Description
Celebrate the festive season with this Healthy Christmas Fruit Bundt Cake, a wholesome twist on a classic holiday favorite. Packed with nutrient-rich dried fruits, nuts, and subtle spices, this cake offers a moist, flavorful bite perfect for sharing with family and friends. Its rich texture is balanced by the natural sweetness from fruits and a lighter fat content, making it a more health-conscious dessert choice for your holiday table.
Ingredients
Scale
Cake Batter
- 1/2 cup butter (softened)
- 1 cup sugar (or substitute with coconut sugar)
- 4 large egg yolks
- 1/4 cup dark corn syrup (or honey/maple syrup)
- 1/2 cup fruit juice (orange or apple)
- 2 cups all-purpose flour (or gluten-free flour)
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp allspice
- 1/4 tsp ground cloves
Egg Whites
- 4 large egg whites (whipped)
Fruit and Nuts
- 1 1/2 cups mixed crystallized fruits (dried cranberries, apricots, or figs)
- 1/2 cup chopped nuts (pecans and walnuts)
- 1/2 cup chopped dates
- 1 cup raisins
- 1 cup pineapple (chopped)
Decoration
- Cherry halves (for decoration)
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Pan: Preheat your oven to 325°F (163°C). Grease a Bundt pan thoroughly and lightly flour it to ensure easy cake release after baking.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: In a large mixing bowl, cream the softened butter with the sugar until light and fluffy. This step incorporates air into the batter, contributing to a tender crumb.
- Add Egg Yolks and Syrup: Beat in the egg yolks one at a time, ensuring each is fully combined. Next, add the dark corn syrup and fruit juice, mixing until smooth.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, allspice, and ground cloves to evenly distribute the leavening and spices.
- Mix Dry and Wet Ingredients: Gradually fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture until just combined. Avoid overmixing to keep the cake tender.
- Incorporate Fruits and Nuts: Gently stir in the mixed crystallized fruits, chopped nuts, dates, raisins, and pineapple, evenly distributing them throughout the batter.
- Whip Egg Whites: In a clean bowl, whip the egg whites to stiff peaks. This aerated stage adds lightness to the cake.
- Fold in Egg Whites: Carefully fold the whipped egg whites into the cake batter in portions, preserving as much air as possible to maintain a light texture.
- Pour into Pan and Bake: Pour the batter into the prepared Bundt pan, smoothing the top gently. Bake in the preheated oven for approximately 3 hours (180 minutes), or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Cool and Decorate: Allow the cake to cool in the pan for 15-20 minutes before inverting onto a wire rack to cool completely. Decorate with cherry halves to add festive color and charm before serving.
Notes
- Substitute regular sugar with coconut sugar for a lower glycemic index.
- Use gluten-free flour blend if you desire a gluten-free version of this cake.
- Dark corn syrup can be replaced with honey or pure maple syrup for natural sweetness.
- Ensure egg whites are whipped to stiff peaks for the best cake rise and texture.
- Baking time may vary depending on oven; check doneness with a toothpick test.
- Allow sufficient cooling time to avoid breaking the delicate fruit studded cake when removing from the pan.
