There Christmas cake that rests for weeks is a dessert based on dried fruitvery widespread in the Anglo-Saxon tradition, but also similar to some desserts widespread in northern Italy such as zelten, which we invite you to try because, as well as being delicious, it also has a very interesting process.
This is a very particular recipe that is prepared around the first half of November, or at the beginning of Advent, and which is then brought to the table on Christmas Day.
It has a very long shelf life, but simple processing.
Follow our recipe carefully so as not to miss all the steps.

Dried fruit Christmas cake recipe

Ingredients

• 700 g of raisins
• 300 d of dried red fruits
• 100 g of candied cherries
• 150 g of chopped pecans with a knife
• 400ml bourbon or brandy
• 300 g of butter
• 180 g of cane sugar
• 2 tablespoons grated lemon zest
• 4 large eggs
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup or honey
• 1 tablespoon almond essence
• 300 g of 00 flour
• 150 g of almonds chopped with a knife
• ½ teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 tablespoon of cinnamon
• ½ tablespoon of ginger

Method

1. To prepare the Christmas cake that rests for weeks, wet the dried fruit and candied fruit with the brandy and bring to the boil.
2. Let everything cool overnight, keeping the pot covered.
3. The following morning prepare the cake with the eggs at temperature environment and soft butter.
4. Mix the butter and sugar with a hand whisk and add the lemon zest. Then the eggs, stirring continuously, the almond flavouring, the maple syrup and the spices.
   Then slowly walnuts and almonds and finally the Flour.
5. Then add the fruit cooked the night before and pour all this rich mixture into a mold that you have lined with two sheets of baking paper.
6. You can use one Zuccotto mold or a cake mold 18 cm in diameter.
7. Cook in a preheated static oven at 140° for about 4 and a half hours.
8. Then let it cool the cake well, wet the surface with a few spoonfuls of brandy and cover with baking paper.
9. Once a week, wet it again with brandy to keep it moist and serve it on Christmas Eve.
10. With these doses you will get approx 15 servings which you can still keep for a few more days.

How to accompany Christmas cake

Since it is a dessert very rich in aromas, flavors and textures, we suggest you serve the Christmas cake simply with a little whipped cream and a sprinkling of cinnamonor with del vanilla ice cream or an egg-free mascarpone cream.
If you want, you can keep it for a while over a radiator or near a fireplace to bring it to the table warm.

Where to store the Christmas cake

We suggest you cover the cake with baking paper and then with aluminum and then store it in a covered and cool place, but not in the refrigerator. Do you have a pantry or a cabinet in the kitchen with the doors closed? Perfect, that’s the right place!

Other useful tips for preparing it