"I thought it was a user-friendly way to bring the real Christmas story to people of many faith backgrounds," said Mrs Snowsill.
She said it was also helpful for those unable to undertake their usual Christmas rituals, such as attending a church service.
"When you're in a stroke ward, you find yourself wondering how you can find joy and meaning in life when you can't do the things you used to do," she said.
"For me, Christmas is about finding meaning in the simple things - for example, stirring the bowl from east to west is an easy little way of remembering the Christmas story.
"These patients can't make it to church at Christmas - but worship isn't just something you do from a pew."
The recipe, first made by Mrs Snowsill's Scottish great-grandmother, is rich in biblical symbolism, containing, for example, wine to represent Jesus Christ's first miracle of transforming water into wine at Cana, mixed spices representing the annointing of Jesus with perfume by Mary of Bethany, and red cherries to symbolise His sacrifice at Easter.
Other ingredients, such as flour, water and eggs, represent the biblical concepts of "the bread of life", "the living water" and the holy trinity.
The cake is decorated with white icing, representing the sacrament of baptism and purification.
Mrs Snowsill said the patients reacted positively to her demonstration and the story of the cake.
"Some got quite enthusiastic," she said. "They joined in with recollections of their own - not only of things they used to do at Christmas, but their knowledge of the biblical tradition.
"Talking to them afterward, they were grateful someone was prepared to acknowledge the values of goodwill and neighbourliness at Christmas."
