Mary Berry Christmas Cake Bites

A decorative cake stand holds a stacked arrangement of Christmas Cake Bites topped with white icing, displaying colorful pieces of candied fruit and nuts. Soft lights twinkle in the blurred background.

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Mary Berry Christmas Cake Bites

All the flavor of Christmas cake in one bite! These Christmas Cake Bites are packed with boozy dried fruit, topped with marzipan and icing and cut into dainty squares – perfect for gifting and dessert platters.

Prep Time10

Cook Time1

Total Time1 10

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: British

Keyword: Christmas Cake Bites

Servings: - 32 cake bites

Calories: 453kcal

Author: Lucy Parissi | Supergolden Bakes

Equipment

Ingredients

For the cakes

6 oz (175g) dried apricots , finely chopped
3 tbsp brandy
¾ cup (175g) unsalted butter , softened
⅔ cup (175g) light brown sugar
4 large eggs , lightly beaten
1 ⅓ cups (175g) flour , all-purpose / plain
1 lb (450g) mixed dried fruit (raisins, sultanas, currants)
8 oz (225) glacé cherries or cocktail cherries , rinsed, dried and chopped

For the icing and decoration

1 lb (450g) almond paste ready-rolled (golden marzipan)
1 lb (450g) white icing ready-rolled
4 tbsp smooth apricot jam , warmed

Instructions

Make the cake

Preheat the oven to 320°F / 160ºC (285°F / 140ºC Convection/Fan Oven). Grease a square 8-inch pan and line with baking paper.
Put the chopped apricots into a bowl, add the brandy and microwave for 20-30 seconds. Let cool to allow for the liquid to be absorbed.
6 oz (175g) dried apricots, 3 tbsp brandy
Cream the butter and sugar using a hand or stand mixer until pale and fluffy, scraping the bowl with a spatula as needed.
¾ cup (175g) unsalted butter, ⅔ cup (175g) light brown sugar
Add the eggs and flour and beat again. Stir in the apricots, dried fruit and cherries until evenly combined.
4 large eggs, 1 ⅓ cups (175g) flour, 1 lb (450g) mixed dried fruit , 8 oz (225) glacé cherries or cocktail cherries
Spoon the batter into the prepared pan and level (make sure it is packed down so there are no air pockets).
Bake for 60-75 minutes or until golden brown. A skewer inserted in the center should come out clean. Let the cake cool down completely.

Decorate the cake

Cut the marzipan and icing to the right size using the cake pan as a guide. If you have any leftover icing you can use it to cut out small festive shapes using cookie cutters to decorate the cake with.
1 lb (450g) almond paste, 1 lb (450g) white icing
Place the cake on a plate bottom-size up. Brush the top of the cake with warm apricot jam and place the marzipan top, pressing down so it adheres.
4 tbsp smooth apricot jam
Brush the marzipan with a little jam and position the rolled icing on top. Stick any decorations on top with a little jam.
Cut the cake into small squares using a large knife, wiping the blade between cupts.

Video

Notes

You can use nuts such as pecans, walnuts and so on to decorate the cake bites instead of the marzipan and royal icing. Brush with apricot jam and position the nuts on top.
You can feed this fruit cake with brandy if you like, before adding any decorations. Use a skewer to poke holes all over the top of the cake and drizzle with a little brandy, letting in soak into the cake. Wrap the cake tightly in baking parchment and then in foil. Store in an airtight container in a cool, dark place and feed with brandy weekly. Stop feeding at least a week before adding the marzipan, if using.

Nutrition