Despite being relatively simple, this lovely cake definitely has that WOW factor. It’s ideal for Christmas time, to share with guests, to give as a gift, or just to eat with the family.

Serves: About 12 pieces

Level: reasonably easy

Approximate times: Prep: 30 min. Baking: 45 min. Decorating: 25 min.

Need: A 1.5litre/2.6 pint ring mould – well buttered

Cake ingredients

200g/7oz self-raising flour
50g/2oz ground almonds
25g/1oz cocoa powder
Pinch of salt
3 – 4 tsp ground “Christmassy spices” (cinnamon, mace, nutmeg, all spice, ginger etc. – your choice)
200g/7oz butter, softened
200g/7oz caster sugar
4 medium eggs, beaten
100g/3½oz glace cherries, halved or quartered
75g/3oz dried cranberries (or use raisins & sultanas)
50g/2oz crystallised ginger, chopped
100g/3½oz dark chocolate drops

To decorate

Some apricot jam or marmalade
75g/3oz white chocolate
A few glace cherry halves
A few broken pistachios (optional)
Some Christmassy sprinkles

Method

1. Brush the tin with melted butter and place in the fridge until needed.

2. Heat the oven to 190°C / fan 170°C / 375°F / Gas mark 5. Weigh and sift the flour, ground almonds, cocoa powder, salt and selected ground spices into a bowl and set aside.

3. Cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.

4. Mix in the eggs one at a time, adding a tsp of the flour mix each time.

5. Stir in the rest of the flour mixture then all the other ingredients. Add a little milk if the mixture seems very stiff.

6. Spoon the mixture into the tin, level the surface and bake for 42 – 47 min. Turn upside down on a rack to cool for about 10 min then remove and allow to cool completely.

7. Warm the jam or marmalade and brush it over the cake.

8. Melt the white chocolate over a bain marie. While it’s melting place the cherries, pistachios and sprinkles to hand so that no time is wasted when the chocolate is added.

9. Pipe, pour or flick the melted chocolate over the cake then add the cherries, pistachios and sprinkles (in that order)

Another version with a slightly different decoration

I hope you enjoy this lovely cake. If you want more cake recipes click this link, or have a look at my site for lots of other great recipes, both sweet and savoury. Below are a few Christmas ones that I’d love you to try:

Cherry and Almond Christmas Cake