Gluten free Christmas Fruit Cake

My last cake was Mawa (Koya) Cheese Cake for Diwali, after one and half month Fruit cake for Christmas. I couldn’t believe myself for such a change in my life style but, Christmas can’t be celebrated without a Cake! Hence, mentally prepared myself to cheat from HFLC !! Even during a cheat day I make sure that, I won’t cross 100 grams of carb’s per day and no more gluten :-)

This is my first gluten free cake. Yes, very little flour (no more wheat based) used just to bind the dry fruits. The cake tasted pretty similar to traditional (rum soaked) plum cake with loads of dry fruits in it. Though the ingredient’s list looks longer, the baking procedure is pretty easy and I’m sure you will love the taste and I bet, you can’t stop yourself with a single bite. 

 

 

Ingredients :  ¼ cup chopped  apricot     ;      ¼ cup chopped raisins   ;   ¼ cup chopped   dates ; ¼ cup chopped almonds     ;    ¼ cup chopped prunes   ;     ¼ cup chopped  walnut  ;    ¼ cup of fresh orange juice    ;    ¼ cup of light brown sugar     ;   ½ tsp vanilla essence    ;     ½ tsp of ginger powder    ;    ½ tsp of cinnamon powder     ;    1 ½ tbsp. of coco powder    ;    ½ cup of chocolate chip    ;    a pinch of cardamom powder    ;    1 egg   ;     60 gms of butter    ;   ½ cup of sorghums flour (remove 2 tbsp of flour and add 2 tbsp. tapioca flour or corn flour )    ;   1/4  tsp of baking powder    ;     ¼ tsp of baking soda      ;   ¼ cup of sugar    ;    1 tbsp. of orange zest    ;     melted chocolate for Christmas tree decoration  ;    1 tbsp. of icing sugar for snow effect 

In a bowl add the melted butter and all the dry fruits, orange juice, orange zest, sugar and allow it to boil and remove from the heat (stove) and mix well and allow to cool at room temperature.

In a separate bowl add all dry ingredients like, flour, coco powder, baking powder, baking soda, cardamom powder, cinnamon powder, ginger powder and mix thoroughly and keep aside.

In mixing bowl beat egg with brown sugar and vanilla essence until sugar dissolved. Add the dry fruit mixture, Nuts (almond & walnut) and the flour mixture and blend till all fully combined and cake batter consistency.

Pour the batter in the greased 5½’’ cake pan and bake it in the 180◦c pre heated oven for about 30 minutes. And allow to cool to room temperature.

For Christmas tree, chocolate decoration :  using melted chocolate draw the Christmas tree and transfer to the fridge to set and place them on the cake and sprinkle the icing sugar for snow effect. 

Wishing you all Merry Christmas and wishing you a very happy & prosperous New year. 

Dry Fruit Cake - Guest Post

This is my second Guest post after the Tofu Chocolate Chip cookies. As usual, I took more time to submit to Usha. Again the reason is the same, wanted a pretty simple, easy, healthy cake recipe. 

From Usha’s site, I learned that she loves baking and have two little boys. So, I thought of do something very special cake for her sons MAHADEV and MAHADHIP. Hope they enjoy this virtual cake!

Also, Usha wanted me to answer, the following…… 

QUESTIONS

1.Few words about u/some thing special which we don`t know??

I am the chef J(!) behind Madhavi Cyber kitchen. Probable by now, you may know that, I am a big Fan of Dark Chocolate and passion in baking. What you may not know is I can draw (reasonably good) Cartoons too.

2. 3 Food photography tips or  3 useful kitchen tips??

After 1 ½ year of blogging, still I couldn’t understand many stuff about photography. So, I go with kitchen tip. Disinfect the sink and its traps once in a week and clean the veggies / fruits in a running water after socking about 10-15 min in a salt and turmeric mix water (to remove the chemicals and toxics)

3. How to improve fans n followers for food blog n food bog face book page??

Well, I really don’t know or in other words not paying much attention on this aspect. But, always wanted to be innovative.

4.How food blog changed ur life? How many recipes your posting in a month approximately and your memorable moments which related to blog??

Being a home maker, after finishing the house chores, I was bored till my hubby and son comes home. (not interested on TV shows) after starting the blog, It keeps myself busy by experimenting new dishes and  my camera, responding to the comments, visiting and learning from co bloggers. Felling relaxed and happy. 

 

5. Finally,tell me few words abt MLH??
 

Usha is an author of  Mahaslovelyhome and she got a huge range of recipe index, which covers a wide spectrum of Indian varieties. I am the big fan of her non-veg curries and Gravies.  I tried those several times and it was very well received in my family and friend circle. But, I wanted her to post Brazilian dessert recipes. I am sure, she will.

Now, back to the topic……. Dry Fruit Cake. Since, from the Christmas, I wanted to bake a Cake which is pretty close to Plum cake, without any wine and Plum. I think, this cake is quit close to the Christmas Plum cake both in texture and well as in the taste.

For the Ingredient list and procedure……Over to Mahaslovelyhome.

Fruit Bread

I am back with another healthy and tasty Bread called Fruit bread. As the name suggest, the bread baked with Dry fruits. The original recipe source from here

For the first time, I used Malthouse Bread Flour. Its combination of wheat, Rye and Malt flours with flaked malted grains for a wholesome crunchy texture.

If you don’t find Malthouse Bread Flour, you may substitute with Whole Wheat or All Purpose Flour. 

Though the bread has got a very crispy crust but it’s very soft.  I pretty much liked is its texture and it’s Orange Flavor. 

Ingredients:   2 cups of malt flour   ;     1/4 cup of sugar      ;    25 gms of soft butter          ;       1 orange zest and  &  juice  ;     1 egg (beaten)   ;     1/2 tsp of instant yeast   ;     1/4 tsp cinnamon powder       ;        1 tbsp of honey      ;  1/2 cup of Lukewarm water      ;       100gms of mixed dried fruits.

Procedure :  Mix together the dried fruits, orange zest and set aside. 

Mix sugar,  yeast, cinnamon powder, honey and lukewarm water and kept aside for five minutes. 

Add Flour to the yeast mixture and mix well to form dough. Add egg, butter, dry fruit mixture and orange juice and combine well. 

Cover the dough with damp cloth and leave in a warm place for 2 hours. Deflate the dough and make loaf or braided and allow it for second rise, for about an hour.

Transfer the loaf into a pre - heated oven and bake it for 45 minutes at 180°c. Allow to cool and slice to desire thickness.

Fruit bread can be consumed with Cream cheese / Olive oil dip / Butter. Soft bread with dry fruits and orange flavor…..imm…….. it’s Divine.