Many families still guard treasured recipes handed down through generations, while others prefer to experiment—whether with chocolate fruit cakes, lighter sponges or vegan and gluten-free variations. Bakeries across the UK now sell festive creations ranging from the classic to the quirky, and decorating the Christmas cake has become as much about artistry as flavour.
Nelstrops, modern day millers with over 200 years of experience, have drawn from inspirations from all over the world to put a sunny twist into your festive baking this year, showing how tradition and innovation can meet. Let’s look at what inspired us to share our Christmas cake recipe with a tropical twist.
Christmas Cakes Through Time: How Traditions Have Changed Across the World
When we think of Christmas traditions, we picture twinkling lights, decorated trees, and family gathered around the table. Yet no festive season feels quite complete without something sweet. For centuries, Christmas cakes—in all their many forms—have been the centrepiece of celebrations across the world. What’s remarkable is how this tradition has changed over time, and how differently it is expressed from country to country, even though, the idea of a “cake at Christmas” has remained constant.
A Slice of History
The story of the Christmas cake begins in medieval England. Originally it was not a cake at all, but a rich plum porridge eaten on Christmas Eve after a day of fasting during Advent. Over the years, ingredients such as flour, eggs and butter were added, turning the mixture into a dense, fruity cake. By the Victorian era, the traditional British Christmas fruit cake—brimming with dried fruit, laced with brandy, and finished with marzipan—had taken its place as a seasonal staple.
Interesting Traditions from Around the World
United Kingdom & Commonwealth: The fruit cake is still king, often baked well in advance and “fed” with brandy to keep it moist. In Scotland, Black Bun—a dark, spiced fruit cake encased in pastry—is a Hogmanay favourite.
Germany: A festive treat here is Stollen, a loaf-shaped fruit bread dusted with icing sugar and filled with marzipan. Its folded shape is said to symbolise the baby Jesus wrapped in swaddling clothes.
Italy: The Panettone, a tall, fluffy bread-like cake studded with raisins and candied peel. Originating in Milan, it is now enjoyed far beyond Italy at Christmastime.
Caribbean: Drawing on colonial influences, Caribbean islands bake their own versions of fruit cake. Often called rum cake, these are dark, spiced and steeped in rum-soaked fruit, sometimes prepared months in advance.
What Never Changes
However much the recipes differ, one thing remains the same: the Christmas cake continues to be a symbol of togetherness. Whether shared after midnight Mass in Europe, exchanged as a gift in Asia, or enjoyed at the family table here in Britain, it embodies what the festive season is about—warmth, celebration and connection.
Recipe Caribbean Themed Christmas Cake
To fit a 6-inch square tin
165g Nelstrops plain flour
⅓ tsp salt
⅙ tsp nutmeg
¼ tsp ground ginger
⅓ tsp mixed spice
Wet Ingredients
165g butter (softened)
165g muscovado or dark brown sugar
3 eggs
¾ tbsp treacle
Zest of 1 lime and 1 orange
Add-ins
40g chopped almonds
50g chopped crystallised ginger
Soaked Fruit (prepare 1–2 weeks in advance)
100g dried pineapple (chopped)
100g sultanas
50g cranberries
100g currants
100g dates (chopped)
50g glacé cherries (halved)
80g dried mango (chopped)
2 tbsp dark rum
Preparation (1–2 Weeks Before Baking)
Chop and combine the dried fruits (pineapple, sultanas, cranberries, currants, dates, cherries and mango).
Pour over the dark rum, stir well, and cover tightly.
Store in a cool, dark place, stirring every few days to ensure the fruit absorbs the rum evenly.
Method
1. Preheat the oven to 150°C (130°C fan) / 300°F.
2. Line a 6-inch square cake tin with a double layer of baking paper and tie brown paper around the outside to protect the edges.
3. Sift together the flour, salt, nutmeg, ginger and mixed spice. Set aside.
4. Cream the butter and sugar together in a large bowl until light and fluffy (about 4–5 minutes with an electric mixer).
5. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. If the mixture begins to curdle, add a spoonful of the sifted flour.
6. Stir in the treacle and citrus zests.
7. Fold in the flour mixture gently using a large metal spoon or spatula until just combined.
8. Add the soaked fruits, chopped almonds and crystallised ginger. Fold evenly through the batter.
9. Spoon the mixture into the prepared tin, level the top and make a slight hollow in the centre to prevent doming. Cover the top of the cake with 2 sheets of baking paper. Cut a hole in the centre of the paper that is going on top of the cake, about 4cm diameter.
10. Bake for about 2¾ to 3½ hours, or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
11. Cool in the tin for 30 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
12. Once cooled, pierce the cake with a skewer and spoon over 1–2 tbsp dark rum. Wrap the cake tightly in grease proof paper and foil and store in an airtight tin.
Feeding Schedule for Christmas
Assuming you bake it around mid-November, here’s a feeding plan to mature it beautifully for Christmas:
Week 1 (Baking Week)
Once the cake is cool, feed with 1–2 tbsp dark rum. Wrap and store in an airtight tin.
Week 2
Unwrap, poke holes, feed with 1 tbsp rum. Rewrap.
Week 3
Feed again with 1 tbsp rum.
Week 4
Feed lightly with 1 tbsp rum.
Christmas Week
Unwrap, decorate with marzipan and icing (or leave plain and glazed). Serve and enjoy!
