INGREDIENTS
Ingredients for soaking:
1 cup fresh orange juice (240 ml)
120 gm dry fruits / ⅔ cup (brown raisin, black raisin, dates, fig, dried cranberries)
For the cake :
160 gm All Purpose Flour (1¼ cup)
¼ cup curd/yogurt (4 tablespoon)
100 gm butter melted or ½ cup oil
1 tsp baking Soda
1 tsp baking powder
150 gm sugar (¾ cup)
½ cup nuts chopped (pistachio, walnut, cashew nut, almond)
¼ cup tutti frutti or candied peel or fruit
1 tsp spice mix powder (cinnamon, nutmeg, star anise and cloves)
1 tsp orange zest
1 tsp vanilla essence
2-3 tbsp orange juice if required
Preparations
In a mixing bowl or glass jar soak add in the juice and the dry fruits. Mix well to combine. Make sure the fruits are well immersed in the juice. (can be kept for 3 days in the refrigerator)
Note – You can add the chopped nuts to the soaked fruit jar just a few hours ahead of baking or you can add them directly onto the cake batter.
Take the cake pan, grease and line parchment paper. You can dust the cake tin with plain flour if you don’t have the parchment paper. Preheat the oven @180° C for 10 minutes.
In a mixing bowl add the curd and baking soda, mix well and keep aside for 5 minutes.
In a sauce pan add the sugar and heat till it starts to melt and get a nice brown colour but do not over caramelize the sugar. Turn off and add 1-2 tablespoon water and stir well and let it cool down.
In the curd mixture add the melted butter, vanilla essence, orange juice and caramelized sugar. Mix well to combine.
Sieve in the flour, spice mix powder, baking powder, salt and orange zest. Gently fold to make a smooth batter.
Add the soaked dry fruits, tutti frutti and nuts to the batter.(reserve some for topping). Gently fold. Do not over mix the batter.
Pour the batter onto the prepared cake tin. Tap the cake tin 3-4 times to release any air bubbles.
Garnish the top with the reserved dry fruits and nuts.
Bake the cake in a preheated oven @170° C for 45 to 50 minutes. A tooth pick inserted should come out clean.
Remove from the oven and allow to stand for about 5 minutes. Demould the cake and allow the cake to cool down completely. Cut and serve.
NOTES:
● For a non-alcoholic christmas cake, soak the dried fruits in orange juice, grape juice or can use even mixed fruit juice and store it in the refrigerator. Soak the dried fruits only a week before you are ready to bake the cake.
● You can use the dried fruits as per your choice and palate preference.
● You can also use candied peels and candied fruits in Christmas cake.
● Every oven reacts differently so baking time may vary.
● Switch on both the filaments (rods) while preheating and baking.
● If you wish to bake with eggs, use 2 eggs and omit the baking soda and curd (yogurt).
● You can use whole wheat flour instead of all purpose flour.
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