Whole Grain Eggless Fruit and Nut Snack Cake

Wholegrain Eggless Fruit and Nut Snack Cake is a low fat cake. It is moist, delicious and wholesome. Studded with dry fruits and nuts, it is ideal for snacking, for kids' snack box and great with a cup of tea.

There has always been a ritual in our home to watch the last sunset of the year. Our dad used to take us to the terrace and we would all watch the huge red orb sinking slowly into the horizon and disappearing in the gray sky. 

It would be followed by introspection and discussion over a cup of hot tea. Slowly, the excitement of the New Year would take over and celebrations would begin. We always had special meals on the last day of the year and also on the first day of the year.

This year, like every year, we walked to the top of the oak ridge with our kids. It was cold and breezy and it was worth trudging up the steep terrain. The sunset was mesmerizing. I remembered my father. I looked up and believed that he must be watching us all. Physically, he left us three years ago but is living on in our heart. The values he gave us are being passed on to our kids.

Later, in the evening, we baked an Eggless Wholegrain Fruit Cake.  This is a low fat Cake. We used all the dry fruits and nuts left after baking the Christmas Cake.

The cake was delicious, wholesome and great with a cup of tea.

Whole Grain Eggless Fruit and Nut Snack Cake

Ingredients

• 1 ½ cup whole wheat flour
• 1 tablespoon corn flour
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon baking soda
• 1 pinch salt
• 1 ¼ cup unrefined cane sugar
• 1 cup warm milk
• 1 tablespoon white vinegar/ apple cider vinegar/ lemon juice
• 1/3 cup oil
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ½ cup mixed dry fruits (raisins, apricots, cherries, figs)
• ¼ cup toasted chopped almonds

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 160 degrees C. Grease and line one 8 inch round cake pan.
2. Toss dry fruits and nuts in one teaspoon flour.
3. Take flour in a large bowl. Remove 1 tablespoon flour. Add 1 tablespoon corn flour.
4. Whisk together first six ingredients in a large bowl.
5. In another deep bowl, take milk, add vinegar, stir and let sit for five minutes.
6. Add oil and vanilla extract. Stir to mix well.
7. To this, add flour mix from a height.  This incorporates air in the batter making it light. Stir to combine.
8. Stir in dry fruits and nuts.
9. Pour batter into the prepared pan.
10. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until the top has browned and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
11. Remove from the oven after 10 minutes. Remove from the pan. Peel off the parchment paper.
12. Cool in the rack.
13. Slice when cold.