Fancy a change from the traditional fruit Christmas cake? Why not try this absolutely delicious ultimate chocolate christmas cake recipe instead? I promise you it’s easy to make and easy to eat!

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This recipe is adapted from a recipe by David Herbert that I found in an old magazine at the doctor’s surgery.

I make this cake every year not only because it’s divinely delicious and different but also it’s really super easy to make.

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Getting Ready to Bake

This short video shows just how easy this cake is to make, in case you don’t believe me!

The original recipe used glacé cherries but I prefer dried cherries. And using the chocolate, chocolate chips and the dried blueberries make it a very different type of Christmas cake. It’s really delicious!

I am not a great “icer” but we try different decorations every year. One year the kids and I had fun making stars, snowballs and a little present, and we put edible silver balls around the edge gave it a nice finishing touch.

Another year we made little snowmen from the fondant icing and had a little snowman party going on.

This year, I’m loving the simple Scandi look so I’ll be doing the berries and rosemary.

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Chocolate Christmas Cake Recipe

Ingredients

• 350g sultanas
• 275g dried sour cherries, chopped
• 100g dried blueberries
• 175g dark chocolate, broken into pieces
• 200g unsalted butter, diced
• 125g light brown sugar
• 200ml sweet sherry
• 4 large free-range eggs, beaten
• Grated zest of an orange
• 175g dark chocolate chips
• 200g plain flour
• 2 tbsp self-raising flour
• 1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
• Pinch of salt
• 3 tbsp apricot jam
• 500g marzipan
• 2 x 500g ready-made packs of white icing
• Icing sugar

Method

1. Place all the dried fruit in a large saucepan.
2. Add the chocolate, butter, sugar and sherry and place over a low heat, stirring occasionally until the chocolate and butter have melted.
3. Increase the heat and bring to the boil, then reduce heat and simmer gently stirring often for 5 minutes. Set aside to cool.
4. Preheat oven to 150degC (Gas Mark 2). Grease and line the base and sides of a 20cm square cake tin with a double layer of parchment/baking paper, leaving 5cm of paper above the tin.
5. Transfer the cooled mixture to a large mixing bowl.
6. Add the beaten eggs, orange zest, chocolate chips and mix well with a wooden spoon.
7. Sift the flours, soda and salt into the bowl and mix well.
8. Spoon the batter into the tin and bake for 1 hour. Cover the top of the the cake with baking paper and cook for a further 1-1 1/2 hours or until it is firm to touch and a skewer comes out clean.
9. Allow to cool in the tin then wrap in foil then cling film until ready to ice.

To Ice:

1. For the icing, start by melting the jam in a little saucepan with 1 tbsp cold water then sieve it into a bowl.
2. Brush the cake (placed on the final serving plate/board) with the jam.
3. Roll out the marzipan on a surface dusted with icing sugar to a square 27cm across. Lift the marzipan over the cake and smooth it around the sides. Trim off excess and wrap in cling film and leave overnight.
4. Roll out 150g of the ready made icing on a surface dusted with icing sugar and cut your chosen shapes. Transfer the shapes to a lined baking sheet. Leave decorations to set uncovered in a cool place for 1-2 days.
5. Remove the cling film from the marzipan-covered cake and lightly brush with water.
6. On a surface dusted with icing sugar, roll out the remaining icing to a 33cm round, lift over the cake and smooth down the sides. Trim off the excess.
7. Dust your palms with icing sugar and gently polish the surface of the icing with your hand to smooth it out.
8. Take your decorations and arrange them on the top of the cake and dust with icing sugar before you serve.

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