English Christmas Cake

This is not the dense, brandy-soaked English fruitcake most people picture when they hear “English Christmas Cake." This is the older, less-known yeasted version, somewhere between a brioche, a German stollen, and a sweet bread. The texture is more tender and bread-like than the dense fruitcake tradition, and the flavor leans on warm spices rather than dried fruit.

The spice mix is the recipe’s signature. Cinnamon brings sweet warmth, ground coriander adds a citrusy floral note that is unusual in cakes, nutmeg deepens everything, and two tablespoons of caraway seeds deliver the slightly anise-like, distinctly British holiday flavor that defines this style of cake.

The yeast technique is what gives the cake its open, airy crumb. The dough proofs twice: once after the yeast and flour mixture stand together, and again after the dough is divided between two springform pans. Both rises take about an hour each in a warm spot, and the cake bakes for a full 90 minutes.

Using milk OR sweet red wine in the dough is a clever choice. Milk gives a richer, more bread-like crumb. Sweet red wine adds a holiday-spiced depth and an almost mulled-cider note that pairs perfectly with the caraway and coriander. Either works; the wine version is more festive.

Pro Tips

• Bring all ingredients to room temperature before starting. Cold milk and eggs slow the yeast and the cake takes hours longer to rise.
• Test the warm water temperature with a thermometer or by feel; it should be 100°F to 110°F (38°C to 43°C). Hotter kills the yeast; cooler fails to wake it up.
• Check for doneness with a toothpick in the deepest spot, not the center top. Yeasted cakes look done on top before the inside is fully baked.
• Slice thin. Each cake is enormous and the rich, spiced crumb is best in slim wedges with a cup of strong tea.

Variations

• Add a cup of golden raisins or chopped candied citrus peel to the dough for a fruit-studded version closer to traditional Christmas cake.
• Brush the warm baked cakes with a sweet rum or brandy glaze for the boozy holiday touch.
• Substitute a teaspoon of cardamom for the coriander for a more Scandinavian-style holiday loaf.