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Ma Moran’s Mescan-Soaked Christmas Cake

This is Christmas baking the Mescan way — rich, bold, and full of flavour. Inspired by a family favourite and brought to life with our Belgian-style beers, this cake swaps the usual spirits for Red Tripel, Spéartha Dorcha, or Beoir na Nollag. Soaked for days and matured for weeks, it’s the kind of cake that rewards patience — just like our beer.

Ingredients

Fruit Mix

  • 300g raisins

  • 300g sultanas

  • 300g currants

  • 80g glacé cherries

  • 50g mixed peel (preferably homemade)

  • 1½ bottles of Mescan Red Tripel, Spéartha Dorcha, or Beoir na Nollag

Cake Mix

  • 225g butter

  • 200g soft brown sugar

  • 4 extra-large free-range eggs

  • 225g self-raising flour

  • 1–2 tsp mixed spice (to taste)

  • 85g ground almonds

  • 50g flaked almonds (optional)

Method

Prepare the Fruit

  1. Combine all the dried fruit, glacé cherries, and mixed peel in a large mixing bowl.

  2. Pour over 1½ bottles of Mescan beer.

  3. Cover with a clean tea towel and leave to soak for at least 24 hours, or up to 3 days. Stir occasionally.

  4. (Optional but recommended: drink the remaining ½ bottle for quality control.)

Make the Cake

  1. Preheat the oven to 180 °C.

  2. Cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.

  3. Beat in the eggs one at a time.

  4. Add flour, mixed spice, ground almonds, and flaked almonds (if using). Mix gently until just combined.

  5. Fold in the soaked fruit and any remaining beer in the bowl.

Prepare the Tin & Bake

  1. Line a 9″ round cake tin with buttered greaseproof paper and a layer of cardboard.

  2. Pour in the batter and level the top.

  3. Cover the top of the tin with a piece of cardboard to prevent over-browning.

  4. Bake at 180 °C for 2 hours. Check the centre with a knife:

    • If it’s still very soft, continue at 180 °C for 1–2 more hours.

    • If nearly done but still a bit wet inside, reduce to 160 °C and bake for another hour, checking every 30–60 minutes.

Cool & Mature

  1. Let the cake cool completely in the tin.

  2. Once cool, remove, wrap in foil, and store in a cool, dry place.

  3. Once a week, unwrap and drizzle a shot of Irish whiskey over the base.

  4. Allow to mature for at least one month before serving — longer is even better.

Pairs With

Westport Red Tripel

Westport Red Tripel

View Beer