Easy Fruit Cake



The month of December entails festivities, celebrations and lots of baking to commemorate the two. A box with candied orange peels was saved for December. Some golden raisins and black currants too were kept in a corner of the pantry awaiting special baking.

This weekend, we all got together to make our fruit loaf. Walnuts were shelled, almonds blanched and halved, peels chopped fine, dates and figs measured and sliced. It was fun. Amidst animated conversation, busy hands worked with dexterity and soon, a flavourful and rich cake was rising in the oven. It filled up the nook and crannies of our home with a heavenly aroma.


Baking a fruit cake around Christmas is a ritual we love. This is a no-fuss fruit cake that requires simple ingredients and is incredibly delicious. It is full of fruit bits and walnuts.



Easy Fruit Cake | Easy Fruit Loaf
Ingredients
  • 1 ¾ cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • ½ cup (100gms) butter
  • 1 egg
  • 1 cup sour cream*
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 cup chopped walnut kernels
  • ½ cup golden raisins
  • ½ cup currants
  • ¾ cup chopped dates
  • ¼ cup chopped figs
  • ¼ cup candied orange peels
  • ¼ cup glace  cherries
  • ¼ cup all-purpose flour to toss the dry fruits
  • Handful of almonds blanched and halved (for decoration)

Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 165 degrees C. Line one 9x5 inch loaf pan with greased parchment paper. Extend parchment sheet along the sides like handles. It will help to bring the cake out of the pan easily.
  2. Mix flour and salt well. Keep aside.
  3. Beat butter and sugar until light and pale. Add egg. Beat till well incorporated.
  4. Take sour cream in a bowl. Add baking soda. It will begin to bubble. Keep for about 10 minutes.
  5. Take all the dry fruits and walnuts in a bowl. Add flour and toss well. This will prevent the dry fruits from sinking to the bottom of the cake.
  6. Add sour cream mix to butter-sugar-egg mix. Mix well.
  7. Now add flour in three shifts mixing well after each addition.
  8. Fold in dry fruits and walnuts. The batter will be thick and not runny.
  9. Spoon the batter into the prepared pan. Level with the back of the spoon.
  10. Decorate the top with blanched almonds.
  11. Bake for 1 hour 50 minutes to 2 hours. The top should turn brown and should be firm to touch. Cover with a foil if the top browns too soon.

* To prepare sour cream, bring 1 cup cream to a boil. Leave it to cool. When warm, add 1 tablespoon curd (whisk it smooth). Mix well. Leave to set .overnight, or, for 6-7 hours. Use.
Or, use hung curd in place of sour cream.

My Tip: You may also add dry fruits of your choice. You may also brush the top and sides liberally with brandy and wrap in cling film. Repeat the next four days. Enjoy the boozy cake.


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21 comments:

  1. Hello Namita, Here after a long time. Your loaf cake looks so yummy and perfectly baked! I am in love with fruit cakes lately and yours looks very tempting. Like you said in your post, there is something magical about December that makes you want to bake! :) Must have been lovely baking as a family. I could just imagine by through your writing. Merry Christmas to you all!

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  2. Awwww... i wish i could meet you Namita.. you must be such an amazing person
    Much Love
    Pratibha

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    Replies
    1. Thank You so much Pratibha. God willing we shall definitely meet some day. From foothills, we are shifting to the hills. I shall invite you once we are settled there :)

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  3. Love the Recipe!!! And the cake looks amazing..will try it out soon.

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  4. Hello ma'am. Can I use buttermilk instead of sour cream ?

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    Replies
    1. Hello Marina, Use thick curd. Buttermilk will make the batter runny.

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  5. Hi Namita, with what can we replace egg

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    Replies
    1. You may use 1 flax egg (1 tablepsoon flax meal stirred into 3 tablespoons water. let it sit for 5-6 minutes. Stir, add to the batter). You may also use 1/4 cup thick curd.

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  6. Hi Namita. Excited to try this cake. Can you please clarify if the 100 gm butter used here is salted or unsalted? Thank you.

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    Replies
    1. Hello Upasana, I have used the salted butter. I have used Amul.Happy Baking!

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  7. For eggless cake and instead of sour cream want to use curd ... Plz tell the quantity of curd ...

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    Replies
    1. Use 1/4 cup of thick curds for an egg. Happy Baking!

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  8. As always, you share such wonderful recipes. I started baking in December as a teenager, it's truly magical, this month!!!
    And this happens to be one of my favourites, though Ive never baked one... Here I get my recipe and reason. 💞

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    Replies
    1. Hello Subha, i am so happy that you will be trying this recipe
      Happy Baking!

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  9. Thank you for lovely recipe. Can I use cream cheese instead of sour cream? Sorry for silly question...but I want to consume my cream cheese. Thank you

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    Replies
    1. Hello Smita, use hung curd instead. Or, really thick curd. Curd will help the cake rise well. Or, 50% cream cheese and 50% curd will also work well. Happy Baking!

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  10. Cake looks yummy, I will try it, replacing egg with 1/4 cup curd,does sour cream quantity remain same?
    Till date didn't get a perfect eggless fruit cake recipe, hope this works. Thanks.

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    Replies
    1. You may use thick curd. And the quantity of sour cream remains the same. Hope you get a great cake. Happy Baking!

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  11. Love your recipe will going to make soon , can u plz tell how to preserve long ?

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