Eggless Fruit and Nut Cake

Dear All,

Finally I am back to blogging after a short break which felt like long and which was unplanned. This month has been too hectic for me, with heavy workload and health not supporting I couldnt do a lot of blog hopping but I am hoping that things will go back to normal soon. This whole month I have been neglecting my oven though I really wanted to bake few things but never came around but when my dad's birthday was around the corner I just had to bake a cake for him. Though my dad loves sweets but due to his health he is now refrained from having sweets so I am always on lookout for recipes which are low in sugar and fats especially for my parents. Fruit and Nut cake seemed perfect to celebrate his birthday, this cake studded with rich dry fruits, spices and caramel was enjoyed by everyone in the family. My dad even commented that he would love to have this cake with some wine but one look from my mom and poor dad swallowed his feeling :-) Looking at this scene I remembered something "Even though the man is said to be the head of the house but wife is the neck who can turn the head any direction she wants", so true isnt it? :D

Recipe adapted from Aayi's Recipe
Ingredients for Caramel:-
1/2 cup sugar (100 gms)
1/4 cup boiling water (60 ml)

Ingredients for Cake:-
1 1/4 cup all purpose flour (175 gms)
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter melted (100 gms), I used Amul
1/2 cup cranberry juice (125 ml)
1 whole cinnamon stick
2 cloves
2 whole cardamon pods seeds
1 cup tuttu frutti (100 gms)
1/2 cup finely chopped almonds (50 gms)
1/2 cup finely chopped cashews (50 gms)
1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts (50 gms)
1/2 cup raisins

Procedure:-

• One day before making the cake, soap the dry fruits in cranberry juice along with whole spices.
• On the day of making the cake, first prepare the caramel. In heavy bottom pan heat the sugar on low heat.The sugar will start to melt, stir the melted sugar until all the sugar is melted and caramel is started to form. Slowly the melted sugar will become dark brown in color, make sugar that you donot burn the caramel or else it will spoil the taste of the cake, once whole sugar is metled and the mixture turns dark amber in color, remove from gas and put the vessel in sink. Now add in hot boiling water, about 1/4 cup, be extra careful here as the this will splutter a lot. Make sure you donot have children anywhere near you when you are doing this.
• Cool this mixture completely before using in the cake.
• Grease and flour a 6 or 7 inch cake pan. Preheat the oven at 180 degrees C.
• Sieve the flour, baking powder and baking soda.
• Remove the whole spices from the soaked dry fruits (You can also soak the whole spices alone in the juice initially for a day and then use this spiced juice to soak your dry fruits). Add in melted butter and 1/3 cup sugar and earlier prepared caramel syrup. Mix well.
• Now fold in the flour mixture in the dry fruits batter.
• Pour the batter in the cake pan and bake for 45 to 50 mins, until the cake is well browned and a tooth pick inserted comes out clean.
• Once done, remove the cake from oven and cool completely. Once cooled, wrap the cake in foil and store it in fridge overnight, this helps to intensify the flavors in the cake.
• Remove the cake from fridge before 1 hour of serving.

Verdict: This cake is perfect for celebrating any occasion, its moist and flavorful with rich dry fruits. Every bite has crunch of walnuts and almonds with flavors of cinnamon, cloves and cardamons. Have this cake with some wine after dinner or as a tea time cake, however you have it I am sure you will love it and want more.