Light Fruit Cake (No Alcohol) for Easter / 6-8 persons
Light Fruit Cake (No Alcohol) for Easter / 6-8 persons
Ingredients (for the cake):
150g of your favourite dried fruits (I am using 50g Raisins, 50g Apricots and 50g Cranberries)
125g Unsalted Butter (Room temperature)
150g caster sugar
Zest from 1 lemon
2 large eggs
80ml of whole milk
170g flour (All Purpose flour)
50g ground almond
3g salt
5g Baking Powder
1 tablespoon of flour (All Purpose flour)
7-inches round baking pan
Ingredients (for the decoration):
180g white chocolate
100ml of heavy whipping cream
50g ground almond
Zest from 1 lemon
Chocolates/ candies/ biscuits of your choice (I am using Cadbury`s Whispers in snowball, Cadbury`s chocolate hen`s eggs, Nestlé pop chocolate “Lion” and Pocky`s biscuit sticks)
Steps:
Step 1:
Cut your dried fruits into small pieces (if required).
Step 2:
Toss your dried fruit pieces on a plate with a tablespoon of flour (sift the excess flour) and put aside. This will be added to the final cake batter later.
Step 3:
In a large bowl, mix (using an electric mixer) your butter, sugar and lemon zest until light and fluffy (about 1 minute on medium speed). Add your eggs followed by your ground almond and milk and continue mixing until combined.
Step 4:
Add your flour, salt, baking powder (sifted) and continue mixing, this time using a whisk (hand mixing).
Important: Overmixing of flour activates the gluten which will cause your cake to have a rubbery texture, therefore it is important to use a whisk (hand mixing) when adding the dry ingredients as this will prevent overmixing.
Step 5:
Add your dried fruits from step 2 (with the light flour coating), perform a final mix while still using your whisk and your cake batter is ready!
Step 6:
Transfer your batter to your baking pan (lined with parchment paper) and bake in a pre-heated oven on the middle oven rack at 180 degrees Celsius for 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Important: Cover the cake with a sheet of aluminum foil halfway through the baking process (~20 minutes) to prevent the top of the cake from burning.
Step 7:
While your cake is baking, add your white chocolate and cream to a microwave safe bowl and microwave on high power in 30 second intervals until the chocolate is fully melted. Add the ground almond and lemon zest. Mix until fully combined (chocolate ganache), wrap in cling film and refrigerate (at least for one hour) for later use.
Step 8:
Once baking is complete, wait for at least 2 hours for your cake to cool completely, then it`s time for decoration (fun part).
Step 9:
Get all your decorations as well as the chocolate ganache prepared earlier (step 7) ready!
Step 10:
Spread a thin coat of chocolate ganache on your cake. This will ensure maximum adhesion of the decorative pieces (here chocolates/ candies/ biscuits) to the cake.
Step 11:
Add the decorative pieces as per your preference, and your Easter cake (light fruit cake) is ready!
Thank you for watching and Happy Easter 2022!
