Dec 23, 2009

Christmas Fruit Cake

I remember my dad getting this special fruit cake from the bakeries especially during christmas and new year. They were rich cakes made with dried fruits and nuts and tasted great. I wanted to recreate the fruit cake and this is my attempt to make this delicious exotic fruit cake. It ages well and tastes even better when eaten after about a week.

I made two cakes, we enjoyed one immediately and I have stored the other to be cut on Christmas day!

You can check out last years christmas cake here.

I adopted the recipe from here and I tweaked it a little bit.

Ingredients
Flour - 2 cups
Baking soda - 1 teaspoon
Baking powder - 1 teaspoon
Brown sugar - 1 3/4 cups
Nuts - 3/4 cup chopped (I used almonds, pecans and walnuts)
Dried fruits chopped and soaked in orange juice - 1 cup (I used dried apricots, dates and raisins)
Orange juice - 1 1/2 cups
Cloves - 3
Oil - 3/4 cup
Eggs - 3 large
Boiling water - 1 cup

Directions
Soak the chopped dried fruits in the orange juice. I soaked them for a day it could be stored in the refrigerator if storing for about a week.

Now starting with the cake preparation,
In a heavy bottomed vessel take the brown sugar and put it on medium heat.



After about six to seven minutes, it starts to melt and caramelize. Take care it does not burn. This should be done in low or medium heat. All the sugar melts and look like this.



Pour the boiling water slowly into this caramelized mixture. Take care because it splutters. Simmer for about 3 minutes until all the caramel dissolves and forms a thick liquid. Allow it to cool completely.



Sift the flour, baking powder and baking soda together. Add the oil, cooled caramel and eggs and beat together with an electric mixer or using a whisk. Slowly add the flour one cup at a time and beat until combined. Stir in the soaked fruits and nuts and stir until well combined to form the cake batter.

Preheat oven to 190C/375 F.

Pour the batter into a greased baking pan. I used a round cake pan and a loaf pan.



Bake for about 50 minutes until the cake springs back from the pan.



Cool completely on a wire rack. Slice only after it cools completely.


The cake can be allowed to age for a bout a week by wrapping it in an aluminium foil and a cling wrap. It tastes better with time. The cake also freezes well.


Sending this to the following events:
Show Me Your Cake being hosted here in Dil Se..
Desserts, Pastries and Icecreams hosted by Radhika
Cakes and Cookies hosted by Mahimaa
Its time to jingle again hosted by Priyanka


Merry Xmas!!
Sending this to bread mania

59 comments:

  1. Fantastic fruit cake Divya...looks rich and beautiful with all those fruits & nuts..

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  2. Nice step by step pictures Dhivya...I too love those cakes back in India :)

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  3. I love the fact that my cake is doing the rounds this year!

    Happy new year!

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  4. thaks for sendint this over,..;-)
    happy christmas,..

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  5. Merry Christmas !! And totally fruitful cake :)

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  6. Wow...that's an drool worthy cake.....looks soft and yum...

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  7. I enjoyed reading this recipe; not only does it look delicious but I learned a new technique. Thanks.

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  8. I am on the lookout for a fruit cake recipe.. saw one on some other blog too... yours looks yummy. btw, what size is your loaf pan - 9X5?

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  9. looks great, I am imagining the flavour of the orange juice soaked nuts...yummm

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  10. Hi Divya,

    Cake look perfect and yummy !!!!!!!

    Wishing u a merry christmas and love to share an award with u. Kindly accept it

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  11. Wow really looks yummy.....All your recipes are really great..Thanks for sharing them:)
    I became one of your follower after seeing your recipes.

    Wish you and your family Merry Christmas and a very Happy New Year.

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  12. Delicious cake! Love the step by step photos!

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  13. Excellent cake..looks tempting..Merry Christmas!!

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  14. Delicious and love the step by step instructions

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  15. Its raining fruit cakes everywhere and yours is tempting me to make one too :-)
    Delicious!!
    Merry christmas and have a happy and prosperous new year :-)

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  16. Even my hubby like this nuts filled cakes very much...thinking to give it a try.

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  17. That's a smart idea to bake 2 cakes... because i can never wait patiently for it to mature and so never have. Looks perfect.

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  18. Awesome cake...looks tasty! Merry Christmas you and family.

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  19. Wish you and your family a happy and prosperous New Year and a great blogging year ahead!
    Lovely cake. I making them today.

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  20. lovely looking cake Divya. Merry Christmas

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  21. Dear Divya, the cake looks perfect. Happy holidays and a very happy new year to you and your family.

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  22. Hi divya...cake looks awesome & delicious and a perfect way to celebrate this festive season...wish u a very happy xmas and a very happy new year to you and your family...

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  23. Merry x'mas dear and yummyyyyyy cake :))

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  24. looks perfect and i love the outer color of the cake.... also looks festive :) super po... thanks for sending. i got the recipe.

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  25. love fruits cakes ! This cake looks perfectly made. Happy holidays divya.

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  26. I love fruit cakes and we usually get it from bakeries as I am too lazy to make it over a week or two..Yours looks rich and terrific..Merry Xmas and happy holidays

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  27. Merry Christmas Divya, cake looks delicious

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  28. Such a gorgeous, gorgeous cake!! I've always wanted to make a homemade fruitcake - thank you for the fantastic recipe!

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  29. Hey Dea..
    Hope you had a wonderful Christmas.
    Cake looks fabulously yummy..

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  30. Wonderful cake.Wishing you and your family a very happy and prosperous New Year dear:)

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  31. Here's wishing you and your family a happy and prosperous 2010, Divya!

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  32. Wish you and your family a wonderful 2010, Divya

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  33. Wow lovely cake Divya... Wish You wonderful New Year!!!

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  34. Wow...the cake looks amazing! Wish you a Very Happy new year!

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  35. wish you a very happy and prosperous new year Divya.. :) cake looks delicious , especially the second snap.. :)

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  36. Classic cake.My best wishes for 2010,Divya :D

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  37. Beautiful xmas cake is looks lovely.

    Happy New Year!

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  38. yummy, I usually make this cake everyyear, but somehow did not do it this year. Urs looks so delicious. Good job

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  39. திவ்யா கேக் ரொம்ப சூப்பரா இருக்கு உடனே போய் செய்யலாம் பார்த்தால் நேரமுமில்லை.

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  40. aaah decoration n all nowadays in full force.... love it ... sahi hai ... alge raho..... and this new template is also good ya.... how r u doing... from d blog side it looks goood

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  41. Fruit cakes are one of my favorite cakes! Love them. Yours looks delicious!

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  42. Hi,
    These Sounds like Yummy..!!
    This Christmas Fruit Cake looks delicious and adorable.
    I love Fruit cake most. I read your recipe its really unique and easy to make.
    Thanks For Sharing,,,,

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Hi..
Thanks for dropping by my blog and rendering your valuable comments..Hope you had a nice time reading my recipes..Thanks for your encouragement..