Name: Small Christmas Cake Recipe
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 1 h 45 min
Total time: 2 h 7 min
Yield: 6
Cuisine: British
Ingredients: 300g Sultanas; 150g Raisins; 50g Glace cherries, rinsed, dried and cut in half or quarters; 25g mixed peel (if you can tolerate the stuff); 1 tsp finely grated lemon zest; 1 tsp finely grated orange zest; ½ teaspoon mixed spice; ⅛ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg; ⅛ teaspoon ground cinnamon; 60ml Brandy, Rum, Sherry or Whisky; 100g Butter; 100g soft light or dark brown sugar; 2 large eggs; ½ tablespoon treacle, or orange marmalade; ½ teaspoon almond extract; 150g plain (all-purpose) flour; ⅛ teaspoon fine salt; FOR THE GLAZED FRUIT AND NUT TOPPING; 1 heaped tablespoon orange marmalade or apricot jam; 1 tablespoon brandy, rum, sherry or whisky; Approximately 150g mixed unsalted nuts and dried fruits, such as glace cherries, soft dried apricots, dates, cranberries, etc (if they are large I cut them into slightly smaller pieces).

Jump to Recipe

This Small Christmas Cake Recipe is perfect for smaller families that love a slice of fruit cake at Christmas time but don’t want to be eating it into the New Year and beyond. Ideal for more intimate gatherings or for people who live alone, it’s packed with juicy dried fruit and keeps very well.

You don’t have to wait for it to mature either – you can bake and eat it straight away!

A small round Christmas fruit cake glazed with apricot jam and decorated with glazed pecans, almonds, walnuts, brazils, glace cherries, apricots and stem ginger on a wooden serving board. A wooden red Reindeer Christmas decoration and mixed nuts and fruit are placed beside the cake for a festive theme.

recipe for a small christmas cake

If you love a fruit cake at Christmas time but most recipes make a cake that’s too big for your family, give this small Christmas cake recipe a try. It makes a cute little 6-inch fruit cake that’s more than enough for 3-4 people.

It’s also ideal if you live alone, or if no-one else in your house likes Christmas cake. I personally love fruit cake, but not everyone does!

You can soak the fruit in alcohol for a few days or simmer it on the hob for about 10 minutes. Boiling the dried fruit and spices in a spirit of your choice is a great shortcut if you’re pushed for time. I do this for my Amaretto Christmas cake and it works extremely well.

A silver bowl of dried fruit, such as cranberries, raisins, sultanas and mixed peel.

My Amaretto Christmas cake is super popular at this time of year. It amazes and thrills me how many of you make it year after year!

The recipe is made using the boiled fruit cake method (which I know doesn’t sound particularly appealing, but believe me, it works so well), but it makes quite a large, deep cake. It’s also rather rich, meaning a small slice is all one needs.

A partially sliced small Christmas cake topped with glazed nuts, apricots, glace cherries and stem ginger pieces on a wooden board with a glass of mulled wine, cinnamon sticks, dried apricots and nuts, a small fir tree decoration and a wooden cake stand with pine cones.

I’m often asked for a recipe for a small Christmas cake recipe that will feed a smaller family or for gifting to someone. This fruit cake is based on a recipe my Gran made for Christmas every year. It’s delicious and incredibly moist.

If you’re interested in trying a fruit loaf cake, then these Mary Berry Mincemeat Loaf Cakes are also delicious. They don’t contain alcohol, so they don’t keep as long as a traditional Christmas cake, but they are very easy to make – foolproof, in fact!

why you’ll love this recipe

It’s beautifully moist – no need to feed it with alcohol
Easy to make
Perfect for gifting, or for a small family to enjoy over the holidays

CHRISTMAS CAKE WITH GLAZED FRUIT AND NUT TOPPING

As much as I love a traditional Christmas cake with marzipan and icing, I think a glazed fruit and nut topping is just as pretty. It’s certainly much easier! You don’t need any special baking skills to do this (it’s as easy as pie) and it looks absolutely stunning.

A small round Christmas cake glazed with dried fruits and nuts - glace cherries, stem ginger, dried apricots, pecans, walnuts and almonds on a wooden serving board. A small red plate of dried fruits and a red and white bowl of mixed nuts can be partially seen. A red wooden reindeer decoration, nuts and pine cones have been placed beside the board.

how to line a christmas cake tin

1. Place the cake tin on top of a piece of baking parchment and using a pencil, lightly trace around the outside to make two circles. Cut out the circles. Grease the base and sides of the tin with butter or cake release spray and place one of the circles in the bottom of the tin.

Two circles and a long strip of baking parchment.

2. Cut two pieces of parchment long enough to wrap right around the tin with an overlap of about 2 inches. The paper should come up a good 2-3 inches higher than the sides of the tin. Fold the paper up 1 inch along the bottom of the strip (like making a hem), then cut small slits, about 1/2 inch apart. Repeat with the second piece.

A long piece of baking parchment with the end folded up and cut with scissors to make a fringe.

3. Place the strip inside the tin, with the snipped edge on the bottom, pressing it down so it sits flat on the circle. Press the paper into the sides. Repeat with the second piece of parchment, then place the second circle on top to secure.

how to make a 6 inch christmas cake

Please scroll to the bottom of the post for a printable recipe card with ingredient amounts and detailed instructions on how to make this cake.

1. Cream soft butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. I used my stand mixer, but you can do this by hand.

Creamed brown sugar and butter in a sliver bowl.

2. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, making sure each one is well incorporated before adding the next.

A mixture of eggs, brown sugar and butter in a silver bowl with an orange spatula.

3. Stir in the treacle or orange marmalade and almond extract. The mixture might have a curdled appearance, but don’t worry.

4. Fold in plain flour and a pinch of salt.

Dried fruit being stirred into a Christmas cake batter.

5. Fold in the soaked (cooled if you boiled it) fruit.

A silver bowl filled with fruit cake batter and a wooden handled orange spatula.

6. Spoon the cake batter into the prepared cake tin. Spread it out evenly with the back of a spoon.

An unbaked six inch fruit cake lined with baking paper.

7. Cover the top of the cake with a double square of baking parchment with a small hole cut in the middle. This will protect the top of the cake from burning

8. Bake the cake on the lowest shelf of the oven at 150𝇈C/130𝇈C Fan/ Gas Mark 2 for 1 1/2 -1 3/4 hours or until the cake is springy in the center when lightly pressed. A cake tester inserted in the middle should emerge clean.

HOW TO STORE homemade CHRISTMAS CAKE

Place the decorated cake in an airtight container or cake tin and store in a cool, dark place. It should keep for 2-3 months. To keep it fresh and prevent it from drying out, I wrap it in a couple of layers of baking paper.

A round baked fruit cake, still in the lined tin on a wooden serving board. A red and white bowl of mixed nuts, a red and white star plate of cherries and apricots and mixed nuts and a pine cone can be partially seen.

DO I NEED TO FEED THIS CAKE?

This cake is so moist and juicy from the alcohol soaked fruit, it’s really not necessary to feed it with any more booze. But if you really want to, then by all means please do, but this fruit cake is rich enough as it is!

baker’s tips for making this recipe

Please treat the baking time for this cake as a rough guide. All ovens vary, and the cake could take 15-30 minutes longer in your oven than mine. It takes 1 hour 40 minutes in my fan-assisted oven (infuriatingly, I can’t switch the fan off). The best way to test if a fruit cake is fully cooked is by doing the skewer test. Pierce the cake with a skewer – if it comes out with no wet or sticky batter, it’s ready. It should also spring back when lightly pressed in the middle.

Fruit cakes require a long, slow bake to ensure they cook properly – they can’t be rushed. Low and slow is key.

It’s always a good idea to protect the top of the cake with a double circle of baking parchment with a hole in the middle. This will help prevent the top from scorching in the oven and apparently, it helps the cake bake evenly. I’m not sure of the exact science behind this, but Delia does it, and I wouldn’t argue with her!

A slice of Christmas cake topped with a glace cherry and a brazil nut on a Christmas themed plate with a yellow handled fork. A Christmas cake that has been sliced sits in the background on a wooden board with a glass of mulled wine, cinnamon sticks, dried apricots and nuts, a tiny fir tree and a wooden cake stand with pine cones.

more cakes perfect for christmas time

A slice of Christmas cake topped with a glace cherry and nuts on a Christmas themed plate. A sliced Christmas cake topped with glazed fruits and nuts sits in the background on a wooden serving board.

Yield: 6-8 servings

Small Christmas Cake Recipe

5.0 Stars (3 Reviews)

This Small Christmas Cake Recipe is perfect for small families or for giving away as a Christmas gift. The fruit cake is so rich and moist you can make and decorate it right away - no need to feed it or let it mature for several weeks. The glazed fruit and nut topping gives a stunning finish.

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 1 hour 45 minutes

Additional Time 2 minutes

Total Time 2 hours 7 minutes

Ingredients

300g Sultanas
150g Raisins
50g Glace cherries, rinsed, dried and cut in half or quarters
25g mixed peel (if you can tolerate the stuff)
1 tsp finely grated lemon zest
1 tsp finely grated orange zest
½ teaspoon mixed spice
⅛ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
⅛ teaspoon ground cinnamon
60ml Brandy, Rum, Sherry or Whisky
100g Butter
100g soft light or dark brown sugar
2 large eggs
½ tablespoon treacle, or orange marmalade
½ teaspoon almond extract
150g plain (all-purpose) flour
⅛ teaspoon fine salt
FOR THE GLAZED FRUIT AND NUT TOPPING
1 heaped tablespoon orange marmalade or apricot jam
1 tablespoon brandy, rum, sherry or whisky
Approximately 150g mixed unsalted nuts and dried fruits, such as glace cherries, soft dried apricots, dates, cranberries, etc (if they are large I cut them into slightly smaller pieces).

Instructions

Place all of the dried fruit in a large bowl and add the citrus zest, spices and alcohol. Cover and allow the fruit to soak for at least 12 hours or up to 2-3 days.
Alternatively, place the fruit in a large saucepan, add the zest, spices and alcohol. Stir well, then bring to the boil. Turn down the heat immediately and simmer for about 10-12 minutes or until the fruit is plump, juicy and has absorbed all of the alcohol. Remove from the heat and allow to cool down.
When you’re ready to bake, preheat the oven to 150C/130Fan/Gas Mark 2. Grease and line the top and sides of cake tin with baking parchment. Some people like to wrap around the outside of the tin with paper and tie it with string, but if you’re using a good quality tin, I don’t find it necessary. But if you want to for extra insulation, then please go ahead.
Cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, the add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in the treacle or marmalade and almond extract,
Fold in the flour and salt, then the dried fruit, mixing thoroughly until well combined.
Spoon the cake mixture into the lined tin and bake for around 1 hour 30 - 1 hour 45 minutes, or until the cake springs back immediately when lightly pressed in the middle and a cake tester emerges with no wet batter.
Remove the cake from the oven and allow to cool in the tin completely.
Place the marmalade or apricot jam and alcohol in a small saucepan and heat gently until well combined. If you are using shredded marmalade, pass it through a sieve to remove the peel.
Using a pastry brush, paint the jam all over the top of the cake. Arrange the nuts and fruits on top of the cake, using your artistic licence to create whatever pretty pattern you like. Carefully brush the top of the nuts and fruit with the remaining jam.
Store the cake in an airtight container or cake box.

Notes

STORING: The alcohol in the glaze acts as a preservative and the glazed fruit and nut topping will keep for 2-3 months in an airtight tin or cake box. I wrap the cake in two layers of baking parchment to keep it fresh.

FREEZING: Wrap the completely cold cake in double layers of baking parchment and tin foil, or place it in a large ziplock freezer bag. Freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost at room temperature before serving.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 580Total Fat: 24gSaturated Fat: 9gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 13gCholesterol: 73mgSodium: 251mgCarbohydrates: 76gFiber: 5gSugar: 56gProtein: 9g

Calories and nutritional information are provided by a third party application and should be viewed as indicative figures only.