Is Dundee cake the same as Christmas cake?

A Dundee cake makes a lighter take on the traditional Christmas cake . It's a less rich, crumblier alternative to the hefty traditional Christmas cake.

What kind of cakes are traditionally eaten at Christmas in Scotland?

A Scottish speciality is the traditional Christmas cake, the " Whisky Dundee ". As the name implies, the cake originated in Dundee, and is made with Scotch whisky. It is a light and crumbly cake, and light on fruit and candied peel; only currants, raisins, sultanas and cherries.

What is Scotland's national cake?

Dundee Cake is one of the most famous and widespread traditional Scottish cakes. Usually, it is being made using almonds, currants, sultanas and sometimes cherries, alongside a wide range of...

Why is it called a Dundee cake?

Dundee Cake had strong association to the geographical area through the marmalade makers Keillers of Dundee . Keillers used their surplus orange peel from their marmalade production to create the Dundee Cake. The cake was made as a rich buttery sultana cake flavoured with orange peel and almonds.

A Christmas Classic: Traditional Scottish Dundee Cake Recipe (2024)

British Desserts
Sheet Cakes
British Food
Fruit Recipes

Elaine Lemm

Elaine Lemm is a renowned British food writer, classically trained chef, teacher, and author with over 25 years of experience writing about British food and cooking.

Learn about The Spruce Eats'Editorial Process

Updated on 05/11/21

Ingredients

150 grams (5 1/2 ounces) unsalted butter, softened
150 grams (5 1/2 ounces) dark brown sugar
1 tablespoon orange zest
225 grams (8 ounces) all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon mixed spice, or pumpkin pie spice mix
3 large eggs
450 grams (1 pound) raisins
55 grams (2 ounces) citrus candied peel, coarsely chopped
55 grams glace cherries, halved, optional
1 tablespoon malt whiskey, or brandy
115 grams (4 ounces) whole blanched almonds

Steps to Make It

Gather the ingredients.
See Also
Yorkshire Parkin Recipe
Preheat the oven to 300 F/150 C/Gas 2. Line an 8-inchcake pan with greaseproof paper or baking parchment and grease lightly with a little butter.
Place the butter, sugar, and zest into a large bowl. Cream until light, smooth, and creamy using either a fork or electric hand whisk.
In another bowl, mix the flour with the baking powder and mixed spice.
Beat 1 egg into the creamed butter, then beat in 1/3 of the flour mixture. Repeat until all the eggs and flour are used up.
Add the raisins, citrus candied peel, and cherries (if using) to the mixture and stir well, but gently—you don't want to flatten the cake batter too much—until all the fruits are incorporated into the mixture.
Stir in the whisky using a spoon or spatula.
Spoon the mixture into the prepared cake pan and gently level the surface.
Cook in the preheated oven for 1 1/2 hours, then arrange the blanched almonds into circles on the top and return the cake to the oven.
Bake for another hour or until the cake is a deep, golden brown.
Remove the cake from the oven and place onto a cooling rack, leaving the cake to cool in the pan. Once cooled, remove from the pan, slice, serve, and enjoy.

Tips

Do not rush the baking of this cake; it is high in sugars and fruit and needs a long, slow baking time to make sure it does not burn. If you feel it is browning too quickly, lower the heat.
The cake keeps well when stored in an airtight container and will last for up to six weeks.

Recipe Variations

Switch up the dried fruits with your favorite; dried apricots and cranberries are good options.
Substitute the malt whisky for brandy or sherry.

Why Did My Cake Sink in the Middle?

No matter what type of cake you are baking, it can incur certain problems, such as sinking in the middle. This may happen because the oven temperature is too low, which can be caused by opening the oven door or using an uncalibrated oven. A sunken center can also be the result of a heavy movement outside the oven before the cake has had a chance to set.

Classic Scottish Tipsy Laird Trifle

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
621	Calories
25g	Fat
95g	Carbs
10g	Protein

Show Full Nutrition Label

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 6to 8
Amount per serving
Calories	621
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 25g	32%
Saturated Fat 11g	54%
Cholesterol 110mg	37%
Sodium 236mg	10%
Total Carbohydrate 95g	35%
Dietary Fiber 5g	16%
Total Sugars 58g
Protein 10g
Vitamin C 2mg	12%
Calcium 171mg	13%
Iron 4mg	20%
Potassium 612mg	13%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Recipe Tags:

cake
dessert
scottish
christmas

Rate This Recipe

I don't like this at all.It's not the worst.Sure, this will do.I'm a fan—would recommend.Amazing! I love it!Thanks for your rating!