Description
This Healthy Christmas Fruit Bundt Cake is a delightful festive treat combining the rich flavors of mixed candied fruits, nuts, and aromatic spices in a moist, tender cake. Baked gently at a low temperature, this fruitcake offers a perfect balance of natural sweetness and spice, making it an ideal holiday dessert that’s both traditional and wholesome.
Ingredients
Scale
Fruit and Nut Mixture
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 8 oz walnuts
- 15 small jarred cherries (drained well)
- 1 1/4 lb mixed candied fruit
- 8 oz pecans (roughly chopped)
- 12 oz pitted dates
- 3 oz raisins
- 2 oz sliced pineapple
Cake Batter
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter (preferably Kerrygold)
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 3/4 tsp cloves
- 3/4 tsp allspice (freshly ground)
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 3/4 tsp cinnamon
- 2 eggs (room temperature)
- 1/4 cup dark corn syrup (Karo syrup)
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/8 cup fruit juice
- 2/3 cup granulated sugar
Instructions
- Prepare the Oven and Bundt Pan: Preheat your oven to 250°F (121°C). Thoroughly butter and flour a 12-cup Bundt pan to prevent sticking. Reserve 8 pecans, 8 walnuts, and 8 cherry halves to line the bottom of the pan later for decoration.
- Prepare Nuts and Fruits: Check the remaining walnuts and pecans for any shell bits and remove them. Roughly chop the nuts. In a large bowl, combine the chopped nuts with the mixed candied fruit, dates, raisins, and pineapple. Toss this mixture with 1/4 cup of flour to coat evenly, helping to distribute fruit and nuts consistently in the cake.
- Mix the Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the remaining all-purpose flour, baking powder, allspice, cloves, cinnamon, and salt. This ensures even distribution of spices and leavening throughout the batter. Set this mixture aside.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: In a large mixing bowl, cream the unsalted butter and granulated sugar together until the mixture is light and fluffy. This step helps build the structure and texture of the cake.
- Combine Wet Ingredients with the Dry Mixture: Separate the egg yolks from the whites. Add the yolks to the creamed butter and sugar. Incorporate the dark corn syrup and fruit juice, then gradually mix in the prepared dry ingredients until the batter is smooth and uniform.
- Fold in Egg Whites and Fruit Nut Mixture: Beat the egg whites in a clean bowl until foamy. Gently fold the beaten egg whites into the batter, followed by the fruit and nut mixture. Folding carefully maintains the batter’s airiness.
- Assemble and Bake the Cake: Line the bottom of the prepared Bundt pan with the reserved pecans, walnuts, and cherry halves for decoration. Pour the batter evenly into the pan. Bake in the preheated oven at 250°F (121°C) for approximately 3 to 4 hours, or until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow the cake to cool in the pan before unmolding. Enjoy your flavorful, moist, and festive homemade fruitcake!
Notes
- Use room temperature eggs to improve mixing and texture.
- Coating the fruit and nuts with flour helps prevent them from sinking to the bottom during baking.
- Low and slow baking at 250°F ensures even cooking without drying out the fruitcake.
- Reserve decorative nuts and cherries for an attractive presentation when the cake is inverted.
- This cake can be stored for several days; its flavors improve with time.
- Use freshly ground spices for the best aroma and flavor.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice (approx. 1/12th of cake)
- Calories: 320 kcal
- Sugar: 30 g
- Sodium: 130 mg
- Fat: 15 g
- Saturated Fat: 3.5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 45 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 60 mg
