Christmas Fruit Cake (without butter)
Christmas cake is a "must have" to help celebrate Christmas. It is fruity and luscious with an intoxicating aroma. Here is a Fruit Cake without butter for those looking for a low fat version.
Ingredients
375 gm mixed dried fruit (pick out the glaçe cherries)
1 cup of orange juice (or 1/2 cup brandy & 1/2 cup orange juice)
100 ml peanut oil
50 gm brown sugar
75 ml molasses
2 eggs
1 teaspoon orange zest
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon All-spice powder
150 gm plain flour (leave 2 tablespoons for fruit)
75 gm ground almond
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
18 pecans
Method
Place mixed fruit in a saucepan with orange juice (and brandy) and simmer for 5 minutes. Turn off heat and let the fruit soak overnight.
Pre-heat oven to 160ºC and line a 18 cm round baking tin with baking paper. Use double layers of baking paper and double the height of the tin.
Place oil, brown sugar and molasses into a bowl and whisk until combined.
Add the eggs, a little at a time, and beat until well incorporated.
Add orange zest, vanilla essence, ground cinnamon and all spice and mix to combine.
Add flour (leave 2 tablespoons for fruit), baling powder, baking soda and ground almond (a third at a time). Mix well with a spatula. Set aside.
Sprinkle the reserved flour onto the fruit and stir into the fruit to combine.
Add fruit to the cake mixture (reserve 2 tablespoons of soaked fruit for garnish) and stir in to mix well.
Spoon cake mixture into baking tin and smooth the top with a spatula.
Decorate the top with glaçe cherries, reserved soaked fruit and pecans.
Place on the lowest rack and bake in a 160ºC pre-heated oven for 1 hour. Then at 140⁰C for 1.5 hours.
Test for doneness with a skewer. It should come out clean.
Let the cake cool in the tin for 20 minutes before removing.
Dust with icing sugar.