A fabulous recipe, which is nearly 100 years old – the 1920’s BeRo Christmas Cake was first shared in the 3rd edition
A Simple but Traditional Christmas Cake
A fabulous recipe, which is nearly 100 years old – the 1920’s BeRo Christmas Cake was first shared in the 3rd edition of these little cookery books.
The Be Ro 3rd edition was published in 1925, along with instructions how to make almond icing (marzipan) and classic Royal icing too.
My maternal grandmother used to make it, with a few amendements. She sent the recipe to my mother, and it was the only Christmas cake I ever knew.
You can make this cake in either a round cake tin, or a sqaure cake tin like my mother used to make hers in.
In fact, I used my later mother’s square cake tin for my cake this year (2023), as you can see by some of the the photos I’ve shared.
Before I share the recipe, I would also like to share my thoughts as I made this Christmas cake, not just for last year, but this year too.
I hope you enjoy this simple, rich fruit cake as we have done over the last 40 years, and my parents and grandparents before that.
No posh photos, snapped quickly in the kitchen . Making my Christmas cakes today, and the same words that I wrote last year, still stand this year…….
…….Hello mum – I know you’re not here anymore, in the earthly sense; but you’re always in my heart and my thoughts.
Today I’m making your traditional Christmas cake – the one that you and nanny made every year, based on the BeRo recipe.
I’ve measured all the ingredients using the old salter scales you had, and using the metric weights I bought you for your birthday, because you hated trying to convert lbs and ozs to grams.
I’ve creamed the sugar and butter together for at least 5 minutes as you taught me to do – until light and fluffy.
I’ve added the flour and eggs bit by bit, so the mixture doesn’t curdle – hearing your voice telling me not to be too impatient.
The brandy soaked dried fruit has been added, and gosh, it smells good.
The cake tin has been triple lined and is ready for the fruity batter to be tipped in – I can’t wait to lick the spoon and scrape out the bowl.
I’ve made sure that the middle of the cake is slightly lower than the outside of the cake – so it will rise in an even way……I could almost feel your presence as I licked the wooden spoon afterwords!
There’s a little “tester” cake too – just like you used to do mum; it’s in an old Fray Bentos pie tin lined with butter paper – just like you you used to do. We’ll have that for our Sunday tea tray supper. I can’t wait.
The cakes are in the oven now, and the house in infused with the smell of brandy, citrus and spice – it’s just like I remember when I was little at home……the memories come flooding back.
I miss you mum – every day – but I’m happy and content to follow in your culinary footsteps, to keep the traditions going, and I’ll make sure Hannah does too.
More Christmas & Thanksgiving Recipes
- Bubble & Squeak Christmas Scones
- Christmas in a Jar – Pickled Shallots
- Christmas Sausage, Sage and Bacon Stuffing Loaf
Recipe for 1920’s BeRo Christmas Cake
1920's BeRo Christmas Cake
A fabulous recipe, which is nearly 100 years old - the 1920's BeRo Christmas Cake was first shared in the 3rd edition of these little cookery books.
The 3rd edition was published in 1925, along with instructions how to make almond icing (marzipan) and classic Royal icing too.
My maternal grandmother used to make it, with a few amendements. She sent the recipe to my mother, and it was the only Christmas cake I ever knew.
You can make this cake in either a round cake tin, or a sqaure cake tin like my mother used to make hers in.
In fact, I used my later mother's square cake tin for my cake this year (2023), as you can see by some of the the photos I've shared.
I hope you enjoy this simple, rich fruit cake as we have done over the last 40 years, and my parents and grandparents before that.
Ingredients
- 12 ozs BeRo Self Raising Flour
- 1 teaspoon mixed spice
- 4 ozs ground almonds
- 8ozs currants
- 8ozs sultanas
- 8ozs raisins
- 4ozs glace cherries
- 4ozs mixed citrus peel
- 8ozs butter
- 8ozs caster sugar
- 4 eggs, beaten with
- 8 tablespoons milk
Instructions
- Mix the fruit.
- Mix flour, spice, ground almonds.
- Beat butter and sugar to a cream in a warm bowl.
- Beat eggs and milk together.
- Stir in (alternately, a little at a time) the flour mixture and eggs and milk, with the butter and sugar.
- Add the fruit last.
- MIX THOROUGHLY. If a darker cake is desired, add 1 teaspoon gravy browning.
- Use a large round cake tin (8" in diameter) lined wirth greased paper.
- Bake about FOUR HOURS, the first hour in a moderate oven (325F to 350F, Gas Mark 3-4) and then a slow oven (250F to 300F, Gas Mark 1-2)
Notes
We never used Gravy Browning, as shown in step 7. Use 1 tablespoon of black treacle for a darker cake.
Oven temperatures in Celius: 160C to 170C and 120C to 150C, in step 9.
For a darker and richer cake, use soft brown sugar instead of caster sugar.
My mother always used a square tin, which is fine for this recipe.
We tend to use a 7" round or square tin, and bake a small "tester or taster cake" with the excess cake batter.
In place of 8 tablespoons of milk, use 4 tablespoons of milk mixed with 4 tablespoons of brandy, whisky or rum.
Allow to cool in the cake tin before lifting out and placing in a cake tin with a fitted lid. Make several holes with a skewer all over the cake and “feed” the cake with brandy (or whisky or rum) – pouring it down the holes. Repeat this every week until just before you want to marzipan and ice the cake.
Smooth the top with the back of a metal spoon and before baking in the pre-heated oven.
Ingredients in METRIC:
225g currants
225g sultanas
225g raisins
100g glace cherries, halved
100g cut candied peel
350g self-raising white flour, sifted
100g ground almonds
4 large free-range eggs
75mls brandy mixed with 75mls whole milk, OR 150mls milk
225g butter, unsalted
225g sugar
Nutrition Information
Yield 30 Serving Size 1Amount Per Serving Calories 227Total Fat 9gSaturated Fat 4gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 4gCholesterol 41mgSodium 217mgCarbohydrates 35gFiber 2gSugar 22gProtein 4g
Linda Singleton says
Thank you for sharing your lovely family memories. I love the comments in your Grandmother’s recipe! Where did you get the beautiful little angels from? They’re perfect.
Keep cooking!
Karen Burns-Booth says
Thank you Linda – the angels were given to me by my late mum – they are older than me, as my grandmother gave them to my mother when she got married. They’re very precious as you can imagine.
Maureen Irvine says
I loved the don’t forget the rum chum! I have already made my cake but am saving your recipe to make next year. XxxxMaureen
Karen Burns-Booth says
Me too! I can just hear my grandmother saying it too!
Heather Brew says
Thank you Karen , your thoughts and photos makes me treasure this recipe even more . I have made this Christmas Cake every year since 1978, and since my daughter married 25 years ago have made one each year for her too! I can’t imagine making our Christmas cakes from any other recipe. The Mason Cash mixing bowl (as in your photo);same traditional hints and habits all part of the annual ritual .Just the recipe book now disintegrating slightly, becoming frayed at the edges . The cook blessed to be maturing well ( like the fruit!) and looking forward to making this year’s cakes!
Thank you again and Happy Christmas!
Heather
Karen Burns-Booth says
Thank you so much for your comments Heather like the fruit I’m maturing well too! Karen
Pat Swift says
I have made the bero Xmas cake for years and the recipe as never altered my family love it , and I use half milk and rum
Karen Burns-Booth says
I’ve used half milk and half brandy this time! But my grandmother used rum all the time!
Nivybird says
That handwritten recipe card made me smile – the writing was identical to my late grandma’s (born 1925). The block capitals, st least, my grandma’s cursive was a little shorter in height, and rounder – but it was enough to cause me to do a double-take when I saw it!
Karen Burns-Booth says
It’s at generational thing I think! How they were taught at school.
Rosie Kingsford says
Well that just looks like the Christmas cake I used yo make.
With rough icing a father Christmas …a Christmas .with a robin perched.nect to it …the truly old fashion Christmas cake.
So many years ago now
It brought tears to my eyes and love in my heart
Merry Christmas to you
Karen Burns-Booth says
A very merry Christmas to you too – and thank you for your lovely comments x
Rosie Blackmore says
This beautiful recipe almost made me cry. My mum made the be-ro Christmas cake each year, also her own marzipan and icing- and she too used a square tin. I must get one some time! . We were allowed to help decorate it, and sinking the little plastic figures into the icing snow… wow what a special Christmas memory. My mum is no longer with me, but I too have a Hannah who helps me in the kitchen. I wish you peace and happiness this year x
Karen Burns-Booth says
Awwww thank you for leaving this lovely comment Rosie – it’s a very poignant recipe for me, for all the reasons you mention.
Have a happy Christmas!
Karen
Gillian Banks says
How I agree with you , the Bero Christmas cake always works well and is delicious. Mine are in the tins soaking up a little extra brandy and rum. They would last until next Christmas given the chance!
Chipper Food says
Very beautiful to look at, and I imagine it will be delicious too!
Liz Mcvicar says
I have made the Be-ro Christmas cake for the last 57 years ,won’t make any other recipe
Rosemary Sellers says
I too have the Bero book .you can’t beat it for lovely cakes etc. I remember my mum putting the fruit on a plate and warming it on top of the fire range we had.I couldn’t resist pinching some off the plate and also getting a telling off ! Thankyou for stirring memories from 70 years ago,