Christmas fruit cake recipe

Christmas has always been known as a time of indulgence (well in my lifetime anyway).  It is a time to celebrate and be thankful.

Nutrition is not about denying ourselves, but more about making better, healthier choices, not making excuses for why we are entitled to eat anything we want whenever we want.  So at christmas it's ok to indulge and not feel guilty.

I am never a huge fan of fruit cake, it's just not my thing but i made these cakes about 10 years ago and have been tweaking the recipe since and love it.  

I recently added the photos on my Facebook page and have been asked a good few times now for the recipe so i thought I'd share it here too.


Yummy fruity christmas cake

INGREDIENTS 
(MAKES 3 CAKES)

2KG MIXED DRIED FRUIT
300G UNSALTED BUTTER
600G DARK MUSCOVADO SUGAR
300ML MARSALA WINE
ZEST 3 LEMONS
ZEST AND JUICE 3 ORANGES
8 LARGE EGGS
600G CHESTNUT PUREE (RECIPE AT END OR CAN BUY IN TINS)
60G PLAIN FLOUR
1 1/2TSP BAKING POWDER
1TSP GROUND CINNAMON
1TSP GROUND CLOVES
1TSP GROUND NUTMEG


METHOD
Mix the fruit, sugar butter, zest and juice, and marsala wine into a large saucepan and let soak for 2 hours.

While the mix is soaking make the chestnut puree.
Place 600g of piled roasted chestnuts into 2 cups of water and 1 cup sugar into a saucepan.  Bring to the boil and simmer for 20 minutes until most of the liquid is evaporated.  Strain the liquid and place the chestnuts into a blender.  slowly add the sugar water while blending the chestnuts until you have a paste like consistency.

Add the chestnut puree to the fruit mix. Bring to the boil for 10 minutes then leave to cool for a further 30 minutes.

Mix the dry ingredients together .

Add the whisked eggs to the fruit mix then add the dry ingredients to the mix.  Mix until completely blended.

Line 3 round baking tins with parchment paper.  The parchment paper should be 2x the height of the side of the tin.  Grease the inside of the paper with the butter wrappers.

Divide the mix between the 3 tins.

Place the cakes into a preheated oven at 150 degrees.  Bake for 2 hours.  Before you remove from the oven stick a long thin metal utensil into the cake, if it comes back out clean the cake is baked, if not put back in the oven for a further 10 minutes and check again.



Let me know how your cakes come out

​Merry christmas my lovelies.