LIGHT FRUIT CAKE

      It is like Christmas or the 25th of December, now becoming more like a month's celebration than a day.  Extending the preparation & celebration, for a longer time. Christmas, a season permeated with tradition, it largely reflects the culture & heritage in which it is celebrated. Fruit Cake is quite synonymous to the Season itself. Fruit Cakes have a rich heritage and an age-old history, it has been a custom of preparing and consuming this cake from time immemorial. The rich tradition and heritage along with its rich taste have made it a treasured Christmas treat in Christmas and New Year Season.
     This year, I baked two different versions of Christmas Cakes, a Light Fruit Cake and our family favourite Rich Fruit Cake/Kerala Plum Cake. Although light coloured fruit cakes are ignored in the family as it had been the family tradition to always bake Dark & Rich Fruit Cakes for occasions, Light Fruit Cake has always been my favourite.  This Light Fruit Cake Recipe is an absolute treat with a blend of flavours, rich, moist and a wonderful combination of colour & taste in it.  If you dislike Rich Fruit Cake, perhaps you should try this Light Fruit Cake. It will change your mind about your distaste for Fruit Cakes.
    Fruit Cakes come into the limelight during Christmas, Weddings, Christening and if you are in a mood for a lighter version of Fruit Cakes for certain occasion, this Light Fruit Cake comes handy. This is slightly different from the Traditional dark & rich Fruit Cake.  Most of the recipe remains the same except for that, we do not add Caramel in this Light Fruit Cake and as the name calls for LIGHT FRUIT CAKE -  we try to keep most of the steps to make this cake light or all the more light coloured.  You can also prepare the recipe, by not adding spices if you do not prefer to.
     In this Light Fruit Cake recipe, I have used Brown Sugar as I like my Light Fruit Cake to be in light golden brown in colour, can substitute it with White Sugar/Castor Sugar. Light Fruit Cakes prepared with White Sugar yields light coloured cake.  Also, I have not soaked the Dry Fruits in Alcohol/Orange Juice, but have used Orange Juice to alternate between the dry ingredients while mixing the Light Fruit Cake Batter. Alternatively can soak the Dry Fruits in Light Coloured Wine for overnight or up to weeks or months.  I have used Light Coloured Dry Fruits like Golden Raisins, Dried Apricot, Peaches, Tutti Frutti, Dried Cranberries and Nuts like Cashew nuts & Walnuts.  Dust the Chopped Dry Fruits and Nuts in the Flour used to bake the Cake, this avoids the ingredients getting sunk to the bottom of the cake.
     Enjoy the Season with Food & Wine, when it comes to Cakes and Desserts, human mind rejuvenates instantly.  Here is a cake, which is perfect for the season - Light & yet it fits into the Seasonal module.


For more CAKE Recipes, Click here...

Recipe Type - Cake, Dessert
Difficulty - Medium
Yields - 2 Medium Sized Cakes
Author - SM

Preparation Time - 30 -45 Minutes
Cooking Time - 45 Minutes - 1 Hour(for 1 Cake)
Soaking Time for Fruits - 24 Hours to 1 Month.

For HOW TO SOAK DRY FRUITS FOR CHRISTMAS CAKE, Click here...

HOW TO MAKE LIGHT FRUIT CAKE

LIGHT FRUIT CAKE

INGREDIENTS :

Golden Raisins - 1/2 Cup
Glazed Cherries - 1/2 Cup
Dry Apricots/Peaches - 1/4 Cup
Candied Peels - 1/4 Cup
Tutti Frutti(Green & Red) -1/2 Cup
Lemon/Orange Zest - 2-3 Tbpsn  


For a detailed Recipe on HOW TO MAKE TUTTI FRUTTI & CANDIED ORANGE PEELS, Click here...

 

Nuts :

Walnuts - 1/2 Cup
Almonds - 1/4 Cup
Cashew Nuts - 1/4 Cup

Cinnamon - 1/4 Tspn
Nutmeg - 1/4 Tspn

All-Purpose Flour - 2 Cups
Baking Powder - 1¼ Tsp
Baking Soda - ½ Tsp
Brown Sugar/White Sugar - 1 Cup + 2 Tbsp
Butter - 1 Cup
Eggs - 4 Nos.
Vanilla Extract - 2 Tspn
Jam(Orange Marmalade) - 1 Tbspn

• Preheat the oven at 180 Degree Celsius for about 10 - 15 Minutes.
• Finely Chop the Dry Fruits, Candied Peels, Nuts & keep it aside. 
• Toast the Nuts and keep it aside.
• Sprinkle 1-2 Tablespoons of All-Purpose Flour(Take it from the measured Flour used for the cake) over the chopped Dry Fruits, Candied Peel, Nuts and toss them up well until the ingredients are evenly coated with the Flour.
• This avoids the fruits sinking to the bottom of the cake while baking.
• Powder the Brown Sugar/White Sugar(1 Cup) into a fine powder and keep it aside.
• Powder the ingredients mentioned under 'Spices' along with few teaspoons of Brown Sugar/White Sugar(2Tbspn) and keep it aside.
• Sift the Flour along with Baking Soda, Baking Powder and a pinch of Salt thrice.
• In a large bowl beat Butter until soft, add powdered Brown Sugar and beat until it's well combined and soft.
• Add Eggs one at a time into the butter mixture and beat well until soft and fluffy.
• Add Vanilla Essence, Orange Marmalade, Spice Powder to the above mixture and beat it well.
• Add the sifted Flour in batches alternating each batch with Orange Juice.  
• Beat after each batch until the flour is well combined into the mix.
• Add the Dry Fruits, Candied Peels, Orange/Lemon Zest and finely chopped Nuts to the cake batter along with the remaining Orange Juice.
• Grease the Cake Tins and dust them up with the Flour.  Line the greased tins with Baking Paper.
• Pour the Cake Batter into the prepared tins and smoothen the tops.
• Bake the cakes in the preheated at the centre rack of the oven at 180 Degree Celsius for about 45 mins to 1 hour or until the skewers come out clean.
• Let cool in the Cake Tin on a rack.
• Remove the Light Fruit Cake from the pan carefully and peel off the baking paper.
• Cut the Light Fruit Cake into the desired shape and store it in airtight containers.
• Light Fruit Cake stays good for a week or two at room temperature.

For Longer Shelf Life :

• Soak a clean cheesecloth in the wine/brandy/rum and wrap it around the Light Fruit Cake.
• Wrap it in plastic wrap and refrigerate the Cake.  Can be refrigerated for up to 3 Months.
• Before serving remove them from the plastic wrap and drizzle some liqueur over it.

NOTES:

• Eggs and Butter should be at room temperature.
• I have used Orange Marmalade for the purpose, can also use Strawberry Jam.
• Adding freshly grated Orange and Lemon zest gives a citrusy aroma in the cake.
• Use light coloured Dry Fruits for Light Fruit Cake.
• Can use Nuts like Walnuts, Cashew nuts, Blanched and toasted Almonds in Light Fruit Cake.
• Some recipes do not add Nuts in Light Fruit Cake.
• Spices like Cinnamon, Nutmeg, All Spice, Cloves etc., suits well for the purpose.
• If soaking the dry fruits for the Cake Recipe soak it in light coloured liquors.
• I have used Brown Sugar in the recipe, which yields a light golden brown coloured Fruit Cake.
• For much light coloured Light Fruit Cake use White Sugar.
• Adjust the baking time according to your oven settings.