Celebration Cakes
North Pole Scene Christmas Cake Recipe
This magnificent North Pole scene Christmas cake is the pinnacle of British festive baking, featuring a deeply spiced, brandy-soaked fruit sponge. Encased in golden marzipan and draped in 'snowy' peaked royal icing, this centrepiece brings the magic of the Arctic to your holiday table with edible signposts and polar landscapes.
- Prep
- 120 min
- Cook
- 240 min
- Serves
- 20
- Level
- Advanced
- Per serving
- 485 kcal
Method
Soak the currants, sultanas, raisins, cherries, and mixed peel in 3 tablespoons of brandy overnight.
Preheat your oven to 140°C (120°C fan/Gas Mark 1). Grease and double-line a 20cm deep round tin with silicone paper, ensuring the paper stands 5cm above the rim.
Cream the butter and dark muscovado sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, adding a spoonful of flour with each to prevent curdling.
Fold in the remaining flour and mixed spice, then stir in the soaked fruit mixture until evenly distributed.
Transfer to the tin and smooth the surface with a wet spoon. Bake for 4 to 4.5 hours until a skewer comes out clean. Allow to cool completely in the tin.
Once cool, prick the base and feed with a little extra brandy. Wrap in foil and store for 2-4 weeks if possible.
To decorate, brush the cake with warmed apricot jam. Roll out the marzipan and cover the cake. Leave to dry for 24 hours.
Whisk the egg whites until frothy, then gradually add the sifted icing sugar and glycerine to create a stiff, glossy royal icing.
Spread the icing over the top and sides of the cake, using a palette knife to pull up sharp peaks to represent drifts of snow.
Position a 'North Pole' signpost (made from sugar paste) and edible polar bear figurines on the top to complete the Arctic scene. Finish with a sprinkle of silver dragées or edible glitter.
Notes
Use glycerine in your royal icing to prevent it from setting rock-hard, making it easier to slice.
Double-lining the cake tin with parchment prevents the edges of the fruit cake from burning during the long bake.
Feed the cake with brandy every week for a month leading up to Christmas for the best flavour depth.
If the marzipan is too sticky, use a little sifted icing sugar on your work surface to roll it out.
