Eggless Christmas fruit cake

EASY EGGLESS CHRISTMAS CAKE

INGREDIENTS

• Maida – 1 cup
• Milk powder – ½ cup
• Brown sugar – ¾ cup
• Unsalted butter – 1//2 cup
• Milk /warm water / orange juice – ½ cup
• Baking soda – ½ tsp
• Baking powder – 1 tsp
• Vanilla essence – 1 ½   tsp
• Soaked fruits and nuts  – ¾ or 1  cup [optional ]
• Cinnamon pwdr – 1 tsp
• Clove pwdr made from 1 clove
• Fresh orange zest – 2 tsp
• Generous pinch of nutmeg

PREPARATION

1. Sieve twice maida + baking soda + baking pwdr  + cinnamon pwdr + clove pwdr + nutmeg pwdr  and keep aside .
2. Powder the sugar .
3. Grease a baking tin .
4. Preheat oven at 180* C  [convection mode ]

METHOD

In a mixing bowl beat sugar + butter till creamy .

Add milk powder and mix .

Add the juice and mix

Now add the maida and mix together using a spatula .

Remember never beat the batter after adding the flour.

If the batter is too thick , you can add 1 or 2 tbsp of extra milk /water / juice .

Fold in the soaked fruits and nuts + orange zest .

Pour the batter in the greased tin and level it .

Tap it gently twice .

Bake it for 35 – 40 mins .

Baking time depends on the size of tin, broader the tin lesser the baking time .

Loaf tins take upto 50 mins or more .

Bake till the tooth prick inserted in centre comes out clean .

Once done allow it to cool .

Run a knife around the tin to loosen it .Cake is ready to serve .

This cake tastes better , the next day . Cover and keep aside for a day and enjoy the next day .

NOTES

1. Adjust sugar accordingly .
2. Fruit cakes don’t require frosting or icing 
3. If the cake is dry ,we can drizzle little of the liquid in which the fruits were soaked .Before slicing you can make holes and sprinkle the liquid OR we can brush .
4. No need to refrigerate the cake , as alcohol acts as preservative .
5. Fruit cakes are dense and crumbly .
6. Try same recipe without spice pwdr for simple eggless milk powder cake .

SOAKING IN LIQOUR –

Before soaking clean the dry fruits .  Take I cup of mixed dry fruits and  nuts in a dry container with tight lid .Add 3/4 or 1 cup of dark rum / whiskey / wine / sherry and keep in a dark dry area for minimum 1 week or more than that ..mnths or yrs. The liquid should cover upto the level of the dry fruits and nuts .More the soaking time better the taste.

*** Overnight or 2 days soaking is enough , if you don’t have time.If  the liqour / juice level goes below the fruit level ,you can top it with more liqour / juice .Stir the fruits every alternate day with clean wooden dry stirrer /spoon .

SOAKING  IN JUICE –

If using orange  /grape /apple juice /black tea /cranberry juice- then soak for  a week ,but keep in fridge.

INSTANT USING OF DRY FRUITS AND NUT WITHOUT SOAKING –

Take 1 cup of fruits and nuts in a pan ,add 1/2 cup or little more water and simmer for 8 to 10 mins .

OR 

Just  soak the dry fruits and nuts in hot water for 30 mins.

While using the soaked fruits ,use a strainer to drain off the excess liquid .This liquid can be used making the cake batter .V

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