Moist Christmas Cake No Added Sugar Or Fat Food

CHRISTMAS CAKE - EASY MOIST FRUIT CAKE

Steps:

• Place dried fruit and juice/brandy in a large microwavable container. Microwave 1 1/2 minutes on high or until hot.
• Stir to coat all fruit in liquid. Cover then set aside for 1 hour (to plump up/soak and cool).
• Preheat oven to 160°C / 320°F (140°C fan). Grease and line a 21 - 22 cm / 8 - 9" round cake pan with baking paper (parchment paper) (7 cm / 2.75" tall).
• Using an electric beater, beat butter and sugar until smooth and creamy (about 1 minute on speed 5).
• Add oil and molasses, beat until combined.
• Add salt, spices and baking powder - beat until incorporated.
• Add eggs, one at a time, beating until just incorporated
• Stir in the flour.
• When mostly incorporated, stir in the fruit mix (including all the extra liquid in bowl) and walnuts (if using).
• Pour into cake pan, cover with foil and bake for 3 hours 15 minutes, removing foil the last 45 minutes. Skewer inserted into middle should come out clean with no batter on it.
• Remove from oven and cool for 20 minutes before transferring to cooling rack. Cool completely before serving.
• Cake is moist and so full flavoured, it can be eaten plain. But see below for decorating and serving ideas (traditionally served with pouring custard).
• Cutting: Either cut into thin wedges, or cut cake into thin strips (2cm / 0.75" or so), then cut those strips into serving size pieces.
• Traditional White Christmas Cake (pictured in post) - Marzipan and fondant, see Decorating Note.
• Simple - pile top with fresh cherries or other fruit, dust with icing sugar (powdered sugar). Wrap a ribbon around the cake for extra touch!
• Drippy white glaze - use the glaze in this Lemon Cake recipe, but leave out the lemon juice (ie make a plain sweet white glaze). Flip cake upside down for flat surface then glaze per that recipe.
• Serving - serve with custard for a traditional experience! Either homemade custard or store bought pouring custard (jazz it up by mixing in vanilla seed paste!).

SUGAR FREE CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour one 10 inch bundt or tube pan.
• In a saucepan combine raisins with water and cook until the water is absorbed, cool.
• Combine eggs, applesauce, vegetable oil, vanilla, and liquid sweetener. Mix well. Sift flour, baking soda, salt, ground cinnamon, and ground nutmeg into egg mixture. Stir until just combined. Mix in raisins and chopped nuts. Pour batter into prepared pan.
• Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for one hour.

MOIST CHRISTMAS CAKE (NO ADDED SUGAR OR FAT)

Steps:

• Line base and sides of 20cm squared cake tin with paper.
• Place mixed fruit, apricots, undrained pineapple, orange juice and spice in a saucepan.
• Bring slowly to boil, simmer uncovered 2-3 minutes, remove from heat.
• Cover and allow to cool.
• Stir egg yolks (optional) and soda into fruit mixture.
• Whip egg whites stiffly in large bowl.
• Fold in fruit mixture, then fold in flour, making a firm mixture.
• Spread into cake tin, bake in moderate oven (160c) for 1 1/2 hours.
• Cover the hot cake with foil and allow to cool in the pan.
• On special occasions, you may decorate the top with glace cherries and a few almonds.
• Take care- all nuts have a high fat content.
• The pineapple can be replaced by 3/4 cup water and 1 cup mashed pumpkin.
• or 3/4 cup water and 1 cup pureed pie apricots Add the pumpkin or apricots after the fruit mixture has cooled.
• The water is added to the dried fruit so it can be boiled.

HEALTHY EXTRA MOIST CHOCOLATE CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).
• In a food processor, pulse chocolate, cocoa powder and baking soda until texture of coarse sand.
• Pulse pitted dates, then eggs, coconut oil and vanilla.
• Transfer the batter into a 8×8 inch (20 x 20 cm) baking dish.
• Bake for about 25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
• Allow to cool before serving.

CHRISTMAS CAKE (DIABETIC)

Steps:

• Put the dried fruit, cherries and brandy in a large bowl and stir well to combine and set aside overnight to marinate.
• Preheat oven to 140C (fan forced) or 150C conventional.
• Spray a 18cm (base measurement) square cake pan with cooking spray and then line base and sides with 2 layers of baking/parchment paper, allowing paper to reach 5 cm above the top.
• Place oven rack so top of pan is positioned in the centre of the oven.
• Put eggs , apple puree and spread in a medium bowl and whisk well together and then add to the fruit mixture and mix until well combined.
• Sift flours, cocoa powder, mixed spice and cinnamon into a small bowl, returning any husks from the sieve to the bowl.
• Add flour mixture to the fruit mixture and mix until well combined.
• Spoon mixture into the prepared cake pan pressing firmly into corners with the back of a spoon and smooth surface.
• Drop or tap cake pan onto the bench a few times to settle the mix and then push almonds lightly into the top of the cake in the pattern of your choice.
• Cover the cake pan with a piece of foil and bake for 1 hour, remove the foil and bake for a further 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 hours or until a skewer inserted into centre of the cake comes out clean and the cake is firm to the touch in the middle.
• Trim the overhanging baking paper and then wrap cake , still in the cake pan in 2 clean tea towels to keep it moist as it cools.
• Set aside overnight to cool completely.
• Remove from pan and dust with icing sugar if you like to serve.
• You can chop the fruit in a food processor, using the pulse button.
• This cake will keep for up to 1 month in an airtight container.