Almond & Mincemeat Christmas Sponge Cake

This Almond & Mincemeat Christmas Sponge Cake is like a cheat’s Christmas cake as it’s an easy cake to assemble last minute and is full of festive flavour. A lightly spiced almond sponge rings in the season with its secret ingredient – mincemeat. Drizzled to perfection with a quick tipsy Brandy Cream Icing.

Prep Time20 mins

Cook Time1 hr

Total Time1 hr 20 mins

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: British

Servings: people

Calories: 561kcal

Author: Georgina Hartley

Ingredients

275 g caster sugar
200 g unsalted butter room temperature
6 eggs medium
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
180 g gluten-free plain flour
180 g ground almonds
1½ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon kosher salt
1½ teaspoons ground mixed spice
280 g mincemeat

Brandy Cream Icing

300 g icing sugar
3-4 tablespoons double cream
3-4 tablespoons brandy

Instructions

Pre-heat the oven to 180°C/160°C fan/gas 4.
Line and grease a 9 inch round cake tin.
Cream the sugar with the butter on a slow to medium speed for about 6 minutes until light and fluffy.
Beat the eggs in one at a time, mixing well between additions.
Add the vanilla extract.
Whisk the flour with the almonds, baking powder and salt in a separate bowl then beat into the rest of the ingredients.
Stir in the mincemeat.
Pour the batter into the cake tin, smoothing out the surface then bake for 1 hour or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
Leave for about 5 minutes for the cake to settle then carefully remove from the tin and leave to cool on a wire rack before icing.

Brandy Cream Icing

Stir the icing sugar together with the double cream until smooth.
Stir in the brandy one tablespoon at a time until the icing has reached a thick dropping consistency.
Spoon over the top of the cake nudging it towards the edges so it drips down the sides.

Notes

This recipe was made using a suet based mincemeat so there was a bit more fat in the mix. If you are using a non-suet mincemeat then increase the butter by 20g.
You can use your favourite shop bought mincemeat or to make the cake really special - use homemade!
This cake keeps well stored in an airtight container in a cool dark place for up to 3 days.
The cake freezes very well. I’d recommend to freeze before you ice it if you are freezing the whole cake. Wrap up well in a double layer of cling film and then aluminium foil to avoid spoilage. Defrost overnight on the kitchen counter before unwrapping and icing.

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