“A Fresh Fruit Cake for Christmas”

Sometimes you just don’t have the time or feel like making a traditional Christmas cake.  Although traditional cakes make a wonderful addition to Christmas treats, sometimes you want something different and it’s what this cake, filled with lots of fresh fall fruit, is all about!  Perfect with a cup of coffee or tea or on a “goodie” tray on a buffet.  It freezes very well too.

Makes One 10” Bundt Cake

½ cup unsalted butter
¼ cup whipping cream
3 large eggs
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1 ¼ cups granulated sugar
2 ¼ cups unbleached flour
1 tsp. each baking soda, baking powder & salt
2 tart apples, peeled, cored, coarsely chopped
1 pear, peeled, cored, coarsely chopped
1 tsp. or so lemon juice
½ cup frozen cranberries, halved, not thawed
½ cup seedless red grapes, halved, unthawed (I used local Coronation grapes that I froze last fall)

To Decorate the Cake:

Either sift icing sugar over the cake before serving or make a simple glaze with 2 cups icing sugar and approximately 3 to 4 Tbsp. dark rum (thin enough to run down the cake but not so thin it all runs off)

Make the Cake:

Preheat the oven to 325 F.

Combine the apples and pears with the lemon juice and set aside.

Either spray the Bundt pan with non-stick cooking spray or butter the inside of the pan & set aside.

In a saucepan heat the butter and the cream over medium-low heat for 5 minutes or just until the butter has melted; set aside.

In a large bowl, or in the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the eggs with the vanilla for 5 minutes or until fluffy. Beat in the sugar, ¼ cup at a time, beating for 4 to 5 minutes or until light and no longer granular to the touch. Stir together the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt; add to the egg mixture alternately with the cream/butter mixture, making 3 additions of the flour mixture and 2 of the cream/butter mixture.
Combine the cranberries and grapes in a small bowl. Fold the apples, pears, cranberries and grapes into the batter gently. Pour the batter into the prepared Bundt pan, level the surface with an off-set spatula if you have one or use the back of a spoon.

Place the pan in the centre of the preheated oven and bake for 1 hour & 10 minutes or until a cake tester inserted into the centre of the cakes comes out clean.

Remove from the oven and place on a rack to cool for 15 minutes. Carefully turn out onto the rack; allow to cool completely.

Decorate the cake as above.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS FROM OUR HOUSE TO YOURS!!