This post is sponsored by Bleecker Street. As always, all ideas and opinions presented here are entirely my own.
Everyone has something they like to do as a way to escape from reality for a little while, and ever since I was a teenager, my escape has been going to the movies to see a rom-com or romance movie. So when I recently heard about the new film Wild Mountain Thyme, a romantic tale set in the endless green hills of the Irish countryside, it felt like such a gift that I wondered if Christmas had come early! ;-)
Because quite honestly, everything about this movie makes it the perfect “escape,” and frankly I think we could all use one after the year we’ve had! Romance? Check. A star-studded cast? Check, check, check, and check! (That’s one each for Emily Blunt, Jamie Dornan, Christopher Walken, and Jon Hamm!)
But you don’t have to take my word for it—see the charming trailer for yourself here:
I also love that the movie is set in Ireland, not just because it’s a gorgeous country and an ideal setting for a sweeping romance, but because I have Irish ancestry as well! To celebrate the fact that Wild Mountain Thyme is in theaters and On Demand now, and as a way to connect with my own Irish heritage, I thought I’d try my hand at whipping up a classic Irish Yuletide recipe: Irish Christmas Cake!
What Is Irish Christmas Cake?
There are hundreds of different recipes for Christmas Cake in Ireland, but it’s always a moist, rich, spiced cake that’s chock full of fruit, and it’s usually finished with marzipan and white icing. It is traditionally made a whole two months before Christmas, allowing ample time for the baker to “feed” the cake with brandy or whiskey at regular intervals to keep it moist.
Although I’m all about cultural traditions, I definitely didn’t plan far enough ahead to feed booze to a cake for two months (not to mention the fact that I never have booze on hand because I don’t drink!) So ultimately I decided to make a few key alterations to make this recipe faster, easier, and suitable for kids and non-drinkers alike!
After ample research, I discovered I could cut the number of ingredients in my Christmas Cake from fifteen down to just three (four if I didn’t happen to have self-rising flour on hand!) The resulting cake is moist and bursting with fruit and nut flavor, without being heavy or overly sweet.
I’m sharing the recipe below so you can whip up your own simplified Irish Christmas Cake at home! Watch Wild Mountain Thyme while you tuck into this cake to immerse yourself in the sights, sounds, and flavors of the Emerald Isle! :-)
How To Make Jillee’s Irish Christmas Cake
Ingredients:
- 4 cups mixed dried fruit (such as raisins, golden raisins, currants, cranberries, cherries, candied citrus peel, etc.)
- 2 1/2 cups liquid*
- 2 cups self-rising flour
*Note: Almost any sweetened beverage will work well here, like chocolate milk, fruit juice, sweetened nut milks, etc. I used a bottled caramel Frappuccino as the liquid in mine and it turned out delicious!
Directions:
The night before you make the cake, place the dried fruit in a bowl, pour the liquid over the top, then cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
The next day, preheat your oven to 325°F and line a 9” springform cake pan with parchment paper. (I had never actually lined a springform pan before, so I found this video tutorial very helpful!) You can also use a greased bundt pan if you prefer a more festive shape!
Take the bowl of soaking fruit out of the fridge and remove the plastic wrap. Sift in the flour and stir gently until combined, then pour the mixture into the lined cake pan.
Tap the pan on your countertop a couple of times to get rid of any air bubbles trapped inside the mixture, and smooth out the top. Then bake the cake for about 1 hour, or until it is set, golden brown on top, and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. (If it isn’t done at the 1-hour mark, return it to the oven in 5-minute increments until it’s baked.)
Remove the cake from the oven and allow it to cool in the pan before removing it. Dust with powdered sugar before serving, or top with your favorite glaze or icing. Store any leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3-4 weeks.
Delicious Ways To Customize Irish Christmas Cake
You can make the recipe above as-is, put your own spin on it, or make it more traditional depending on your baking style! Here are some easy and delicious ways to customize your cake:
- To make it gluten free, use gluten free self-rising flour.
- To make it vegan, use your favorite nut milk or fruit juice as your liquid.
- To spice up your cake, add 1 to 2 teaspoons total of ground cinnamon, nutmeg, or pumpkin pie spice along with the flour.
- Nuts add flavor and texture, so I like to add a handful of blanched almonds to the batter or sprinkle them on top of the finished cake.
- Dress up your finished cake by adoring the top with glacé cherries or almonds.
- Go the traditional route by covering your cake with a layer of marzipan, decorative royal icing, or both!
- Or go the less traditional (but highly tasty) route by pouring a homemade crème anglaise over each slice just before serving. Yum!
Watch Wild Mountain Thyme Now!
Whether you love escaping into a romantic tale as much I do, or you could just use something that will lift your spirits, Wild Mountain Thyme is the perfect movie to watch now. Written and directed by none other than John Patrick Shanley, the Oscar-winning writer behind the iconic 1987 movie Moonstruck, it’s sure to be an instant classic!
To find showtimes at a theater near you, or to watch it from the comfort of home, visit WildMountainThymeMovie.com, or look for it in your cable network’s On Demand listings.
What’s your go-to escape?
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