What could be better than combining mince pies and cake? This easy mince pie cake is a festive traybake: a soft, moist sponge folded with mincemeat and warming Christmas spices for truly seasonal flavour.
This traybake takes around 20 minutes to prepare and 35 minutes to bake, making it a quick and impressive Christmas bake. It’s family-friendly, great for kids to help decorate, and simple to transport in the tin you bake it in.
The filling is classic mincemeat – a mix of apple, dried fruit and candied peel warmed with spices such as cinnamon, ginger and cloves. It’s one of the quickest mincemeat traybakes you can make and fills the kitchen with holiday aromas as it bakes.
For decoration I like to break up a few mince pies and scatter the pastry pieces across the iced cake for extra texture and festive flair. Dried orange slices also make a lovely, fragrant garnish.
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Ingredients
How to make
Top tips
Serving suggestions
Equipment
Variations and substitutions
Storing/making ahead
FAQs
Other recipes you might like
Recipe
Why you’ll love this mince pie cake recipe
- All the flavours of mince pies in an easy traybake.
- A brilliant way to use a jar of mincemeat and turn it into a moist, spiced cake.
- The house smells wonderfully festive while this bakes.
- Easy to transport and serve straight from the tin.
- Suitable for all ages and an excellent bake for sharing.
- Customisable decoration makes it a fun activity for kids and adults alike.
Top Questions
How to make an old fashioned mincemeat Christmas cake?
What size mincemeat cake traybake feeds a crowd?
What do I need to make an easy mincemeat cake?
How can I keep my mincemeat sponge cake moist?
How can I decorate a mincemeat traybake?
Can I use mince pies instead of a jar of mincemeat?
Can I put mincemeat in a cake?
Ingredients
You only need ten main ingredients for this traybake (three are spices). Adjust the spice levels to taste.
- Unsalted butter (or baking block)
- Caster sugar
- Medium eggs
- Vanilla extract
- Plain (all-purpose) flour
- Baking powder
- Ground cloves
- Ground cinnamon
- Ground ginger
- Mincemeat (mince pie filling)
How to make mince pie cake – step by step
- Preheat the oven to 180ºC (350ºF).
- Grease and line a 9″ x 12″ traybake tin with greaseproof paper.
- Cream the butter and sugar together in a large bowl until light and fluffy.
- Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition, then stir in the vanilla.
- Sieve the flour, baking powder and a pinch of salt into the bowl. Add the spices and fold until everything is combined.
- Gently fold the mincemeat into the batter so you keep some chunky fruit pockets.
- Pour the mixture into the prepared tin, level the surface and tap the tin to release air bubbles.
- Bake for about 35 minutes. Test with a skewer: if it comes out clean, the cake is done; if not, bake a few minutes longer and test again.
- Leave to cool in the tin for 30 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before icing.
- To make cream cheese buttercream, beat together icing sugar, room-temperature butter and cream cheese until smooth and spreadable.
Top Tips
For the best texture, crumble some mince pies over the iced cake when decorating—those pastry pieces add a lovely crunch and flavour.
Use room-temperature butter and eggs where possible for easier mixing and a more stable batter.
If using a mixer, stop before you add the mincemeat and fold it in by hand so the mincemeat remains in chunky pockets rather than disappearing into the batter.
Serving Suggestions
This cake is delicious topped with cream cheese buttercream. It’s also lovely served warm with ice cream or custard if you want to treat it as a dessert.
If you prefer a simpler finish, a dusting of icing sugar looks very festive and is equally tasty.
Equipment
- 9″ x 12″ traybake tin
- Mixing bowl
- Wooden spoon or spatula
- Kitchen scales
- Electric whisk (optional)
Storing / Making ahead
This cake keeps well for 2–3 days undecorated in an airtight container. Decorate with the buttercream and toppings shortly before serving for the best texture. Stored decorated, it will keep up to five days in an airtight container kept cool (not refrigerated).
Substitutions and variations
If you can’t find jarred mincemeat, crumble a number of mince pies (including the pastry) and fold them into the batter for extra texture and pastry pieces throughout the cake.
Boost the festive spice by adding extra cinnamon, nutmeg or cloves. A pinch of nutmeg in the buttercream can be very warming.
Swap the cream cheese frosting for a dusting of icing sugar, a drizzle of chocolate, or scatter fresh fruit and festive sprinkles on top.
For a different texture, try a crumble topping added before baking.
FAQS about making a mincemeat cake
How to make an old fashioned mincemeat Christmas cake?
A simple sponge folded with mincemeat and warm spices makes an excellent old-fashioned mincemeat cake. It’s moist, flavoursome and keeps well for several days when stored in a cool place.
What size traybake will feed a lot of people?
This 9″ x 12″ traybake yields about 12 generous slices. Cut into smaller pieces and you can easily serve 24–30 portions for a party.
What do I need to make an easy mincemeat cake?
Basic sponge ingredients: butter, sugar, eggs, flour, baking powder, vanilla and a pinch of salt, plus your chosen Christmas spices and a jar of mincemeat (or crumbled mince pies).
How can I keep my mincemeat sponge cake moist?
The mincemeat itself helps keep the sponge moist. Proper mixing, avoiding overbaking, and storing in an airtight container will keep the cake soft for days.
How can I decorate a mincemeat traybake?
Popular options include cream cheese buttercream with crumbled mince pies, a dusting of icing sugar, festive sprinkles, dried orange slices or a chocolate drizzle.
Can I use mince pies instead of a jar of mincemeat?
Yes — crumble mince pies (including the pastry) and fold them into the batter. Mix gently so you keep a variety of sized pieces for texture, and bake as directed.
Can I put mincemeat in a cake?
Absolutely. Spoon the mincemeat into your prepared sponge batter after adding spices to create a rich, Christmas-spiced cake.
Other Christmas recipes and sweet treats you might like
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Mince Pie Cake Recipe
Mincemeat Cake – Easy Christmas Mince Pie Cake
A soft, moist cake folded with mincemeat and Christmas spices. A great alternative to Christmas pudding and a perfect party traybake.
Prep: 25 mins | Cook: 35 mins | Decorate: 20 mins | Total: 1 hr 20 mins
Serves: 12 large slices
Ingredients
- 400g unsalted butter (or baking block)
- 350g caster sugar
- 4 medium eggs
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 400g plain (all-purpose) flour
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- small pinch of salt
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp ground ginger
- 1/2 tsp ground cloves
- 400g mincemeat (mince pie filling)
Cream Cheese Buttercream
- 125g unsalted butter
- 150g icing sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 180g cream cheese (e.g. Philadelphia)
Decoration
- 4 mince pies, crumbled
- Sprinkles, optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180ºC (350ºF). Grease and line a 9″ x 12″ traybake tin.
- Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
- Add the eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla.
- Sieve flour, baking powder and salt into the bowl, add the spices and fold to combine.
- Gently fold the mincemeat into the batter.
- Pour into the prepared tin, level the surface and tap to remove air bubbles.
- Bake for about 35 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean.
- Cool in the tin for 30 minutes, then remove to a rack to cool completely.
- For the buttercream: beat the butter and icing sugar, then add cream cheese and mix until smooth and spreadable. Chill briefly if needed to firm up.
- Spread the buttercream over the cooled cake and decorate with crumbled mince pies and sprinkles.
Notes
- The cake will keep up to 5 days in an airtight container.
- Store somewhere cool but not in the fridge for best texture.
- Room-temperature butter and eggs give the best results.
- Personalise toppings and sprinkles for a festive finish.
Nutrition (approx. per large slice)
- Calories: 771 kcal
- Carbohydrates: 93 g
- Protein: 7 g
- Fat: 42 g (Saturated fat: 26 g)
- Sugar: 65 g