This festive cherry and pistachio Christmas cake is a rich, moist British-style fruit cake packed with dried cherries, cranberries, raisins, sultanas, currants, mixed peel, glacé cherries and crunchy pistachios. Soak the dried fruit in 150ml brandy overnight, then bake the cake slowly in a deep 20cm round tin at 150°C conventional, 130°C fan or gas mark 2 for 2 hours 15 minutes to 2 hours 45 minutes.
The finished cake has a tender, fragrant crumb with warm mixed spice, bright orange and lemon zest, buttery muscovado sweetness and a gentle brandy richness. Ground almonds help keep every slice moist, while the pistachios add a lovely green color and noticeable nutty texture that makes this Christmas dessert especially inviting on a holiday table.
Jump to RecipeWhy You’ll Love This Recipe
Christmas cake should feel generous, celebratory and wonderfully fragrant, and this cherry and pistachio version delivers all three qualities. It has the familiar richness of a traditional fruit cake, but the combination of jewel-like cherries and vibrant pistachios gives it a fresher, more colorful personality.
Every bite offers a different texture. The soaked dried fruit becomes plump and soft, the glacé cherries bring a glossy burst of sweetness, and the chopped pistachios provide a delicate crunch throughout the dense but tender crumb.
This is also a practical make-ahead dessert. You can bake it one to four weeks before Christmas, feed it with small amounts of brandy, and decorate it shortly before serving. If you enjoy festive baking projects, you may also like these easy Christmas tree pastries for a lighter companion treat.
Ingredients You’ll Need
The fruit mixture is the heart of the cake, so use fresh, good-quality dried fruit. Dried cherries bring a distinct tart-sweet flavor, while cranberries add brightness and the raisins, sultanas, currants and mixed peel create the classic rich fruit-cake character.
- Fruit and brandy: Use 200g dried cherries, 100g dried cranberries, 100g raisins, 100g sultanas, 100g currants, 100g mixed peel and 150ml brandy for soaking.
- Rich batter: Softened unsalted butter, muscovado sugar and four beaten eggs create a deep, buttery base.
- Structure and flavor: Plain flour, mixed spice, ground almonds, orange zest and lemon zest keep the cake substantial, moist and aromatic.
- Festive texture: Add 100g roughly chopped shelled pistachios and 200g halved glacé cherries.
- Decoration: Choose 2-3 tablespoons apricot jam, 500-750g marzipan, optional 500-750g fondant, and extra pistachios and glacé cherries.
Ground almonds are particularly useful here because they help retain moisture during the long bake. Keep the pistachios chopped rather than ground so their color and texture remain visible in each slice.
For another fruit-forward dessert idea, this cherry cheesecake bar recipe makes a lovely option when you want something creamy and quicker to prepare.
How to Make It Step-by-Step
Step 1: Place the dried cherries, cranberries, raisins, sultanas, currants and mixed peel in a large bowl. Pour over the 150ml brandy, cover the bowl, and leave it overnight so the fruit can absorb the liquid and become plump.
Step 2: If you did not plan ahead, warm the fruit and brandy mixture gently for 5-10 minutes instead. Do not boil it, and allow it to cool fully before adding it to the cake batter.
Step 3: Heat the oven to 150°C conventional, 130°C fan or gas mark 2. Grease a deep 20cm round cake tin and line it with two layers of baking parchment, allowing the paper to rise slightly above the rim for extra protection.
Step 4: Beat the softened butter and muscovado sugar until pale, soft and fluffy. Add the beaten eggs gradually, mixing well after each addition; if the batter begins to curdle, add a small spoonful of the measured flour.
Step 5: Fold in the plain flour, mixed spice, ground almonds, orange zest and lemon zest. Use a gentle folding motion so the mixture stays cohesive without becoming unnecessarily heavy.
Step 6: Toss the chopped pistachios and halved glacé cherries with a tablespoon of flour if desired. Fold them into the batter along with the soaked fruit until the ingredients are spread evenly, taking care not to overmix.
Step 7: Spoon the batter into the lined tin and smooth the top with the back of a spoon. Make a shallow dip in the center, which helps the cake bake with a more level surface rather than a tall dome.
Step 8: Bake for about 2 hours 15 minutes to 2 hours 45 minutes. Begin checking toward the shorter end of the range, but rely on the skewer test rather than the clock: the center should be baked through, with a clean skewer or only a few moist crumbs.
Step 9: Leave the cake in its tin for 20-30 minutes after baking. Prick the surface with a skewer and spoon over 1-2 tablespoons of brandy, allowing it to soak in before transferring the cake to a cooling rack.
Step 10: Cool the cake completely before wrapping it. Enclose it tightly in baking parchment and foil, then store it in a cool place; feed it with a tablespoon or two of brandy every 1-2 weeks if you are maturing it.
Step 11: When ready to decorate, warm the apricot jam and brush it over the cake. Cover with marzipan, add fondant if using, and finish with extra pistachios and glacé cherries for a simple jewel-like decoration.
Pro Tips for a Moist, Even Cake
The low oven temperature is essential for this deep fruit cake. A hotter oven can brown the outside before the center has finished cooking, leaving you with a dark crust and an underbaked middle.
If the top begins to brown too quickly, cover the cake loosely with foil during the final hour. Keep the foil tented rather than pressed directly onto the surface, especially if the cake has started to dome.
- Bring the butter and eggs to room temperature for a smoother batter.
- Drain only excess brandy from the fruit; the absorbed moisture belongs in the cake.
- Use a deep 20cm tin rather than a wider, shallow tin, since the specified depth supports the slow bake.
- Do not remove the cake early simply because the surface looks set; fruit cakes can appear baked while remaining soft in the center.
- Cool completely before wrapping or decorating to prevent trapped steam from making the surface sticky.
For a different kind of celebration cake, compare the soft, seasonal crumb of our pumpkin loaf cake. It is less dense and does not require maturing, but it brings the same cozy spice notes to an autumn or winter table.
Decorating and Serving Ideas
A smooth marzipan and fondant covering gives this cake a traditional Christmas appearance. Warm the apricot jam first so it brushes easily over the cooled cake and creates a tacky surface for the marzipan to adhere to.
If you prefer a simpler finish, skip the fondant and arrange pistachios and glacé cherries over the marzipan. A scattering of finely chopped pistachios around the base adds color, while a few whole or halved cherries make the top look festive without requiring elaborate piping.
Let the decorated cake stand at room temperature for a short while before slicing. Serve thin wedges with tea, coffee or a small glass of brandy, and add softly whipped cream if you want a less formal dessert plate.
Because this cake is rich, modest slices are satisfying. It is an excellent centerpiece after Christmas dinner, but it also keeps its character when served at a Boxing Day buffet or wrapped as a homemade edible gift.
For a lighter bake to serve alongside it, our blueberry crumb cake offers a buttery, fruit-filled alternative with a tender crumb and a crisp topping.
Storage, Maturing and Slicing
Once completely cool, wrap the cake tightly in baking parchment and then foil. Store it in a cool, dry place for up to four weeks while maturing, feeding it with one or two tablespoons of brandy every 1-2 weeks.
Do not pour brandy over the cake every day or add more than it can absorb. Small, regular feeds help develop the traditional flavor while preserving a sliceable texture.
If you are not maturing the cake, it can still be served once cooled and decorated. Keep it well wrapped, and cut it with a sharp serrated knife using a gentle sawing motion so the fruit and pistachios stay in place.
Allow the cake to come to room temperature before serving if it has been stored somewhere cold. Once cut, press parchment or cling film against the exposed surface and keep the cake covered to help prevent it from drying out.
Festive Baking Troubleshooting
If fruit sinks slightly, do not worry; a heavily soaked fruit mixture can settle even when the batter is prepared carefully. Tossing the glacé cherries and pistachios in a tablespoon of flour helps limit sinking, but it cannot always prevent it completely.
A cracked top is not a problem if you plan to use marzipan and fondant. The important test is the center: a skewer should come out clean or with only a few moist crumbs, and the cake should feel firm without being hard.
If the cake is browning before it is baked, loosely cover it with foil for the final hour. If it seems dry, check that it was not overbaked and remember that careful wrapping and modest brandy feeding can help maintain its texture.
For a chocolate-based treat that uses a different baking style, try this Texas sheet cake brownie. It is a good choice when you need a quick, crowd-friendly dessert rather than a make-ahead Christmas cake.
Festive Cherry and Pistachio Christmas Cake
Ingredients
Method
- Combine the dried cherries, cranberries, raisins, sultanas, currants and mixed peel in a bowl. Pour over 150ml brandy, cover and leave overnight; alternatively, warm the mixture gently for 5-10 minutes, then cool.
- Heat the oven to 150°C conventional, 130°C fan or gas mark 2. Grease and line a deep 20cm round cake tin with two layers of baking parchment, leaving the paper slightly above the rim.
- Beat the softened butter and muscovado sugar until pale and fluffy. Gradually beat in the eggs, adding a little flour if the mixture starts to curdle.
- Fold in the flour, mixed spice, ground almonds, orange zest and lemon zest. Add the soaked fruit, chopped pistachios and halved glacé cherries, folding gently until evenly distributed.
- Spoon the batter into the prepared tin and level the surface. Make a shallow dip in the center to help reduce doming during baking.
- Bake for 2 hours 15 minutes to 2 hours 45 minutes. Test the center with a skewer; it should come out clean or with only a few moist crumbs.
- Leave the cake in the tin for 20-30 minutes. Prick the surface and spoon over 1-2 tablespoons of brandy, then transfer the cake to a rack to cool completely.
- Wrap the cooled cake tightly in baking parchment and foil. For a traditional mature cake, feed it with a tablespoon or two of brandy every 1-2 weeks for 1-4 weeks.
- To decorate, warm the apricot jam and brush it over the cake. Cover with marzipan, then add fondant if desired, or finish with pistachios and glacé cherries.
Notes
Final Thoughts
This festive cherry and pistachio Christmas cake brings together everything that makes a holiday fruit cake special: brandy-soaked fruit, warm spice, citrus perfume, buttery richness and a moist almond-supported crumb. The pistachios and cherries add color and texture, making every slice look as joyful as it tastes.
Plan ahead for overnight soaking, bake the cake slowly, and wait until it is completely cool before wrapping or decorating. Whether you mature it for one to four weeks or serve it soon after baking, this cake makes a memorable centerpiece for Christmas gatherings.
Choose a classic marzipan and fondant covering for a polished finish, or keep the decoration relaxed with apricot jam, pistachios and glacé cherries. Either way, cut thin wedges, pour the tea and enjoy a homemade dessert made for sharing.