CHRISTMAS CAKE

A festive finish

WINNER

Waitrose & Partners No.1 Richly Fruited Christmas Cake (pictured)

£16 for 1.3kg 82/100

Decorated with gold and white fondant stars and snowflakes, this brandy-laced cake is packed with plump vine fruits, tart citrus zest and cherries, all encased in marzipan and icing. Rich fruitiness is balanced with warming cinnamon and ginger.

RUNNERS-UP M&S Christmas Collection Christmas Cake

£10 for 907g 75/100

A firm but moist cake packed full of dried vine fruits and glacé cherries. It is rich in flavour, with spices, a lovely hint of brandy and nice even layers of icing and nutty marzipan.

Booths Sherry & Rum Iced Christmas Cake

£18 for 2kg 74/100

A charming gingerbread man-shaped cut-out in the icing reveals a soft yet slightly crumbly cake. There is a well balanced mix of warming cinnamon and ginger, while the vine fruits and rum give it a special Christmas taste.

Sainsbury’s Taste the Difference Holly Wreath Christmas Cake

£11 for 900g 73/100 Finished with an edible gold holly wreath, this cake is bursting with vine fruits, almonds, glacé cherries and candied citrus peel. The mix of fruit works well, but was too sweet for some testers.

Daylesford Organic Christmas Cake

£20 for 1.4kg 73/100 Traditional in flavour with a varied mix of chewy vine fruits, cherries, orange, apricots and crunchy nuts, which our testers loved. All that fruit gives it a lovely sweetness, while brandy adds richness, but the texture was dry in parts.

WANT SOMETHING A BIT DIFFERENT? M&S Christmas Chocolate

Fruit & Nut Cake

£15 for 880g 75/100 Coated in a rich dark chocolate, this decadent, moist fruit cake has a gentle cocoa bitterness, which complements the flavour of the dried fruits and nuts perfectly.