These mini Christmas cakes are an easy and delicious way to spread some holiday cheer. Cute, adorable and perfectly proportioned this festive season.
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I was gifted some gorgeous ingredients from Providence Foods to use in this recipe. I wasn't paid to write this post but I'm excited to share what I made with these beautiful ingredients. As always, all opinions are my own.
These mini fruit cakes are just the thing for the holiday season. Made in simple muffin tins, they are cute, festive and great for gifting or a Christmas dessert table. This recipe is a mini version of my popular old fashioned fruit cake, which my family have been making for four generations, so you know it's good!
Why you'll love this recipe
- Packed with festive flavours of dried fruit, spices, and nuts.
- Marzipan and fondant-free (but still pretty and polished).
- Can be made ahead, great for easing the rush at Christmas.
- Cute individual serves that's ideal for gifting.
Looking for more fabulously festive desserts that are great for gifting or a dessert platter? Why not try making my Christmas crack (recipe coming soon), fruit mincemeat tarts, or candy cane hearts. Merry Christmas!
Ingredients
For the cakes
Mixed dried fruit – I use a mix of sultanas, currants, raisins, and mixed peel.
Dates – Add lovely richness. You can swap them for more mixed fruit if you like.
Dried apricots – Bring a bit of tang. You can use more mixed fruit instead, or throw in some glacé cherries.
Orange juice – usually I say fresh in best, but in this recipe bottled is actually fine.
Unsalted butter – I use unsalted butter in this recipe.
Brown sugar – Light brown sugar adds caramel notes, or try dark brown for extra depth.
Self-raising flour – I use white self-raising flour. You can make your own with plain flour and baking powder if needed by using 2 teaspoons of baking powder for every 1 cup of plain or all-purpose flour.
Mixed spice, cinnamon, and ginger – These give the cake its classic warmth and festive flavour.
Eggs – I use large eggs, about 55 g each (with shells).
To decorate:
Apricot jam – Makes a lovely shiny glaze without needing marzipan.
Almonds – A simple, pretty topping. You can also use blanched or blanch your own (I peeled a lot of almonds as a kid!)—cheaper, but fiddly.
Brandy – Helps keep the cakes moist and adds a dash of festive flavor.
How to make mini Christmas cakes
See the full recipe card at the end of the post for ingredient amounts and instructions.
Chop the apricots and dates into small pieces. Measure out the mixed spice, cinnamon, and ginger.
Hot tip: To save on washing up you can mix everything in the same pot once the fruit mix has cooled—just make sure your pot’s big enough!
Add the mixed dried fruit, chopped dates and apricots, brown sugar, butter, spices, and orange juice to a large pot. Heat gently and stir until the butter melts and the sugar dissolves.
Increase to medium-high heat and bring to the boil. Reduce heat and simmer for five minutes, stirring occasionally. Turn off the heat and let it cool completely, about two hours and up to overnight.
Prep your muffin tins. Use a glass to trace circles onto parchment paper that fit neatly to the base of each hole. Cut them out, then grease the bottom and sides of the muffin tin with butter and press a paper circle into the bottom of each one. This helps stop the cakes from sticking and makes them easier to remove. You can also use cupcake or muffin tin liners.
Preheat the oven to 170°C (fan forced). Lightly beat the eggs in a separate bowl. Add eggs and flour to the cooled fruit mix. Stir gently but well, making sure there are no pockets of unmixed flour.
Spoon the mixture into the lined muffin tins—fill each about ⅔ full. Decorate the tops with almonds. Bake for 25–30 minutes or until golden and a skewer comes out mostly clean.
Let them cool in the tin for a few minutes, then transfer to a wire rack. Drizzle with a little brandy while still warm.
For a beautiful shiny glaze and festive look, mix the apricot jam with a generous splash of brandy and brush gently but generously on the top of each cake and you're done!
How to serve
To serve these Christmas mini cakes pop them onto a festive plate and enjoy! To add some holiday cheer you could try tying them with some pretty ribbon or adding some festive decorations. Merry Christmas!
How to store
At room temperature: in a cool, dry place, for at least two weeks and up to a month.
In the freezer: wrapped tightly in clingfilm and in an airtight container, for up to three months.
Tips for success and frequently asked questions
When should I make these mini fruit cakes?
Anywhere from the day of eating to up to a month in advance.
Some people like to make their fruit cake a week or two before eating as they feel it helps the flavors settle and the cake tastes better.
But I've made this recipe up to a month before and as soon as the day before Christmas on a hectic year, and it has still tasted delicious!
Do I need to 'feed' these mini fruit cakes?
Feeding a fruit cake refers to periodically lightly brushing the top with alcohol such as brandy.
You can 'feed' these mini Christmas fruit cakes if you want to, but it's not needed, they still taste great without it.
Can I make a big cake version of this?
You sure can. In fact this recipe is an adaptation of my full-sized Christmas cake recipe. Same great taste, but bigger! (but the bigger version is easier to store for longer periods).
Can I make this without the booze?
Yes just leave it out and replace it in the fitting with orange juice. It'll be fine, just maybe a little drier.
Have you made this recipe? Tell me how it went in the comments below and tag me on instagram so I can see your delicious creations! @keep_calm_and_eat_icecream
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📋 Recipe
Mini Christmas Cakes
Equipment
- 12 hole muffin tins
- parchment paper
Ingredients
- Extra butter to grease the muffin tins
- 2 and ⅓ cups (12 oz /340gms) dried fruit mix
- ½ cup (70gms) pitted dates
- ⅓ cup (65gms) dried apricots
- ¾ cup (165gms) tightly packed brown sugar
- 2 sticks plus one table spoon (250gms) unsalted butter
- ½ cup (125mls) orange juice
- 1 tablespoon Brandy (optional, or replace with orange juice)
- 1 teaspoon mixed spice
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 3 large eggs
- 2 cups (300gms) self raising flour
- 1 cup (110 gms) whole almonds
Decorations
- 1 - 2 shots (30mls) Brandy (divided)
- 2 tablespoons Apricot jam
Instructions
- Chop the apricots and dates into small pieces.
- Combine dried fruit, dates, apricots, brown sugar, orange juice, butter, mixed spice, cinnamon and ginger to a large saucepan.
- Stir over a low head until butter melts and sugar dissolves.
- Increase heat and bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer for five minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Remove from heat, cover and allow to cool completely, about two to three hours.
- Pre-heat oven to 335°F (170°C) (fan forced).
- Heavily grease and line an 8 inch square or round cake tin with butter or margarine, then line with foil, then baking paper, allowing plenty of overhang.
- Lightly beat eggs.
- Add eggs, self raising flour and brandy if using to cold boiled fruit mix and mix well.
- Pour cake mix into prepared cake tin. Decorate with blanched almonds in a pretty circlar pattern.
- Bake in the oven for one hour. The cake will be cooked when its starting to go a lovely golden brown color on top and a skewer will come out clean when inserted.
- Pour one shot of brandy over the cake while it is still warm.
- Mix half a tablespoon of brandy with the apricot jam and brush over cake while still warm.
- Cool and remove from the tin, add a pretty festive ribbon and you're done! Or check the recipe notes below for tips on storing this cake if making it in advance of Christmas day or your festive event.
Notes
You could ice them with marzipan and/or fondant if you prefer and/or add a colorful, festive ribbon. Storage: Store in an airtight container for up to two weeks. To keep them longer wrap each cake in baking paper and foil, then store in a cool, dark place. They’ll last up to a month. No need to ‘feed’ them with alcohol, but you can if you like.
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer
Nutritional information is an estimate based on an online database. The nutritional content of ingredients may vary by brand. If you require accurate nutritional information, you should calculate this based on the specific brands and products you are using.
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