Description
This Healthy Christmas Fruit Bundt Cake is a festive, flavorful treat filled with a rich mixture of nuts, dried fruits, and warm spices. It combines wholesome ingredients like walnuts, pecans, dates, and raisins with aromatic spices and a tender cake batter, baked low and slow in a Bundt pan to create a moist, chewy fruitcake perfect for holiday celebrations.
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 the oven to 250°F (121°C). Butter and flour a 12-cup Bundt pan liberally to prevent sticking. Set aside 8 of the best pecans and walnuts and an equal number of cherry halves to line the bottom of the pan later.
- Prepare Nuts and Fruits: Check pecans and walnuts for shells and remove if found. Roughly chop the remaining nuts. In a large bowl, combine chopped nuts with the candied fruit mix, chopped dates, raisins, and pineapple. Toss everything with 1/4 cup (31g) flour to coat the mixture evenly for better distribution in the batter.
- Mix the Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, sift or whisk together the remaining flour, baking powder, allspice, cloves, cinnamon, and salt. This ensures even distribution of spices and leavening agents. Set aside.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: In a large mixing bowl, cream the sugar and butter together until light and fluffy, creating a smooth base for the cake batter.
- Combine Wet Ingredients with Dry Mixture: Separate egg whites from yolks. Add yolks to the creamed butter and sugar mixture. Mix in dark corn syrup, fruit juice, and the dry flour-spice mixture. Combine thoroughly to make a smooth, lump-free batter.
- Fold in Egg Whites and Fruit Nut Mixture: Beat egg whites separately until foamy. Gently fold the beaten egg whites into the batter, maintaining airy texture. Then fold in the prepared fruit and nut mixture carefully to keep the batter light.
- Assemble and Bake the Cake: Line the bottom of the Bundt pan with the reserved pecans, walnuts, and cherry halves for decoration. Pour in the batter evenly. Bake in the preheated oven at 250°F (121°C) for approximately 3 to 4 hours or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. The low temperature ensures a moist and evenly cooked fruitcake. Let cool before unmolding and serving.
Notes
- Be patient with the long baking time; the low temperature helps preserve moisture and texture.
- Using room temperature eggs improves emulsification and batter consistency.
- Freshly ground spices provide better aroma and flavor.
- Coating the fruit and nuts with flour prevents them from sinking in the batter.
- Always butter and flour the Bundt pan thoroughly to prevent sticking, especially with fruitcakes.
- Store the cake wrapped well in an airtight container to maintain freshness.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice (approx. 1/12th of cake)
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 25g
- Sodium: 150mg
- Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 4.5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 40g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 5g
- Cholesterol: 60mg
