Christmas Layer Cake

A classic holiday fruitcake packed with dried fruits, warm spices, and brandy. The baked cake is aged for several weeks, then sliced and layered with sweet apricot jam, almond marzipan, and white fondant.

The hands-on time is about an hour, followed by a long, slow bake. Making it ahead of the holidays allows the flavors to deepen and makes the dense cake much easier to slice.

Ingredients You Need

• Dried fruit: You can swap the fruits based on what you have in your pantry, as long as the total volume stays the same.
• Brandy: Dark rum or apple cider work well if you want a different flavor profile.
• Molasses: Use dark or regular molasses. Avoid blackstrap molasses, which can make the cake bitter.
• Pumpkin pie spice: This is a convenient US substitute for British mixed spice. It provides a similar blend of cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice.
• Marzipan: Look for this in the baking aisle. It is sweeter and smoother than almond paste.

Exact amounts are in the recipe card below.

How to Make It

Soak the fruit: Mix all the dried fruits with the extracts, spices, and brandy. Let this sit while you prepare the cake pan and batter.

Mix and bake: Cream the butter, sugar, and molasses. Add the eggs and dry ingredients, then fold in the fruit. Bake in a prepared pan with a paper collar to protect the edges.

Age the cake: Let the baked cake cool completely, feed it with extra brandy, and wrap it tightly. Store it in a cool, dark place for a few weeks to let the flavors mature.

Layer and decorate: Slice the aged cake into three even layers. Brush each layer with apricot jam, top with rolled marzipan, and stack them. Finish the top with rolled white fondant and festive decorations.

Baking Tips

• The eggs in the batter are fully cooked when the cake center reaches 160°F (71°C), which happens well before the two-hour baking time is complete.
• Wrapping the outside of the pan with brown paper insulates the cake, preventing the edges from drying out during the long bake.
• If you want to age the cake longer than a month, unwrap it every few weeks to brush the top with a little more brandy.

Serving Ideas

Serve thin slices with a cup of hot tea or coffee after a holiday dinner.

Storing and Freezing

Keep the decorated cake in an airtight container at room temperature for up to two weeks. You can freeze the undecorated, wrapped fruitcake for up to six months. Thaw overnight at room temperature before layering with marzipan and fondant.

FAQ

Christmas Layer Cake

Print Recipe

A rich fruitcake baked with warm spices and brandy, then sliced and layered with sweet apricot jam, marzipan, and white fondant.

• Author: Sofia
• Prep Time: 60 minutes
• Cook Time: 120 minutes
• Total Time: 180 minutes
• Yield: 1 7-inch cake 1x
• Category: Dessert
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: British

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

• 3/4 cup dark raisins (4 oz / 115 g)
• 3/4 cup golden raisins (4 oz / 115 g)
• 3/4 cup dried currants (4 oz / 115 g)
• 1/2 cup candied cherries (3 oz / 85 g), chopped
• 1/2 cup dried apricots (2.5 oz / 70 g), chopped
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries (2.5 oz / 70 g)
• 2 tsp almond extract
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 tsp lemon extract
• 2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
• 1/3 cup brandy (75 ml), plus 2 tbsp for feeding
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick / 113 g), softened
• 3/4 cup dark brown sugar (5 oz / 150 g), packed
• 3 tbsp dark molasses (45 ml)
• 3 large eggs, beaten
• 2/3 cup almond flour (2.5 oz / 70 g)
• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour (8 oz / 225 g)
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/3 cup apricot jam (3 oz / 90 g), warmed and strained
• 16 oz marzipan (450 g)
• 11 oz white fondant (310 g)
• Powdered sugar, for dusting
• Edible silver pearls or sugar stars, for decoration

Instructions

1. Combine the dark raisins, golden raisins, currants, cherries, apricots, cranberries, almond extract, vanilla extract, lemon extract, pumpkin pie spice, and 1/3 cup (75 ml) brandy in a large bowl. Stir well and set aside.
2. Preheat your oven to 300°F (150°C). Line the bottom and sides of a deep 7-inch (18 cm) round cake pan with a double layer of parchment paper. Wrap the outside of the pan with a double layer of brown kraft paper and secure it tightly with baker’s twine.
3. Beat the softened butter, dark brown sugar, and molasses in a large mixing bowl until creamy. Gradually mix in the beaten eggs, then stir in the almond flour.
4. Sift the all-purpose flour and baking powder over the wet ingredients. Stir gently until combined. Fold in the soaked fruit mixture and any remaining liquid from the bowl.
5. Spoon the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top, making a slight dip in the center so it bakes flat. Bake for about 2 hours, or until a wooden skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.
6. Remove the brown paper collar and let the cake cool in the pan on a wire rack. Poke holes across the top with a skewer and spoon the remaining 2 tablespoons of brandy over the cake. Allow it to cool completely, then wrap tightly in parchment paper and foil. Store in an airtight container for at least 3 weeks to age.
7. Two days before serving, unwrap the cake and use a large serrated knife to cut it horizontally into three equal layers.
8. Knead the marzipan until pliable and divide it into three equal pieces. Dust your counter with powdered sugar and roll each piece into a 7-inch (18 cm) circle. Brush the top of each cake layer with warm apricot jam and place a marzipan circle on top. Stack the three layers together.
9. Knead the white fondant until soft, then roll it out into a circle large enough to cover the top of the cake. Place it on the top layer and smooth the edges. Decorate with leftover fondant cut into star shapes and edible silver pearls.

Notes

• The eggs in the batter are fully cooked when the cake center reaches 160°F (71°C), which happens well before the two-hour baking time is complete.
• Wrapping the outside of the pan with brown paper insulates the cake, preventing the edges from drying out during the long bake.
• If you want to age the cake longer than a month, unwrap it every few weeks to brush the top with a little more brandy.

Keywords: christmas layer cake, holiday baking, fruitcake, marzipan, fondant cake