Savory Christmas Cake: A Festive Twist for Your Holiday Spread

Christmas usually means fruit cake, gingerbread and mince pies — but why not surprise your guests with a Savoury Christmas Cake? Packed with rich flavours, it’s a festive twist everyone will love!

September 23, 2024
Savory Christmas Cake on plate
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Why You’ll Love This Savory Christmas Cake

What makes this Savory Christmas Cake truly stand out is the balance of sweet and savoury. The mixed fruit brings in a natural sweetness that is beautifully offset by the salty tang of Parmesan cheese and the earthy warmth of allspice. And let’s not forget the onion jam—a delightful, sticky, and slightly caramelised mix that takes this cake to the next level.

This Savory Christmas Cake is also incredibly versatile. It can be served warm or cold, as a side to your roast or even as a standalone dish with a side salad. The best part? It’s simple to make and can easily be prepared ahead of time, so you can focus on other holiday preparations.

Tips and Tricks for the Perfect Savory Christmas Cake

    • Use quality ingredients: Since the flavours in this cake are quite simple, the quality of your ingredients really matters. For the best taste, use fresh, high-quality Parmesan and breadcrumbs. Freshly grated Parmesan will give the cake a richer, nuttier flavour, and freshly made breadcrumbs will absorb moisture better.
    • Chill the fruit mixture overnight: Don’t skip the step of chilling the mixed fruit in chicken stock overnight. This allows the fruit to soak up all that lovely moisture, resulting in a moist, tender cake. Plus, the chicken stock infuses the fruit with a subtle savoury undertone that ties everything together.
    • Cover with foil if necessary: Keep an eye on your cake as it bakes. If it starts to brown too much on top after 60 minutes, cover it with foil to prevent burning while the inside continues to cook through.
    • Customise the onion jam: You can switch up the type of vinegar you use in the onion jam depending on the flavour you want. Balsamic vinegar will add sweetness, while apple cider vinegar will give a sharper tang. This jam also works wonderfully as a topping for any leftovers or as a spread on crusty bread.

Serving and Pairing Ideas

One of the best things about this Savory Christmas Cake is how versatile it is. It can be served as a side dish or even as the main event, especially if you’re catering to a vegetarian or someone who’s tired of the usual holiday meats.

    • Pair it with cheese and cured meats: This cake pairs beautifully with a cheese platter. Add some slices of sharp cheddar, blue cheese, or even some brie for a lovely contrast to the savoury cake. A few slices of cured meats, like prosciutto or salami, would also complement it well.
    • Serve with a fresh salad: A crisp, fresh salad with a light vinaigrette will help cut through the richness of the cake and offer a refreshing contrast. Something with arugula, shaved fennel, and a lemon dressing would be perfect.
    • Wine pairing: A glass of dry white wine, like a Sauvignon Blanc or a light Pinot Grigio, would pair well with the savoury flavours of the cake. If you’re more of a red wine lover, a light red like a Pinot Noir or a Grenache would also work beautifully.

Try These Other Festive Recipes

If you loved this Savory Christmas Cake, here are a few other holiday treats you might want to try:

 

I’d love to see how your Savory Christmas Cake turns out, so don’t forget to snap a pic and share it with me @steph_cooks_stuff on Instagram. Let’s spread some festive flavour together! 🎄📸

Happy baking, and may your holiday season be as savoury and satisfying as this cake! 🍰

Savory Christmas Cake on plate
Steph de Sousa

Savory Christmas Cake

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Spice up your holiday table with my Savoury Christmas Cake! A bold twist on festive flavours that’s guaranteed to steal the show at Christmas. It's a perfect blend of traditional and unique, bringing a delightful surprise to your festive table.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 50 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 15 minutes
Servings: 8
Course: Recipes
Cuisine: Australian
Calories: 374
Ingredients Equipment Method Nutrition Video

Ingredients
 
 

  • 1 kg mixed fruit
  • 600 ml Chicken stock
  • 1 cup onion jam recipe below
  • 1 tbsp garlic powder
  • 1 tbsp onion powder
  • 1 tbsp allspice
  • 1 cup Parmesan cheese
  • 1 cup breadcrumbs
  • 1 1/2 cups Self-Rising Flour
Onion Jam Recipe:
  • 4 diced onions
  • 1 tsp salt and pepper
  • 2 tbsp crushed garlic
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup vinegar any type works

Equipment

Method
 

  1.  First, mix the chicken stock and mixed fruit together and let it chill in your fridge overnight.
  2.  The next day, add garlic powder, onion powder, allspice, breadcrumbs, cheese and SR flour to the fruit mixture.
  3. Give everything a good stir until well combined.
  4. Pour the mixture into a lined slice tin, ready for baking.
  5.  Bake at 160C for 90 minutes.
  6.  Tip: If it's golden brown after 60 minutes, cover with foil for the remaining time.
  7.  It's ready when a skewer (or a sharp knife) comes out clean.
  8. Onion Jam:
  9. Cook onions, garlic, salt, and pepper until soft. Add brown sugar and vinegar, and cook until the liquid is reduced by half.

Nutrition

Calories: 374kcalCarbohydrates: 69gProtein: 13gFat: 6gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 11mgSodium: 714mgPotassium: 388mgFiber: 5gSugar: 32gVitamin A: 483IUVitamin C: 8mgCalcium: 223mgIron: 2mg

Video

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