Tuesday, November 11, 2014

Christmas Fruitcake made without eggs and butter!

Jewell's Rum Christmas Fruitcake  

First, place all fruit into large bowl and cover with alcohol such as rum or bourban, or use one cup of rum and toss every so often.  Let soak for several hours or overnight.
Keep in mind you can use whatever dried fruits and nuts you prefer.  This is what I am using this year:

2 cups dried bing cherries
5 oz. sweetened dried cranberries
6 oz. sliced dried apples
6 oz. dried papaya, cut into 1/2" chunks
3/4 cup dried dates coarsely chopped
3/4 cup dried pineapple cut into 1/2" chunks
1 cup pecans coarsely chopped
1 cup macadamia nuts coarsely chopped
1 cup raw cashews coarsely chopped
1 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
1 cup rum or bourban

Fruit and nuts soaking in rum
For batter:


3/4 cup granulated sugarCREAM
3/4cup brown sugarTOGETHER
1/2 cup vegan butter
1/4 cupflaxseed meal
8eggs substitute  (VeganEgg works well)
1 cup applesauce
1/2 cupplain soy yogurt or vegan s. creamWET
1/2 cuppineapple juice or orange juiceINGREDIENTS
1 tsp
2 tsp
1 tsp
almond extract
vanilla extract
balsamic vinegar
4 cupscake flour
2 cupsunbleached flour (not bread flour)
2 tspbaking powder
2 tspbaking soda
1 1/4 tspsaltDRY
2 tspcinnamonINGREDIENTS
3/4 tspcloves
2 tspmace
1 tspnutmeg








Makes 6 or 7 small to medium loaves, bake 1 hour at 325° or convection 300°.
Line 7 medium size loaf pans with heavy brown paper or parchment, grease and flour.  Set aside. Alternate method:  use spray oil and flour on non-stick pans.
In large measuring cup, combine applesauce, pineapple juice, almond extract, yogurt and any rum that can be drained off fruit. Set aside.
In large bowl combine all dry ingredients. Set aside.
In larger mixing bowl beat vegan butter until soft and add sugars, continue beating for 1 minute.  Add egg substitute (dry powder and water mixed according to package directions) and continue beating for 30 seconds. Add small amounts of wet and dry ingredients alternating until all flour mixture and applesauce mixture has been combined with butter/sugar mixture.
Fold all fruit and nuts into batter.  Spoon gently into prepared loaf pans. Bake at 325° for 1 hours. Loaves should be golden brown and have pulled away from sides of pans.
Keep cooled cakes wrapped in cheesecloth or cotton flour sack towel soaked in your favorite rum or brandy for a few weeks before Christmas.

Once you have a good base recipe for the cake part, you can use whatever dried fruit and nuts you prefer. Just don't use candied fruit—I think that is what gives fruitcake such a bad reputation.

7 medium size fruitcakes cooling on wire rack
At the last minute before baking we decided to top them off with maraschino cherries
Test piece, guess who sacrificed himself as general taster?


Soak towel in rum and store in airtight container or gallon ziplock bag until Christmas/New Years.

No comments:

Post a Comment