Dairy/Booze Free Choc Fruit Cake

A community recipe by Maelan

Not tested or verified by Nigella.com

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Introduction

Nigella's fabulous choc Xmas cake, adapted to be dairy and alcohol free.

Ingredients

Serves: 6-8

Metric Cups

250 grams prunes (soft, chopped)
475 grams sultanas
175 grams softened dairy-free butter
175 grams dark brown muscovado sugar
175 millilitres honey
125 millilitres black tea (warm)
2 oranges (juice only)
1 teaspoon mixed spice
2 tablespoons cocoa (good quality)
3 eggs (beaten)
150 grams plain flour
75 grams ground almonds
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda

8⅚ ounces pitted prunes (soft, chopped)
16¾ ounces golden raisins
6⅙ ounces softened dairy-free butter
6⅙ ounces dark brown sugar
6 fluid ounces honey
4 fluid ounces black tea (warm)
2 oranges (juice only)
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa (good quality)
3 eggs (beaten)
5⅓ ounces all-purpose flour
2⅔ ounces almond meal
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda

Method

Dairy/Booze Free Choc Fruit Cake is a community recipe submitted by Maelan and has not been tested by Nigella.com so we are not able to answer questions regarding this recipe.

Preheat the oven to 150C/300F/Gas 2.

Line the sides and bottom of a 20cm/8in, 9cm/3½in deep, round loose-bottomed cake tin with a layer of reusable silicon baking parchment (or greaseproof paper).

When lining the tin with the parchment, cut the material into strips that are twice as high as the tin itself (it is easier to use two shorter strips of parchment, than one long strip); the height of the strips protects the cake from catching on the outside of the cake tin.

Soak the fruit, tea and orange juice together in a bowl for as long as you can, stirring occasionally. I left it for 6 hours, but overnight would be fine I'm sure.

It may not look like enough liquid, but I promise that it is. Place the fruit, butter, sugar, honey, mixed spice and cocoa into a large wide saucepan.

Heat the mixture until it reaches a gentle boil, stirring the mixture as the butter melts. Let the mixture simmer for ten minutes.

Remove the saucepan from the heat and leave to stand for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, the mixture will have cooled a little.

Add the eggs, flour, ground almonds, baking powder and bicarbonate soda, and mix well with a wooden spoon or spatula until the ingredients have combined. Carefully pour the fruitcake mixture into the lined cake tin.

Transfer the cake tin to the oven and bake for 3 1/2 hours, or until the top of the cake is firm but will has a shiny and sticky look.

At this point, if you insert a sharp knife into the middle of the cake, the knife should come out clean.

Place the cake on a cooling rack. Once the cake has cooled, remove it from the tin.

Preheat the oven to 150C/300F/Gas 2.

Line the sides and bottom of a 20cm/8in, 9cm/3½in deep, round loose-bottomed cake tin with a layer of reusable silicon baking parchment (or greaseproof paper).

Soak the fruit, tea and orange juice together in a bowl for as long as you can, stirring occasionally. I left it for 6 hours, but overnight would be fine I'm sure.

It may not look like enough liquid, but I promise that it is. Place the fruit, butter, sugar, honey, pumpkin pie spice and unsweetened cocoa into a large wide saucepan.

Heat the mixture until it reaches a gentle boil, stirring the mixture as the butter melts. Let the mixture simmer for ten minutes.

Remove the saucepan from the heat and leave to stand for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, the mixture will have cooled a little.

Add the eggs, flour, almond meal, baking powder and bicarbonate soda, and mix well with a wooden spoon or spatula until the ingredients have combined. Carefully pour the fruitcake mixture into the lined cake tin.

Transfer the cake tin to the oven and bake for 3 1/2 hours, or until the top of the cake is firm but will has a shiny and sticky look.

At this point, if you insert a sharp knife into the middle of the cake, the knife should come out clean.

Place the cake on a cooling rack. Once the cake has cooled, remove it from the tin.

Additional Information

NB. Cocoa is dairy free as it has no milk solids in it. If dairy free butter is a problem, a flavourless vegetable or sunflour oil could be a good alternative, it's simply a moisturiser. Nigella's original recipe called for the cake to be cooked for 2 hours. I feel this isn't long enough and prefer the longer time. It's totally up to you.