Christmas Fruit Cake

     

Traditional Christmas cakes have rum or brandy but I can't use them so used orange juice instead. This cake has spice powder too which gives nice aroma. Original recipe, from premascook.com, has little more sugar but I used less as we like it that way (you can reduce without thinking much as dates, prunes etc make up for sweetness).

Ingredients

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup unsalted Butter 

1/4 tsp Salt

1 cup Plain Flour 

1/4 tsp Baking soda

1 tbsp Vinegar

1/2 tsp Baking powder

1/4 tsp spice powder (1 clove , 1 small piece cinnamon & a small piece of nutmeg)

1/3 cup Fruit Juice ( I used fresh orange juice)

3/4 cup Mixed Nuts (cashew nuts,almonds, walnuts) 

3/4 cup dried Fruits (sultanas, raisins, cherries, prunes, dates, mixed peels), roughly chopped.

Method

Put the mixed fruits (not nuts) in a bowl & add the fruit juice, mix well. Leave soaked overnight in refrigerator.

Pre heat the oven. 

In a small bowl,mix baking soda & vinegar. Keep aside.

In  a mixing bowl, beat butter & sugar till it becomes light & fluffy.

Shift the baking powder, salt & plain flour.

Add nuts to flour to coat them so they don't sink while baking.

Add flour to butter & fold well.

Add the soaked fruits along with the juice, baking soda+ vinegar mix & spice powder. Fold well.

Pour the batter in baking pan & decorate with glazed cherries or nuts, whatever you prefer & bake for 35-40 minutes, at 180 degree Celsius .

When the cake is cooked, remove it from the oven & leave to cool.

Tips

* If using salted butter, then avoid using salt.

* You can use any other juice instead of orange, I like orange flavour more so used it.

* Refrigerate soaked dried fruits or they will get spoiled.

* If batter looks dry then you can use a tablespoon of milk.