Gemma Stafford's same-day Christmas cake starts in a saucepan

Her boiled-fruit tutorial skips months of aging, with orange juice offered as an alternative to whiskey.

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Bigger Bolder Baking with Gemma Stafford Story of October 28, 2026Trari Newsroom

Why this story? The channel's weekly summary: what went up this week, what is drawing views now, and where the channel stands among similar channels.

The Christmas Cake That's Ready the Day You Bake It

Things we can learn from the video

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2:44Simmering dried fruit in liquid hydrates it quickly, replacing the long soak associated with traditional Christmas cake.
4:57Butter and dark muscovado sugar go into the cooled fruit mixture, keeping the mixing in the saucepan.
6:22Add spiced self-rising flour, slivered almonds and beaten eggs to complete the batter.
7:44Stafford explains the family tradition of taking turns stirring the batter and making a wish.
8:18Bake in a lined, tall-sided eight-inch pan at 300°F for two hours and fifteen minutes.
11:39Stafford shows the baked cake's texture, slices it and serves her piece with butter.

Raisins, sultanas, cherries and prunes go into the pot before Gemma Stafford reaches for the cake pan. Heating the fruit in liquid is her shortcut: it hydrates quickly, making a Christmas cake that can be eaten the afternoon it is baked.

"The Christmas Cake That's Ready the Day You Bake It" is the most watched of her three uploads this week, with about 86,000 views. It also has the most daily viewing momentum right now. Stafford mixes butter and dark muscovado sugar into the cooled fruit, then adds the flour, spices, almonds and eggs. No mixer, and very little washing up to negotiate afterward.

There is room for ritual amid the shortcuts. A family clip accompanies her explanation of Stir-up Sunday, when everyone takes a turn stirring and makes a wish. At the tasting, she spreads butter on her slice, a habit that has prompted viewers to compare their own British and Canadian household traditions. Others are discussing fruit substitutions and the alcohol-free option; one specifically thanks her for providing captions for Deaf viewers.

The cake also appears in the shorter "Christmas Cake in One Afternoon." Her other new upload, "Your Frying Oil Should Never Boil," switches from holiday baking to donut-frying temperatures and a kitchen lesson she learned in her twenties. It is already attracting nearly as many daily views as the full cake tutorial, though that describes its early pace rather than the whole week.

An older recipe rounds out the channel's current momentum: "Why I Only Make 4 Scones." Its small-batch air fryer method keeps Stafford's practical streak going, right down to cutting thick scones without twisting the cutter.

Published on Trari

Where next?

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A different discovery todayVideo taking off 47x its usual first dayDiane Sawyer's Patrick Stewart interview closes World News TonightThe October 29 edition also covers Alaska's Senate probes and a Pentagon firing, but its comment section belongs largely to the actor.Channel: ABC News · Story of October 31, 2026

What viewers say

Thank goodness other people coat their Christmas cake with butter. I come from a British household and that's how we eat it. But I live in Canada and it's not very common for North Americans to do that from what I see. I always get a bit of side eye when I smear it with butter. But they don't know what they're missing.
@wendytube007See it on YouTube
Thanks for adding actual captions for the Deaf and making video accessible - going to try this - instead of having to wait
@jwillisbarrieSee it on YouTube
Thank you so much for giving us an option to not use alcohol. I'll be making mine with orange juice. 🥰
@blackdiamond3930See it on YouTube

6 more comments

Thanks Gemma. As a Canadian, this reminds me of my Mum, a British War Bride, who used to make a similar Christmas cake on occasion when I was a young lad. I'll definitely be giving this a go. All the best.
@jim-brendasleeth2521See it on YouTube
OK, I was just at the farmers market and one of the farmers told me that she just made her Christmas cake this week. my grandma was from England used to make hers every year. I was actually just thinking this is the year I make Christmas cake….and here you are!!!
❤❤❤
@Angebaby1237See it on YouTube
I have been waiting for this.. I cannot wait three months for cake.. I will try this closer to Christmas. Thank you!
@ashQueenJLT85See it on YouTube
This sounds so delicious! I might want to use some dried apricots and/or dates in place of some of the raisins. Also adding orange zest. Yum! Thank you for the recipe.
@ARL-s9rSee it on YouTube
I substitute dried cranberries for the glacé cherries.
@sylviahacker6695See it on YouTube
Here in México I use dried mangoes, dates, and pineapple along with the raisins, sultanas and dried cherries.
And, of course, Irish whiskey!

Many thanks for your recipe! I love your process. AND I love the stir it up Sunday wish.
@dariamidSee it on YouTube