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.
