Rich, festive, and ready in half the time!
When December rolls around, few things feel more festive than baking a traditional Christmas cake. But with the holiday rush, not everyone has hours to spend in the kitchen. That’s where this Air Fryer Christmas Cake comes in — it’s the perfect blend of classic flavor and modern convenience!
You’ll get the same moist, fruity, and beautifully spiced cake everyone loves, but baked faster and more evenly thanks to the air fryer. Perfect for last-minute gatherings or when you just want to enjoy a slice of holiday cheer without the fuss.
✨ Why Make Christmas Cake in the Air Fryer?
Air fryers aren’t just for crispy fries — they’re fantastic for baking rich, dense cakes. The compact cooking space helps the heat circulate evenly, ensuring your fruit cake comes out perfectly moist with a gorgeous golden top. Best of all, it’s done in about an hour instead of the usual several!
🍒 Flavor Highlights
This cake is everything you love about a classic Christmas bake — buttery, sweet, and loaded with dried fruits.
Each bite bursts with currants, raisins, sultanas, and glacé cherries, balanced by a touch of golden syrup and optional brandy for a grown-up twist. The texture is dense yet soft — exactly how a Christmas cake should be.
🧈 Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups (225g) mixed dried fruits (raisins, currants, chopped apricots, cherries)
- ¼ cup (60ml) brandy or orange juice
- ½ cup (115g) unsalted butter, softened
- ½ cup (100g) brown sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup (125g) all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp ground nutmeg
- ¼ tsp ground cloves
- ¼ cup (60ml) milk
👩🍳 Instructions
1. Soak the fruit:
In a bowl, combine the mixed dried fruits with brandy (or orange juice for a non-alcoholic version).
Let them soak for at least 1 hour, or ideally overnight, to plump up and absorb the flavor.
2. Preheat the air fryer:
Set your air fryer to 150°C (300°F) while you prepare the batter.
3. Cream the butter and sugar:
In a large mixing bowl, beat together butter and brown sugar until light, creamy, and fluffy.
4. Add the eggs:
Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition to keep the batter smooth.
5. Combine the dry ingredients:
In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves until evenly mixed.
6. Mix wet and dry ingredients:
Gradually fold the dry mixture into the butter mixture. Add the milk and stir until the batter is smooth and lump-free.
7. Add the soaked fruit:
Gently fold in the soaked fruits along with any leftover soaking liquid for extra flavor and moisture.
8. Prepare the cake pan:
Grease a 6-inch round cake pan and line the base with baking paper to prevent sticking. Pour in the batter and smooth the top.
9. Bake in the air fryer:
Place the pan into the air fryer basket and bake for 45–50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
10. Cool the cake:
Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then carefully remove it and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
11. Decorate (optional):
Once cooled, you can brush the top with brandy, or finish with marzipan, icing, or festive decorations as desired.
🍰 Serving Ideas
Serve this cake just as it is, or for a more traditional touch, top it with marzipan and fondant icing. It pairs beautifully with tea, coffee, or even a glass of mulled wine. Since it’s rich, a small slice goes a long way — perfect for sharing with friends and family!
💡 Tips & Notes
- Customize your fruit: Swap in dried cranberries, apricots, or figs to make it your own.
- Skip the alcohol: Replace brandy with fruit juice for a family-friendly version.
- Don’t rush it: Fruit cakes bake slowly; resist increasing the temperature too much or the edges may burn.
- Store it right: Wrap the cooled cake in parchment paper and keep in an airtight tin. The flavor deepens beautifully overnight.
🎁 Festive Takeaway
This Air Fryer Christmas Cake proves that tradition and modern cooking can go hand in hand. It’s rich, aromatic, and ready in a fraction of the time — the perfect holiday treat for busy bakers. Whether you’re gifting it, serving it at dinner, or enjoying a cozy slice by the tree, this cake is pure Christmas joy.
Air Fryer Christmas Cake
8-10 slices
servings20
minutes50
minutes385
kcalRich, buttery, and packed with festive dried fruits — this quick Air Fryer Christmas Cake gives you all the flavor of a traditional fruit cake in half the time!
Ingredients
225 g 225 butter, softened
225 g 225 caster sugar
1 tbsp 1 golden syrup
4 large 4 eggs
56 g 56 ground rice
255 g 255 plain flour
¼ tsp baking powder
454 g 454 currants
114 g 114 raisins
114 g 114 sultanas
56 g 56 glacé cherries, halved
50 ml 50 brandy (optional — or use orange juice for an alcohol-free version)
Directions
- Cream Butter & Sugar:
In a large mixing bowl, beat together butter and caster sugar until light and fluffy. - Add Wet Ingredients:
Mix in eggs one at a time, followed by golden syrup. Blend until smooth and well combined. - Combine Dry Ingredients:
Add baking powder, ground rice, and half the flour. Mix gently, then add the remaining flour gradually until just incorporated. - Fold in Fruits:
Using a spatula, fold in the currants, raisins, sultanas, and cherries until evenly distributed. The batter will be thick. - Prepare to Bake:
Transfer mixture into a 6–7 inch silicone cake tin (fits most air fryers). Smooth the top with a spatula. - Bake in Air Fryer:
Bake at 150°C (300°F) for 40 minutes.
Then increase to 160°C (320°F) and bake for 10 more minutes until golden brown and cooked through. - Cool & Brush:
Let the cake cool in the tin for 10 minutes. Brush with brandy (or orange juice) while warm for extra flavor and moisture.
