Christmas Bundt Cake with Walnuts and Raisins

Ingredients

• 230 g, plus a little extra for the tinunsalted butter, at room temperature
• Zest of 2oranges
• 340 gbrown sugar
• 5 tspground ginger
• 4 tspground cinnamon
• 1 tspground cloves
• 60 gvegetable oil
• 4eggs
• 4 tbsphoney
• 1 tspvanilla extract or vanilla essence
• 240 mlmilk
• 420 g, plus extra for the tinplain flour
• 2 tspbaking powder
• 2 tspsalt
• 100 gwalnuts, toasted in an oven preheated to 180°C for 3–5 minutes, then chopped
• 50 ggolden raisins
• 50 graisins

Instructions

1. 1

   Cream the mixture

   Beat the butter, oil, brown sugar, orange zest, ginger, cinnamon and cloves until pale and creamy. A whisk can also be used.

2. 2

   Add eggs

   Beat in the eggs, honey and vanilla until creamy and combined. If using a stand mixer, pause occasionally to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl with a spatula.

3. 3

   Mix in milk

   Add the milk and mix. The batter may look split at this point; it will come together when you add the flour.

4. 4

   Add dry ingredients

   Add the flour, baking powder and salt, then beat only until the mixture comes together.

5. 5

   Fold in fruit

   Use a spatula to fold in the walnuts and both kinds of raisins.

6. 6

   Prepare the tin

   Butter the whole inside of the Bundt tin carefully, keeping the coating thin. Add a couple of tablespoons of flour and rotate the tin to coat it, then turn it over and tap out the excess.

7. 7

   Bake the cake

   Fill the tin with batter and bake in an oven preheated to 180°C for 50 minutes to 1 hour, or until a knife inserted into the centre comes out clean.

8. 8

   Unmould while hot

   Turn the cake out of the tin while it is still hot.

What is a Christmas Bundt cake?

A Bundt cake is baked in a ring-shaped tin, which gives it a distinctive fluted form and plenty of slices for sharing. This festive version brings together warming spices, orange zest, walnuts and raisins in a rich, butter-based batter.

The combination of ginger, cinnamon and cloves gives it a familiar seasonal flavour, while honey and orange add sweetness and fragrance. Toasting the walnuts first brings out their flavour before they are folded through the cake.

Nutrition and macros by portion

The nutrition label shows one serving as written: 830 calories, 11g protein, 105g carbs, 43g fat.

The flour, sugar, honey and raisins provide most of the carbohydrates, while butter, oil and walnuts contribute much of the fat. Eggs, milk and walnuts add some protein. Serve a slice with fruit or plain yoghurt, or alongside a lighter meal, to balance the rich cake.

Build the spiced base

Creamed butter: beating the butter with the oil, sugar, zest and spices until pale and creamy helps distribute the flavour throughout the batter.

Fresh zest: grate only the coloured outer peel of the oranges, avoiding the bitter white pith. It perfumes the cake without adding extra liquid.

Handle the batter gently

After the milk: the mixture may look curdled or split, but that is expected at this stage. Continue with the recipe and it should come together when the flour is added.

Once the flour goes in: stop mixing as soon as the batter comes together. Overmixing can make the finished cake less tender.

Prepare the Bundt tin well

Thin butter coating: cover the entire inside of the tin, including the centre tube and any grooves, without leaving thick patches.

Flour layer: rotate the tin to coat the buttered surface, then tap out the excess. This helps the cake release while avoiding clumps of flour on its crust.

Check for doneness

Timing: start checking at 50 minutes, as ovens and tins can vary. The cake is ready when a knife inserted into its centre comes out clean.

Unmoulding: the method calls for turning the cake out while hot. Take care when handling the tin, and release the cake gently so its ridges stay intact.

Serve and pair

The walnuts and raisins give each slice a mix of soft fruit and crunchy pieces, while the spices make it flavourful enough to serve on its own. A little crème fraîche or lightly whipped cream can be served alongside for contrast.

For a festive spread, pair slices with tea or coffee and fresh fruit. The ring shape also makes it easy to arrange slices on a platter.

Recipe notes & tips

• Bring the butter and eggs to room temperature so they blend more readily into the batter.
• Toast the walnuts for 3–5 minutes in the oven preheated to 180°C, then chop them before adding.
• Scrape the bowl during mixing so the butter and sugar mixture is evenly combined.
• Coat every groove of the Bundt tin with a thin layer of butter and flour.
• Begin checking the cake at 50 minutes and use the clean-knife test to judge doneness.
• Fold in the walnuts and raisins with a spatula to distribute them without overworking the batter.

Variations

• Extra citrus: Add more orange zest only if adjusting the recipe's ingredient quantities is acceptable.
• Nut swap: Replace the walnuts with chopped pecans for a different nutty flavour.
• Mixed dried fruit: Use a mix of dried fruit in place of some of the raisins.
• Warm spice: Adjust the balance of ginger, cinnamon and cloves to suit your preferred spice profile.
• Simple finish: Dust the cooled cake lightly with icing sugar before serving.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Skipping the tin grooves: Butter and flour the centre tube and every ridge so the cake can release cleanly.
• Leaving excess flour: Tap the prepared tin upside down to remove loose flour before adding batter.
• Overmixing after flour: Beat only until the ingredients come together to avoid a tougher texture.
• Adding the fruit with the mixer: Fold in the walnuts and raisins by hand with a spatula.
• Baking by time alone: Check from 50 minutes and rely on a clean knife inserted in the centre.
• Waiting to unmould: Turn the cake out while it is still hot, as specified in the method.

How to store

Once completely cool, store the cake in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. Reheat individual slices briefly in a low oven or microwave, just until warm.

Frequently asked questions