Description
A delightful Christmas fruit cake made with a mix of dried fruits, nuts, and spices, perfect for the holiday season.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 cups mixed dried fruits (raisins, currants, and chopped dates)
- 1 cup chopped nuts (walnuts, almonds, or pecans)
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter (softened)
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 4 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup apple cider (or sparkling grape juice)
- Optional: 1/4 cup orange zest for a citrusy twist
- Optional: 1/2 cup chopped crystallized ginger for added spice
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 325°F (160°C). Prepare a greased 9-inch round cake pan or line it with parchment paper.
- Combine all the dried fruits and chopped nuts in a mixing bowl.
- Mix the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger in another bowl until well combined.
- Beat the softened butter and brown sugar together until light and fluffy, about 3-5 minutes.
- Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition, then stir in the vanilla extract and apple cider.
- Incorporate the dry ingredients into the wet mixture gradually, mixing just until combined.
- Fold in the dried fruit and nut mixture until evenly distributed.
- Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan, smoothing the top with a spatula.
- Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Cool the cake in the pan for 10 minutes before transferring it to a wire rack to cool completely before serving.
Notes
For healthier alternatives, consider using gluten-free or fat-free options as mentioned in the article.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 75 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 400
- Sugar: 30g
- Sodium: 250mg
- Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 7g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 54g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 6g
- Cholesterol: 80mg