Serves 8-10
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For the ice cream centre

For the caramel cake base

For the meringue

  1. To prepare the ice cream centre, line a one-litre pudding basin with two layers of cling film, leaving enough hanging over the edges to cover the sides of the basin.
  2. Tip the ice cream into a bowl, add the crumbled mince pies, Gem Gourmet Raisins and whiskey and mix to combine.
  3. Place the ice cream in the pudding basin and press down with the back of a spoon to get a smooth surface. Tap the basin sharply against the counter to get rid of any air holes. Cover the top with the overhanging cling film and place it in the freezer.
  4. To make the caramel cake base, preheat the oven to 180˚C/160˚C fan/gas mark 4. Grease a 16cm cake tin with butter and line the base with a circle of parchment paper.
  5. Beat the butter and both sugars in an electric mixer until pale and fluffy. Beat the vanilla and the eggs, one at a time, adding a spoonful of flour and beating in between each egg. Add the remaining flour and milk and whisk to combine. Fold in the raisins.
  6. Pour the batter into the prepared cake tin. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Remove the cake from the oven and turn the temperature to 220˚C/200˚C fan/gas mark 7.
  7. Drizzle the whiskey over the top of the cake. Allow the cake to cool down in the tin for 10 minutes, then loosen around the edges with a small, sharp knife and carefully remove the cake. Place on a wire rack to cool down fully.
  8. In a large, very clean bowl, whisk the egg whites until they form soft peaks. Add half of the caster sugar and the cream of tartar and whisk until the mixture is glossy and forms stiff peaks. Use a spatula to fold in the remaining sugar.
  9. To assemble, once the cake has cooled, place it in the middle of a baking tray with no lip. Remove the ice cream from the freezer. Use the cling film to pull the ice cream out of the pudding bowl and place it upside down on top of the cake. Remove and discard the cling film.
  10. Working quickly, spread the meringue thickly over the ice cream and cake, working right down to the baking tray and spreading it into peaks.
  11. Place in the centre of the oven for 3-4 minutes or until the meringue is golden and set on the outside. Carefully transfer the baked Alaska to a serving plate and serve immediately.

Test Kitchen Tips:

  • You can prepare the ice cream centre and the caramel cake base up to three days in advance. Simply make the meringue, coat and torch before serving.
  • You can pop the baked Alaska back into the freezer uncovered, for a few hours before serving. Take care not to cover the baked Alaska as the meringue will lift.
  • Feel free to switch up your ice cream flavours. We also like vanilla ice cream with a dash of rum and Gem Gourmet Raisins, and chocolate ice cream with Gem Gourmet Raisins and blanched almonds.
  • If you’d like to make your baked Alaska alcohol-free, simply omit the whiskey from this recipe. It will still taste delicious!
CakesChristmasSweet thingsSpecial OccasionsMeringue

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