Nut-free Christmas cake
A rich, moist fruit cake without nuts — plump, spiced dried fruit soaked in tea and brandy (or orange) with a marmalade glaze.
This is a proper nut-free Christmas cake — all the rich, boozy fruit and spicy warmth of the festive season, without a single nut in sight. It’s ideal if you’re baking for a school event or friends with nut allergies but still want a classic centrepiece.
Soak the fruit overnight for maximum plumpness, bake slowly and finish with a marmalade glaze for a shiny, traditional look. If you prefer alcohol-free, swap the brandy for orange juice — still delicious, still festive.
Ingredients
- 600 g mixed dried fruit — raisins, sultanas and currants
- 100 g glace cherries — halved
- 50 g mixed peel
- 200 ml strong black tea — brewed and cooled
- 60 ml brandy — optional — use 60 ml orange juice for an alcohol-free cake
- 225 g unsalted butter — softened
- 225 g soft brown sugar
- 250 g plain flour
- 25 g porridge oats — adds a little texture in place of ground nuts
- 5 ml baking powder
- 10 ml mixed spice
- 5 ml ground cinnamon
- 0 ml salt
- 3 eggs — large
- 30 ml marmalade — for the batter and to glaze the finished cake
- 1 orange zest — zest of 1 large orange
Equipment
- 20 cm deep round cake tin
- baking parchment
- wire rack
- pastry brush
- electric mixer (optional)
Instructions
Place the mixed dried fruit, glace cherries and mixed peel in a large bowl. Pour over the strong black tea and the brandy, stir, cover and leave to soak overnight (about 12 hours) so the fruit plumps.
Preheat the oven to 150°C fan/170°C conventional. Grease a 20 cm deep round cake tin, line the base and sides with baking parchment and a collar of extra paper about 3–4 cm above the rim.
Cream the unsalted butter and soft brown sugar together until pale and fluffy — about 3–5 minutes with an electric mixer or 6–8 minutes by hand.
Beat in the eggs one at a time, ensuring each is fully incorporated before adding the next. Stir in the marmalade and the orange zest.
Sift the plain flour and baking powder together, then fold into the butter mixture along with the porridge oats, mixed spice, ground cinnamon and salt. Mix only until combined.
Fold the soaked fruit and cherries into the batter so it’s evenly distributed. Scrape the mixture into the prepared tin and level the top with a spatula.
Bake in the preheated oven for 2 hours 15 minutes (135 minutes). After 1 hour cover the top loosely with a circle of foil if it’s browning too quickly.
Leave the cake to cool in the tin for 1 hour, then turn out onto a wire rack and cool for a further 1 hour.
Warm the remaining marmalade slightly and brush it over the top while the cake is still warm for a glossy finish. Allow to cool completely before storing.
Tips
- Soak the fruit at least 8–12 hours (overnight) — it makes a huge difference to texture and flavour.
- Line the tin with a paper collar extending above the rim to prevent the top browning too fast while the centre cooks through.
- If the top is browning before the centre is done, tent it with foil from about the 1-hour mark.
- Make the cake up to 1 month ahead and feed weekly with a tablespoon of brandy or orange juice (for alcohol-free) to keep it moist — store wrapped in baking parchment and foil in a cool place.
- For a nutty texture without nuts, use extra porridge oats or toasted sunflower seeds (if there’s no seed allergy).
Substitutions
brandy → 60 ml freshly squeezed orange juice
Stays closesoft brown sugar → 200 g dark muscovado sugar
Noticeably differentplain flour → 250 g gluten-free plain flour blend (one-for-one)
Noticeably different
Nutrition
Per serving · estimated
- 511
- Calories
- 4 g
- Protein
- 90 g
- Carbs
- 15 g
- Fat
- 4 g
- Fibre
- 48 g
- Sugar
- 160 mg
- Sodium
FAQ
Can I make this cake without alcohol?
Yes — use 60 ml orange juice in place of the brandy for the soak and when feeding the cake. The flavour is fruitier but still excellent.
How long will the cake keep?
Stored wrapped in baking parchment and foil in a cool, dry place it will keep for several weeks. Feed with a tablespoon of brandy or orange juice weekly to maintain moisture.
Can I freeze the cake?
Yes — wrap well in clingfilm and foil. Freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost overnight in the fridge before glazing or decorating.
Why has my cake sunk in the centre?
Common causes are under-baking, too much liquid from the fruit, or removing from the tin too soon. Ensure the fruit is drained of excess liquid and bake until a skewer comes out with only a few moist crumbs.
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