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Eggless Christams Fruit cake

EGGLESS CHRISTMAS FRUIT CAKE (with whole wheat flour)

Learn how to make this soft and moist, egg free Christmas cake with no soaking of fruits as traditional cakes demand! Enjoy it as a Christmas bake or even for any other special occasion like New Year, Diwali etc.

Ingredients

FOR THE CAKE:

  • 1 ½ cups whole wheat flour you can use plain flour too
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • ½ tsp baking soda
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • 1 tbsp orange zest
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon powder
  • 1/2 tsp ginger powder
  • 4 to 5 cloves (or use 1/4 to 1/2 tsp clove powder)
  • 1 nutmeg (or use 1/4 tsp nutmeg powder)
  • 1 tbsp cocoa powder optional
  • ½ cup odorless oil
  • ¾ cup dark brown sugar
  • 1 cup yogurt
  • 1 tsp vanilla essence

FOR FRUIT MIXTURE:

  • ¼ cup dried mango
  • ¼ cup dried kiwi fruit
  • ¼ cup dried apricots
  • ¼ cup raisins
  • ¼ cup chopped prunes
  • ½ cup freshly squeezed orange juice you can use canned or bottled too
  • 1/3 cup water
  • 2 tbsp of freshly squeezed lemon juice

OTHER INGREDIENTS:

  • ¼ cup chopped almonds
  • ¼ cup chopped walnuts

Instructions

SOAKING THE DRIED FRUITS:

  1. In a small saucepan, mix the dried chopped up fruits, orange juice, water and lemon juice. If you are adding alcohol, at this stage, you can add some rum instead of water.
  2. Bring to a boil and simmer on medium low heat for 5 minutes.
  3. Remove from heat and let cool completely.
  4. Meanwhile, let us prepare the batter.

TO MAKE THE CAKE:

  1. Preheat oven to 160 C or 320 F.
  2. Line an 8-inch pan with parchment paper and grease the paper too; set aside.

  3. In a spice grinder or mortar and pestle, blend the whole spices and spice powders. Sieve if you have some nutmeg bits if using whole nutmeg.

  4. In a medium sized bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

  5. Stir in orange zest and the spice powder mixture.

  6. Add cocoa powder if using. Mix well.

  7. In another large mixing bowl, beat oil and brown sugar using a wooden spoon or electric hand mixer until homogenous for a couple of minutes.
  8. Add the yogurt and vanilla essence/extract and beat well for another minute or so.
  9. Now, stir in the dry flour mixture and using a rubber spatula or wooden spoon, gently mix using the cut and fold method until you see no more dry flour pockets. DO NOT OVER MIX TO AVOID A DENSE CAKE!
  10. Add the soaked dried fruits (leave some to top the cake) and nuts and gently fold it in.
  11. Pour into the prepared pan and level using an offset spatula.
  12. Sprinkle the remaining dried fruits on top and place in preheated oven.

  13. Bake in preheated oven for 55 to 65 minutes or until a cake tester (like a toothpick) inserted in center of cake comes out clean.

  14. Remove from oven and let cool in pan for about 10 minutes.
  15. Then, remove from pan and let cool COMPLETELY before cutting into slices.
  16. Enjoy this soft, moist, slightly dense, scrumptious, spice infused Christmas Fruit Cake especially during Christmas or any time you crave and fancy biting into this delicious cake!
  17. Happy Baking Foodies!

Recipe Notes

  • As the cake is baked at a lower temperature, it may take at least one hour. Check at 55 minutes and bake accordingly depending upon your oven. Mine took 65 minutes to bake.
  • Adjust the amount of spices according to taste and preference.
  • While making the batter, try not to over mix or beat too much.
  • Instead of orange juice, you can use grape juice too and rum instead of water if you want an alcohol based Christmas cake!
  • If you have time or love planning your cake ahead, soak the dried fruits in the juice, water/rum and lemon juice for at least a few hours or even a few days in the fridge instead of boiling it.
  • Allow the cake to cool completely before slicing into it.
  • To make a vegan cake, just substitute the yogurt with sour plant based room temperature milk. Just stir in 1 tbsp vinegar (or lemon juice) to plant based milk to make 1 cup of liquid. Set aside 10 minutes and then use.
  • Inspired by BakewithShivesh