This Mincemeat Loaf Cake is absolutely delicious and perfect for the festive season when you want something lighter than a rich and fruity Christmas Cake. It's super easy too. This is the cake I love to nibble on just as soon as December comes around.
Made with only a few ingredients it produces a moist loaf cake packed full of christmas flavours. Bit of a genius cake if you ask me.
Perfect for using up any mincemeat leftovers from making mince pies and a quick and easy alternative christmas cake.
What Is Mincemeat?
Mincemeat has been around forever. It began its journey in medieval times when the English Crusader knights brought back exotic spices from The Holy Land.
These spices were added to fruity meat dishes which were popular at the time but through the ages the meat was gradually dropped from the ingredient list and the spiced sweetened fruits remained alongside distilled spirits and vinegar. Yipee.
Fast forward to modern times and mincemeat is still full of dried fruits such as raisins, sultanas and candied peel.
It does contain suet though (you can get vegetarian versions) and is full of spices that we now associate with Christmas, such as, cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg and mace.
Wikipedia tells you more fascinating facts here about mincemeat.
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How To Make Mincemeat Loaf Cake
No faffing here, not when we have a eleventy hundred things to do already.
I use a 2lb standard loaf tin. It measures 22 cm long - 11 cm wide - 7 cm deep. I either grease and flour it or use a paper loaf tin liner (genius things).
There is a printable recipe card at the bottom of the post with exact ingredients and instructions.
Ingredients and Substitutions
150 grams - (5.3 oz) Butter - unsalted preferably but salted will work too.
225 grams - (8 oz ) Flour - self raising but you can substitute plain flour and add 2 tsp of baking powder
150 grams - (5.3 oz) Sugar - caster or you can substitute granulated sugar or light brown sugar
2 large Eggs - add a tbsp of milk if your eggs are smaller
300 grams - ( 10.6 oz) Mincemeat - your favourite brand or homemade if you're a domestic goddess
130 grams - (4.2 oz) Icing Sugar - if you're icing it with glace icing then this is exactly what you need.
2 tbsp water
- Preheat your oven to 170 C (150 fan)/325F/Gas Mark 3
- Beat your eggs and sugar together until the mixture pales and thickens. I use my free standing mixer but a hand held electric mixer will do the job well. If you are using a wooden spoon and mixing bowl then it will be difficult for you to beat the two together to the same degree as the machines. Just do your best.
- Add the mincemeat in and mix again until completely incorporated.
- Add the flour and repeat the mixing.
- Finally add in your melted butter and mix until that too is completely mixed in to your cake batter.
- Empty out your batter into your 2 lb cake tin. It measures 22 cm long - 11 cm wide - 7 cm deep. I either grease and flour it or use a paper loaf tin liner.
- Smooth the cake batter level in your tin.
- Bake for 40-50 minutes until it is firm to the careful touch and a cocktail stick comes out clean.
- Allow to cool completely on a wire rack.
- When cool mix your icing sugar and water together and spoon on top. Allow to set for an hour before slicing.
Can you Freeze This Cake?
Yes it freezes beautifully. Simply wrap the cake (no icing) in a layer of clingfilm/plastic wrap and then silver foil or a double layer of silver foil.
I like to then put it in a plastic container just to keep it from getting crushed in there as my feral children hunt violently for ice cream and lollies.
It will freeze well for up to two months.
Defrost in the wrapping.
Little Tips and Tricks
- If your mincemeat has been kept in the fridge warm it a little in the microwave.
- Here is a great recipe for Homemade Mincemeat if you fancy making your own.
- Mincemeat will keep for up to a year in a cold place. Who knew?
- Decorate your icing in festive sprinkles. A great one for the kids to get involved with.
More Festive Christmas Recipes
- Mincemeat Muffins
- Mincemeat Traybake
- Mincemeat Ice Cream
- Puff Pastry Christmas Tree
- Easy Christmas Cake
- Christmas Cookies
- Sticky Ginger Loaf Cake
- Cinnamon Bundt Cake
- Slow Cooker Hot Chocolate
- Slow Cooker White Hot Chocolate
Mincemeat Loaf Cake
Ingredients
- 225 grams self raising flour
- 150 grams unsalted butter melted
- 150 grams caster sugar
- 300 grams mincemeat
- 2 large eggs
- 130 grams icing sugar
- 2 tbsps water
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 160 C (140 fan)/325F/Gas Mark 3
- Beat your 2 eggs and 150 grams sugar together until the mixture pales and thickens. I use my free standing mixer but a hand held electric mixer will do the job well. If you are using a wooden spoon and mixing bowl then it will be difficult for you to beat the two together to the same degree as the machines. Just do your best.
- Add 300 grams mincemeat in and mix again until completely incorporated.
- Add 225 grams of flour and repeat the mixing.
- Finally add in 150 grams melted butter and mix until that too is completely mixed in to your cake batter.
- Empty out your batter into your 2 lb cake tin. It measures 22 cm long - 11 cm wide - 7 cm deep. I either grease and flour it or use a paper loaf tin liner.
- Smooth the batter level in your tin.
- Bake for 40-50 minutes until it is firm to the careful touch and a cocktail stick comes out clean.
- Allow to cool completely on a wire rack.
- When the cake is cool mix 120 grams icing sugar and 2 tbsps water together and spoon onto the top of the cake. Allow to set for an hour before slicing.
- Apply To Bring On Christmas Face
Notes
- If your mincemeat has been kept in the fridge warm it a little in the microwave.
- Here is a great recipe for Homemade Mincemeat if you fancy making your own.
- Mincemeat will keep for up to a year in a cold place. Who knew?
- Ice your loaf cake and decorate in festive sprinkles. A great one for the kids to get involved with.
Nutrition
All nutritional information is approximate and intended only as a guide.
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clare says
This looks amazing - perfect for the season 🙂
Louise Fairweather says
This is the kind of ting my husband would love to bake. Thanks for sharing #cookblogshare
Jenny says
Thanks for hosting!
Carol Smart says
Hi It's in the oven now fingers crossed. 2 issues i had to add some milk to the mixture it was very stiff, also my loaf tin exactly same measurements but way too much mixture so had to move to a tound tin x
Jenny says
I hope it was delicious! I haven't found a problem with the amount and I have baked it a lot. Thank you!