Easy Peasy Healthy Fruit Cake Recipes

EASY-PEASY FRUITCAKE

Steps:

• Put the rum (or brandy), orange zest and juice and mixed dried fruit in a bowl and stir. Leave to soak overnight.
• Heat oven to 170C/150C fan/gas 3½. Double line a 20cm tin with baking parchment. Beat the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Whisk in the eggs one by one, then fold in the almonds and flour. Add a pinch of salt and fold in the soaked fruit mixture (and any remaining liquid in the bowl), along with the nuts, candied peel and ginger. Spoon the mixture into the tin and level the surface.
• Bake for 1 hr, then turn the oven down to 150C/130C fan/gas 2 and bake for a further 2 hrs. Check the cake to see if it's pulling away from the sides of the tin and feels firm on top. If you need to, keep cooking for a further 15 mins. Cool in the tin. If storing in the tin, wrap the cake tightly first. Will freeze for up to two months.
• To decorate, brush the cake with the apricot jam (or glaze) and arrange your choice of candied fruit on top. Will keep in a sealed container for up to three weeks.

EASY PEASY HEALTHY FRUIT CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat an oven to 160 C / 320°F.
• Put fruit, water and contents of the whole tin of mangoes (including the natural juice) into a saucepan.
• Bring to the boil and simmer just for a minute.
• Sieve the flours, baking powder, baking soda, xanthan and salt together.
• Beat the eggs lightly in your mixer and gradually combine all the ingredients together.
• Place in a greased round tin lined with baking paper.
• Bake for about 45 minutes to an hour until a skewer comes out clean.

EASY-DOES-IT FRUITCAKE

Steps:

• In large bowl, combine 1/4 cup flour, candied fruit, dates, raisins and nuts; toss until well coated; set aside., In another large bowl, cream butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Combine the baking soda, salt, cinnamon, cloves and remaining flour; gradually add to creamed mixture alternately with orange juice, beating well after each addition. Stir in fruit and nut mixture; mix well., Spoon into five greased 5-3/4x3x2-in. baking pans (pans will be full). Bake at 325° for 1 hour. Cover with foil; bake 10-15 minutes longer or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let stand for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks. , In a small bowl, combine glaze ingredients until smooth. With a pastry brush, brush glaze over warm loaves. Cool completely.

CLASSIC FRUITCAKE

Steps:

• Add the dried cranberries, dried blueberries, dried apricots, dried pineapple, and brandy to a plastic container with a tight-fitting lid. Seal the lid on top, and refrigerate for at least 8 hours, or up to 1 day. Drain and discard any remaining brandy.
• Preheat the oven to 350°F, and lightly coat a 9x5" loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray.
• Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt in a medium bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk together the butter and egg. Whisk in the vanilla. Stir in the yogurt, mixing until no large lumps remain. Stir in the molasses and maple syrup. Alternate between adding the flour mixture and milk to the egg mixture, beginning and ending with the flour mixture, and stirring just until incorporated. (For best results, add the flour mixture in 3 equal parts.) Fold in the drained dried fruit.
• Spread the batter into the prepared pan. Bake at 350°F for 40-45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely.