Authentic Sri Lankan Christmas Cake (Rich Cake) Recipe – By Malsha – eLanka

Authentic Sri Lankan Christmas Cake (Rich Cake) Recipe – By Malsha – eLanka

Fruit Mixture

• 250 g raisins

• 250 g sultanas

• 250 g dates (finely chopped)

• 150 g candied orange peel (chopped)

• 100 g chow chow preserve (optional but traditional)

• 100 g cashews (chopped)

• 75 g cherries (halved)

• 1 small apple (grated) – optional, adds moisture

• ½ cup jam (strawberry or mixed fruit)

Dry Ingredients

• 200 g semolina (roasted lightly)

• 100 g plain flour

• 1 tsp baking powder

• ½ tsp cinnamon powder

• ¼ tsp cardamom powder

• ¼ tsp clove powder

• ¼ tsp nutmeg powder

• Pinch of salt

For the Cake Batter

• 250 g butter (softened)

• 250 g brown sugar

• 6 eggs

• 1 tsp vanilla

• 1 tbsp rose essence

• 1 tbsp almond essence

• 1 tbsp grated lemon rind

Optional (Traditional Flavour)

• 2–3 tbsp treacle

• 2–3 tbsp grape juice OR orange juice (instead of alcohol)

Instructions

1. Prepare the Fruit Mix (important!)

• Finely chop all dried fruits (so cake slices look smooth).

• Mix raisins, sultanas, dates, candied peel, cherries, apple, jam, and cashews together.

• Add grape/orange juice and mix.

• Cover and allow to rest at least 2–3 hours, or overnight for best flavour.

2. Prepare the Semolina Batter

• Roast semolina lightly until warm and fragrant (not brown).

• Cream butter + sugar until fluffy (5–7 minutes).

• Add eggs one by one, beating in between.

• Add rose, almond, and vanilla essences + lemon rind.

3. Mix Everything

• In a separate bowl, mix flour + spices + baking powder.

• Add dry ingredients to the butter mixture.

• Add semolina and mix well.

• Now fold in the fruit mixture until completely combined.

4. Baking

• Line the baking tray with butter paper + greased sides.

• Pour batter and smooth the top.

• Bake at 150°C (low heat) for 1.5 to 2 hours.

• Check with a toothpick — it should come out clean with a few moist crumbs.

(Low and slow baking makes the cake dark and rich.)

5. Cooling & Storing

• Let cake cool fully in the tray.

• Wrap tightly in parchment + foil.

• Store 2–3 days before cutting — the flavour improves a lot.