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Aromatic Cognac and Drambuie take this traditional Christmas cake recipe to the next-level.
Christmas cakes are pastry chef Phillipa Margetts’ most lusted-after creations. Featuring traditional dried fruit soaked in aromatic Croizet VSOP Cognac and glazed with Drambuie Liqueur, her cakes are a festive flavour sensation.
With Christmas rapidly approaching, Phillipa shares her famous (and easy) recipe so you can recreate it at home to enjoy on Christmas Day or gift to friends.
Expect to spend 45 minutes preparing the mixture for its 90-minute bake, and this will make two cakes, serving up to 12 people. And remember that Christmas cakes get better with age.
Ingredients: fruit mince
300g sultanas 300g raisins 250g currants 150g diced apricots 150g cranberries 75g mixed peel 6 tbsp cinnamon 200g brown sugar 300mL Croizet VSOP Gold Cognac
Ingredients: cake
300g unsalted butter 320g brown sugar 4 tbsp golden syrup 6 eggs 250g plain flour 2 tsp mixed spice 2 tsp cinnamon 8 cups fruit mince (made from above) Blanched almonds for decorating Drambuie Liqueur for glazing
Method: fruit mince
Place all dried fruit in a bowl and add the brown sugar and cinnamon Add Croizet VSOP Gold Cognac Allow to soak for a minimum 24 hours, or ideally for a few days or up to a week, allowing the flavours to develop and fruit to absorb the alcohol
Method: cake
Preheat oven to 160 degrees celsius
Place the butter and sugar in an electric mixer with the paddle attachment, cream until light in colour and creamy. Slowly add golden syrup and mix until combined Add eggs, one at a time, allowing each egg to combine into the mixture. Stop and scrape down the bowl every few eggs allowing the mixture to combine completely Add the flour, mixed spice and cinnamon, and scrape down the sides ensuring no lumps remain Add pre-made fruit mince, one cup at a time. This can be added into the electric mixing bowl or can be stirred through by hand, just make sure fruit mince is evenly mixed throughout the cake batter Line 2 x 8 inch cake tins with baking paper. The tins need to be lined twice around the base and sides Evenly divide batter between the tins and decorate with blanched almonds. I tend to decorate around the outside, and then in the centre of the cake Bake time varies between ovens but should take between 1.5 hours to 1.75 hours. To check, insert a skewer into the cake centre and ensure it comes out clean. If the cake is becoming dark, cover it loosely with foil and continue baking in the oven until cooked Take cakes out of the oven and allow to cool slightly before glazing them with the Drambuie with a pastry brush. You can be quite generous as the cake will absorb the flavour once wrapped and allowed to cool completely Once cakes cool down (still warm to touch), wrap the cakes in newspaper or in tea towels overnight. Cling wrap the next day and leave wrapped or in a container until consumed
