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Auntie Vi’s Christmas Cake Recipe

Auntie Vi's Christmas Cake

3 – 4 hours

It is the best fruit Christmas cake I have ever tasted, really moist and so tasty. Great with a piece of tasty Lancashire and a small port.

Auntie Vi is actually my mum Mary Madge Vivien Ross but to many she is known as Auntie Vi. A friend’s son Luke, who always knew her as Auntie Vi, was terribly upset when at about 18 or 19 he found out she wasn’t his real Auntie.

At 88 years young she is still using this recipe for Christmas cake and makes several each year for friends and family. She must have made hundreds of cakes using this recipe over the years as it’s been used for weddings, birthdays and christenings.

** If you are looking for a vegan version, have a look at our Vegan Christmas Cake recipe, also on this site. **

Christmas cake ingredients

  1. 8 oz/225g light brown sugar LJ241
  2. 8 oz/225g butter
  3. 8 oz/225g plain flour
  4. 1 1/2 oz/43g chopped almonds – NU013
  5. 2 oz/55g cherries – DR221
  6. 1 1/2 level teaspoons cocoa powder – LJ189
  7. 1 oz/28g black treacle
  8. 1 tablespoon Sherry, Brandy or Rum (or more)
  9. A splash of milk (or soya milk)
  10. 4 eggs – beaten
  11. 8 oz/225g currants – DR097
  12. 8 oz/225g sultanas – DR114
  13. 8 oz/225g raisins – DR668
  14. 1 oz/28g ground almonds – NU143
  15. 2 oz/55g mixed peel – DR203
  16. 1 level teaspoon mixed spice – HE148
  17. 1/2 level teaspoon nutmeg – HE150
  18. 1/2 level teaspoon cinnamon – HE139
  19. 1 teaspoon coffee
  20. Zest of 1 lemon
  21. Zest of 1 orange

Method:

  1. Prepare a cake tin 8” x 8” by lining with baking parchment. Soak the dried fruits in boiling water for a few minutes and then drain. Soften butter and cream together with the sugar then add the zest of lemon and orange. Add beaten eggs and mix in the treacle.
  2. Add the flour, cocoa powder, spices and nuts and fold in the drained fruits and mixed peel with either Sherry, Rum or Brandy and a little milk and the coffee. Bake in oven 150 degrees C, 300 degrees F or Gas mark 2 for 3 – 4 hours. It’s ready when a knitting needle inserted into the cake comes out clean.
  3. Transfer to a cooling rack and put in a tin when cold. I then make a few holes in the cake with the knitting needle and ‘feed’ the cake every few days by pouring over some brandy or rum.

*you may need to blanch your almonds before using, to remove their skin or husk. Do so by simply popping into boiling water for a couple of minutes and the skins will easily slip off.

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8 thoughts on “Auntie Vi’s Christmas Cake Recipe”

  1. Pingback: Vegan Christmas Cake Recipe | Suma Wholefoods

    1. Hi Merlicia. Thanks for the interest in the recipe. We have checked with our in-house cake guru Sheena who has pointed out the flour should go in after the eggs. The corrected recipe now reads…
      “Add beaten eggs. When well mixed, add the flour, fold in the drained fruits with either Sherry, Rum or Brandy and a little milk.”
      Please let us know how you get on with the cake.
      All the best
      Paul

  3. Hi, when do you add the spices, when do you sdd the treacle,the cocoa, the coffee and the other ingredients mentioned but left out of the recipe.

    1. Hi Tracey, sorry about that! Have corrected the post now. Usually I add the spices to the flour when I bake, mix it together and then follow the recipe as normal. Hope that makes sense! Amy @ Suma

  5. Baked this just before Christmas – had to avoid egg, nuts and sunflower oil
    It’s a great tasting cake was everyone’s opinion
    10/10 for this
    Thank you

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