerator. Store it for a week before you mix and bake the cake. The fruit and nuts will become more flavorful the longer they're stored.^{[7]
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- To ensure the fruit and nut mixture soaks evenly, shake the container every few days. You can store the mixture for up to a month.
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Part 2

Part 2 of 3:

Making the Cake

1
Preheat the oven to 285 °F (141 °C) and grease an 8 in (20 cm) pan. Get out an 8 in (20 cm) round cake or springform pan and spray the inside of the pan with baking spray. Then set the prepared pan aside while you make the cake batter.^{[8]
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- If you prefer, you can use an 8 in (20 cm) square cake pan.
- If you aren't using a springform pan, consider lining the inside of the greased cake pan with parchment paper. This will make it easier to remove the cake.
2
Put the flour, sugar, butter, and eggs into a large mixing bowl. Sift 2 cups (250 g) of self-raising flour into a bowl and add 1 1/3 cups (250 g) of demerara sugar and 5 room temperature eggs. Then add 1 cup plus 1 1/2 tablespoons (250 g) of softened butter.^{[9]
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- The time it takes for the eggs and butter to come to room temperature will depend on how cold they are and how warm your kitchen is. In general, try to set them out for 30 minutes.
- To make your own self-rising flour, sift together 2 cups (240 g) of all-purpose flour with 1 tablespoon (12 g) of baking powder and 1/2 teaspoon (2.5 g) of salt.
Use a wooden spoon or electric mixer to beat all of the cake ingredients on low speed so the flour doesn't fly out of the bowl. Once the flour is incorporated, turn the mixer up to medium speed and beat the batter until it's combined.^{[10]
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4
Fold the soaking mixture into the cake batter. Take the fruit and nut mixture out of the refrigerator and pour it into the cake batter. Then use a large spoon to fold the cake batter up and over the mixture until it's incorporated.^{[11]
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- Most of the liquid should have been absorbed by the fruit, but if there's any in the bottom of the container, pour it into the batter as well.
5
Spread the batter into the pan and bake the cake for 3 hours. Spoon the batter into the greased cake or springform pan and use the back of a spoon to make the batter level. This will ensure that the cake bakes flat. Then put the cake in the center of the preheated oven and bake it for 3 hours.^{[12]
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- Creole Christmas cake bakes for so long because the oven temperature is low. This will prevent the cake from drying out as it cooks.
6
Cover the cake with parchment paper and bake it for one more hour. Cut two pieces of parchment paper so they're about 1 inch (2.5 cm) wider than the diameter of the pan. Then lay both pieces of parchment on the cake so they rest on the sides of the cake pan. Bake the covered cake for an hour.^{[13]
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- The parchment paper will prevent the top of the cake from becoming too dark as it finishes baking.
7
Touch the center of the cake to test if it's finished baking. Once the cake has baked for a total of 4 hours, remove it from the oven and take off the parchment paper. Carefully touch the center of the cake with your finger. If the cake springs back, it's finished baking and you can turn off the oven.^{[14]
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- If the cake doesn't spring back when you touch the center, put it back in the oven and check it again after 10 minutes.
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Part 3

Part 3 of 3:

Cooling and Decorating the Cake

Let the cake cool for about 10 minutes in the pan before you tip it out onto a wire rack or remove the sides of the springform pan. Then leave the cake to cool completely on the rack. This can take up to an hour.^{[15]
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2
Wrap the cake in parchment-lined foil until you're ready to serve it. Tear off a sheet of parchment paper and a piece of aluminum foil. Set the parchment paper on the foil sheet and then set the cake on it. Wrap the foil and parchment paper securely around the cake and put it in an airtight container. Keep the cake at room temperature for up to 1 month.^{[16]
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- The flavor of the Creole Christmas cake will improve the longer it's stored.
Option: If you'd like the cake to have a richer, moister flavor, poke holes in the top of the cake with a toothpick and spoon about 3 tablespoons (44 ml) of brandy over the top. Wait a week before you do this to the other side of the cake.
Push 2 tablespoons (40 g) of apricot jam through a strainer and then use a pastry brush to spread the liquid jam over the cooled cake. For a simple decoration, top the cake with a variety of whole toasted nuts.^{[17]
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Decoration Idea:
Cut a piece of fondant to the size of your cake and lay it on the cake after you brush it with the jam. Then cut a piece of rolled marzipan to size and lay it on top. Cover the cake with sprinkles, sugared cranberries, or marzipan figures.
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Tips

Store the leftover Christmas cake in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a month. For longer storage, refrigerate it for up to 6 months.^{[18]
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To make a smaller cake, halve all of the ingredients and bake the cake in a 7 in (18 cm) pan for 2 hours. Then cover the cake with parchment paper and bake it for 50 more minutes before checking it.

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