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Festive glazed fruit and nut cake with walnuts, dried fruits, and a red ribbon, inspired by a Christmas Mary Berry cake recipe.

Mary Berry Christmas Genoa Cake Recipe

This rich and festive Genoa fruit cake, inspired by Mary Berry, features vibrant glacé fruits, sultanas, almonds, and lemon zest. Glazed with apricot jam and decorated with whole nuts, it’s a timeless Christmas centerpiece.
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Course: Dessert, Holiday Cake
Cuisine: British, Christmas
Calories: 475
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 350 g red or natural glacé cherries
  • 225 g pineapple in natural juice, drained
  • 50 g ready-to-eat dried apricots
  • 50 g whole orange peel
  • 350 g sultanas
  • 100 g blanched almonds
  • 75 g ground almonds
  • blanched whole almonds, for decoration
  • walnut halves, for decoration
  • 250 g unsalted butter, softened
  • 5 large eggs, lightly beaten
  • 250 g caster sugar
  • 250 g self-raising flour
  • finely grated zest of 2 lemons
  • 100 g apricot jam
  • additional glacé cherries, for decoration
  • festive ribbon for wrapping (optional)

Equipment

  • 20cm round cake tin For baking the Genoa cake.
  • Mixing Bowls For preparing the batter and fruit.
  • Electric mixer For creaming butter and sugar.
  • Wire cooling rack To cool the cake evenly.
  • Measuring Cups and Spoons For precise measurements.

Method
 

  1. Preheat oven to 140°C (120°C fan/Gas 1). Grease and line a 20cm (8-inch) round cake tin with baking paper.
  2. Finely chop glacé cherries, pineapple, apricots, and orange peel. Zest lemons into a bowl.
  3. In a large bowl, cream softened butter and caster sugar until light and fluffy.
  4. Gradually beat in eggs, adding a spoonful of flour with the last addition to prevent curdling.
  5. Gently fold in the self-raising flour and ground almonds until just combined.
  6. Stir in the prepared fruits and lemon zest until evenly distributed.
  7. Spoon batter into lined tin and level the surface with the back of a spoon.
  8. Decorate the top with blanched almonds and walnut halves, pressing them lightly into the surface.
  9. Bake for 2–2.5 hours, checking from 2 hours. A skewer should come out clean when done.
  10. Cool in tin for 30 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
  11. Warm apricot jam in a saucepan. Brush over the top of the cooled cake.
  12. Decorate with additional glacé cherries and tie with a festive ribbon once the glaze is set.

Notes

This cake improves over time! Bake up to two weeks ahead or freeze for longer storage. Tie with ribbon and gift it for a festive touch.