Chocolate Christmas Cake Recipe

Chocolate Christmas Cake, I have been making the original version of this Christmas fruit cake for years with never a thought of varying the recipe - that is until I started this chocolate and cake web site. I could not resist adding chocolate to it as chocolate and fruit are natural partners. I was so happy with the result that I had to share it with you.

This recipe does not require you to cream butter and sugar etc it is a boil fruit cake leaving the cake moist and the fruit plump. It can be made well in advance as long as you wrap it tightly in kitchen plastic then foil and store in a dry cool place.

When I make this I usually make at least five times the quantity of the cake mix then fill all different sized tins and use the cakes as gifts. You will need a big cooking pot and I have to admit I use my arm to do the mixing through of the eggs and flour (clean of course!) because this is really a lot easier.

Please read through my chocolate christmas cake recipe first before starting.

If you have any questions concerning imperial/metric conversions you will find the answers on my Baking Conversions page.

If you have any questions concerning baking terms used you will find the answers on my Baking Glossary page.

Chocolate Christmas Cake Recipe

Makes a 20cm (8") cake .

20cm (8”) round or square cake tin. If you use a square tin the cake will be a little lower in height as a square tin holds more cake batter than a round cake tin.

You need to grease and line the cake tin with non stick baking paper. Make the lining paper sit up 2.5cm (1") higher than the top of the tin. This will hold the cake batter and protect it from burning. Because the baking time is 2 hours I also wrap the outside of the cake tin with foil to help deflect some of the heat. You could also line the cake tin with 5 layers of paper before lining with the baking paper.

To protect the bottom of the cake I sit the cake tin on a baking tray that has about 10 layers of paper on it. You can use newspaper or pages out of old telephone directories.

Ingredients.

250g butter
½ cup water
1 cup dark brown sugar, you can use brown sugar
½ cup brandy – optional, if do not wish to use it use an extra ½ cup water

300g sultanas
150g dates, chopped
150g prunes, chopped
200g glace cherries, chopped
100g currants
100g raisins
40g glace ginger, finely minced
½ cup cocoa powder

½ teaspoon bi-carb soda

1 tablespoon golden syrup or treacle
5 eggs, lightly beaten

1 ¾ cups plain flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
100g walnuts or almonds, chopped
200g dark chocolate, chopped

When chopping the fruits try and aim for the same size of a large sultana. Also you can use any combination of dried fruits you like as long as the combined weight totals 1kg. I often use dried figs in my mixes.

Baking Temperature

The oven should be preheated to 150oC.

Method.

1. Place the butter, water, brown sugar, and brandy into a large saucepan. Bring to a simmer until the butter has melted.
2. Add the fruits, ginger and cocoa powder. Stir through. Cover with a lid and bring back to a simmer for 10 minutes. You may want to stir half way just to make sure the fruit is not sticking to the bottom of the pan.
3. Remove from the heat. Stir through the bi-carb soda, cover and leave to cool. The fruit mixture must cool down to room temperature. You can make this the day before and leave it to cool overnight if you like.
4. Stir through the golden syrup and eggs.
5. Stir through the flour, baking powder, nuts and chocolate until completely combined.
6. Spread the cake batter into the prepared cake pan. Tap the pan on the bench several times to settle the mix.
7. Place on a baking tray and bake at 150oC for 2 hours. The cake may take a little longer but at two hours test the center of the cake to see if it is cooked through.
8. Remove from the oven and cover the top of the cake tin with foil to trap the moisture in. Leave the chocolate christmas cake to cool completely before removing from the tin.

I hope you take the time to make this chocolate christmas cake recipe because I know once you do it will become an annual event.

This christmas fruit cake recipe makes a great base for your decorated cake for this christmas. I have a cake design business Inspired By Michelle Cake Designs and in my special occasion cakes gallery you will find ideas on how to decorate your christmas cakes.

Well I just had to show you my chocolate christmas cake recipe all decorated for christmas.

This is a classic design which always works. I have my own cake design business Inspired By Michelle Cake Designs and this christmas cake was for one of my nicest customers.

To see more of my cake decorating ideas please click here.

More Christmas Recipes.

I have more christmas recipes to inspire you. Even cute chocolate covered strawberries that become little santa's rudolph's and snowmen for you to try.

To discover these please click here.

Return from my chocolate christmas cake recipe to inspired by chocolate and cakes Home Page.

 

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