(25 servings)
Ingredients for a quick Christmas cake
Fruit
300 gm raisins
150 gm diced dried apricots
75 gm orange peel, diced
180 gm dates, diced
1 cup + 2 tbsp (280 ml) apple juice
Cake
1 and cup maida/flour
3 eggs
½ tsp salt
½ cup oil
3 tbsp molasses or sugar syrup
8 tbsp unsalted butter
1 and ½ cups dark brown sugar
½ tsp cinnamon
½ nutmeg
½ tsp baking powder
¾ cup chopped walnuts
Preparation guide
Microwave dried fruit and apple juice for 1.5 minutes.
Stir to coat all fruits in apple juice. Cover and set aside for 1 hour (to plump, soak and cool).
For the cake, preheat the oven to 160°C.
Beat butter and sugar until smooth and creamy. Add oil and molasses syrup, and blend well.
Add salt, spices and baking powder and mix well. Add eggs, one at a time, beating all the while. Now, add the flour.
When it is mixed well, add and stir fruit mix (including all the extra liquid in the bowl) and walnuts.
Pour into a cake pan, cover with foil and bake for 3 hours 15 minutes, removing foil for the last 45 minutes. A skewer inserted into the middle should come out clean with no batter on it.
Remove from the oven and cool before serving.
Health benefits. This recipe for a quick Christmas cake contains nutmeg, which is a wonderful digestive aid. It also relieves pain, strengthens cognitive functions, detoxifies the body, and improves oral health.
Also read: How to make Gingerbread cake