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Tuesday, January 29, 2013

Citrusy Fruit Cake

Yesterday was my little one's "star" or nakshatra birthday. Apart from his current favorite "poori-bhaaji" for dinner, I made some pineapple jello for desert. Just that simple meal was enough to send him into rapturous delight! I also wanted to bake a cake for him, but some unforeseen  circumstances came up and I couldn't do it. So, today I decided to make up for it by baking a cake.

Now, the problem with baking a nice rich moist creamy cake (drool drool) with a satiny layer of frosting (ooh I can almost taste it!) is, I am horrible at icing and my frosting is just about average. Not that it has ever stopped me from trying my hand at it! But this was a day later, so no point in "cutting the cake". Just not worth the effort for a mental promise! If I had told him about it, I would have gone the whole nine yards, but as luck would have it, he had no idea I was planning any such thing. Also, hubby and kiddo would just take one serving, who do you think would finish off the rest? But of course, yours truly. No thank you!

So I compromised and decided to make a fruit cake. I used condensed milk instead of sugar, so the taste is a tad on the mild side sweetness wise. But this works perfectly as an accompaniment to the evening tea/coffee. Hubby dearest loved it and ate a slice without any prodding where normally I would have to get all pouty and emotionally blackmail him to try it! And of course the chief guest - my "not so little anymore" boy liked it too. Infact he has made it very clear that's what he plans to carry for his snack to school tomorrow!

The mention of fruit cake brings back fond memories of Christmas back home in India. We had a lot of Christian friends. So in the days leading up to Christmas eve, we would have carolers coming over and singing at our house before moving on to other houses in the neighborhood.  And on the day of Christmas our friends would bring over these absolutely delicious fruit cakes and plum cakes as well as home made wine.

I have used imitation rum essence to capture the delicious flavors of those cakes from my childhood. No where near perfect, but will have to do for now :)

I have not used any nuts as my kid is allergic, but am sure some chopped pecans, walnuts and/or almonds would add to the taste.

My fruit cake has currants, cranberries and tutti fruitti. You could use raisins or any other dry fruits. Also, I have used chickoo essence and lemon extract apart from the imitation rum essence and the standard vanilla essence as I wanted to get a fruity flavor. The orange zest and cinnamon applesauce also add to the citrusy fruity taste. Feel free to change the essence to suit your taste and omit the zest as well as applesauce. But if you decide to leave out the applesauce, increase the butter by another tablespoon.

Preparation & Cooking: 1 hour and 15 minutes        

Ingredients:
Eggs - 4
Butter - 3 tablespoons
Condensed Milk - 1 can (14 oz)
All Purpose Flour (Maida) - 1 cup (sifted) + a little for dusting the cake pan
Baking Powder - 1½ teaspoon
Salt - a pinch
Cinnamon Apple Sauce - ¼ cup
Vanilla Essence - ¼ teaspoon
Chickoo Essence - ¼ teaspoon
Lemon Extract - ¼ teaspoon
Imitation Rum Essence - ¼ teaspoon
Currants - 2 tablespoons
Cranberries - 1 tablespoon
Tutti Fruitti - 2 tablespoons
Zest from one orange

Method:
  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit/ 175 degrees Celsius.
  2. Grease a bundt cake pan with some butter and dust it lightly with some flour.
  3. Beat together the eggs, butter, flour, condensed milk, baking powder, salt, vanilla essence, lemon extract, chickoo essence, imitation rum essence and cinnamon applesauce.
  4. Now fold in the currants, cranberries, tutti fruitti and orange zest, pour into the bundt cake pan.

  5. Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit/ 175 degrees Celsius for about 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
  6. Let the cake cool, then gently turn it over and tap to unmould the cake.


  7. Yummy fruit cake is ready. Slice them up and nibble away with your choice of beverage!

Sending this across to Vardhini's
guest hosted by Sumee's Culinary Bites

12 comments:

  1. hi first time here:)nice blog:)colorful and yummy cake.happy to follow you:)check my space when you have time:)happy blogging:)

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    1. Thanks Ramya! You too have a lovely blog there :)

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  2. Coming over to try some today...looks Awesome girl!

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    1. Is that after or before the workout session ;) Waiting...

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  3. Cake looks super spongy and delicious..

    Shree
    http://easycooknbake.blogspot.com/2012/12/event-announcement-hot-beverages-and.html

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  4. Delicious fruit cake with loads of ingredients, happy star birthday to your little one. Wishing all the happiness in the world for him.

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  5. Very neat presentation and well explained looks delicious.

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