FAT-FREE FRUITCAKE, financial indulgence, easy-peasy, prep-ahead

A perfectly pretty very easy fruitcake for bracing winds & pre-Christmas raffles

previous posted 2015; updated 5/23

Incredibly easy fruitcake, fat-free, loaded with fruit and nuts 
Perfect for pre-Christmas raffles

  l

This brilliant fruitcake, adapted from Delia Smith, is fat-free and absolutely stuffed with heart-friendly nuts.  It also includes chunky pieces of moist dried fruit, and only a small amount of raisins.  

The best thing though is that it stands on its own -- there is no wrestling with layers of icing!  Even with the alcohol, it only lasts a month but it's quite an easy cake to put together.  67 has whipped up one or two without sweat in the week before Christmas.

Some planning is required.  The fruit will be steeped in alcohol for a day (or at least 4 hours) - at best overnight.  The finished product should be consumed within a month of baking; if it's needed for Christmas, best not to start until the end of November.

The recipe has been modified for palates accustomed to 'cleaner', healthier eating.    

The original recipe was quite chunky with whole nuts but kids and older people find the chunkiness quite difficult.  If the cake is intended for family, keep the nuts chunky but not necessarily whole.

Brazil nuts are quite dear; 67 used only 125gm Brazils and made up the rest with other nuts.  The cake is not frugal in any sense of the word but, well, it is for a special occasion.  

Cost: £ probably £10-12  (5/23), not incl decorations but lasts at least a month 

Serves: 8-10

Ingred:

   
    8 oz/225 g whole brazil nuts (OR 125g brazils and the rest hazlenuts and almonds OR mixed nuts, any proportions)

    5 oz/150 g walnuts 

   
    3 oz/75 g candied fruit or, for the frugal, peel OR dried pineapple 

    4 oz/110 g stoned dates

    4 oz/110 g dried apricots

    6 oz/175 g glace cherries

    1.5 oz/42 g raisins 

    1.5 oz/42 g seedless prunes 
    grated rind of 1 lemon & 1 orange 

    
    3-4 tbsp brandy

   

    3 oz/75 g plain flour (OR 2/3 white + 1/3 wholemeal)

         (67 used spelt flours)

    1/2 tsp baking powder

    1/2 tsp cinnamon

    1/4 tsp nutmeg

    1/4 tsp allspice

    

    min 4oz -max 5 oz/min 120g -max 150gm soft brown sugar

    3 med eggs beaten

    1 tsp good vanilla extract

   

    Garnish: speciality glace fruit (opt) 

Method:

1. Grease & line with greaseproof paper an 8 in/20 cm square cake pan or equivalent (or an 8 inch/20cm circle, or a loaf pan 8.5x4.5 inch/21.5 x 11.5 cm with 2.5 pints/1.5 L capacity)
2. Chop brazil nuts into three pieces each (opt)
3. Halve dates, prunes and apricots
4. Place with other dried fruit in a heatproof bowl
5. Pour boiling water over (this removes some of the preservatives & plumps up the fruit); leave 3 minutes
6. Drain fruit; place in a large mixing  bowl with nuts; add grated rinds & 1-2 tbsp brandy; stir, cover tightly with clingfilm; leave 3-4 hours or overnight
7. When ready to bake, pre-heat oven to 300 f, 150c, 130 fan, gas 2
8. Sift or mix flour, baking powder and spices in a large bowl
9. Stir in sugar, breaking up any small lumps; add beaten eggs and vanilla
10. Mix with handheld electric whisk, or vigorously with a wooden spoon, until batter is smooth but not overbeaten 
11. Drain nut & fruit mix, saving juices.  
12. Tip nuts and fruits into batter; stir vigorously till all bits are coated; pour into  the tin; use spatula or back of spoon to level
13. Rest a sheet of greaseproof paper on top; bake ABOUT 2 hours.  Check after 1 1/2 hours.  The cake is done when the centre is springy to the touch; a toothpick inserted in the middle will come out fairly dry (but still a bit damp because of the fruit)
14. Cool in the tin.
15. Mix any juices (from 11) with the rest of the brandy.  Stab the top of the cake with a cocktail stick or skewer and spoon half of the remaining brandy mix over the top.  Rest 1 hour.
16. Gently turn the cake over over and repeat.
17. If not using straight away, wrap in double cling film and foil for up to 3 weeks. If decorating the cake, add another couple of tbsp brandy (opt) 
18. If you wish to decorate the cake with nuts and fruits, first heat some apricot jam until it is runny, brush over the cake, arrange decoration and brush again (avoid re-brushing specially bought candied fruit)
19. For presentation: wrap in a layer of cling film and then with acetone paper; tie with ribbon*. 
20. The cake should be consumed within 5 weeks of baking day  

Comments: 

'This cake sold for £50 at auctiion in 2016!' Political Agent

'I love this cake; it's got no fat, is lower in added sugar and the ton of nuts is really heart healthy.  Okay, too much dried fruit is not good for you...but in one sensational bite? '

Tips:

Don't hesitate to replace some dried fruit with others.  67goingon50 replaced candied fruit with soft-dried pineapple and also threw in some candied ginger...the result was more than fine.

*For details of stockist of woven ribbon and acetone paper, go to Christmas presentation cakes

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This recipe method and decorating techniques have been developed by B M Lee/ Bright Sun Enterprises.  It may not be reproduced without the author's written permission.