Light Christmas Cake

[Pink Fingers]

A few (or maybe several) years ago we used to have a second Christmas cake.  It had no currants,sultanas, booze, etc. but was packed with glace cherries, mixed peel, glace pineapple, walnuts, almonds and no doubt lots of other tasty things.  As I recall, it didn't keep too well and was finished with a butter icing. 

Sadly my Mum died this year and I haven't been able to find it among all her clippings -and I really wanted to bake it for old times sake. Has anyone every heard of it or can point me the right direction.  I haven't got anywhere with the BBC recipes. 

Fingers crossed and Merry Christmas

[Pink Fingers]

[Obelixx]

When we feel the need for a light fruit cake I turn to my Borrowdale Tea Bread recipe.  You can make any mix of dried fruits you like and then they're soaked overnight in tea to moisten them.    You can play with flavours by using different tea bags such as Earl Grey or a fruity tisane.   You then just bung in the rest of the ingredients, stir and bake in a loaf tin.  I don't see why you couldn't add chopped nuts of your choice too.

There's a recipe here - http://www.secretlyfamous.co.uk/secret-recipes/6/borrowdale-tea-bread-recipe-by-low-sizergh-barn.html

I use all plain, wholemeal flour with one sachet of baking powder or about 3 teaspoons.   Sometimes I add an extra egg and sometimes I add a teaspoon of cinnamon or allspice or nutmeg.   

It keeps about a week if well wrapped - but doesn't usually get the chance.

Another alternative would be a recipe for Dundee cake but using your own fruit mixture.

[ceres]

This Delia pops up on multiple recipe websites in various guises as Light Christmas Cake, American Light Christmas Cake etc etc.  They all have some sultanas/currants but I guess you could leave them out or sub with more glace fruit.  None of them have butter icing though - I wonder if that's a variation your Mum invented?

[Ellen K]

A search on glace fruit and nut cake brings up various recipes like this one on Nigella's site:

http://www.nigella.com/recipes/view/grumpys-christmas-cake-678

[Pink Fingers]

Thanks everyone ... I'll check these out tomorrow.

[daveyboi]

Depends on the amount of fruit and nuts.
If it was not too many sounds like a Genoa type cake.
However if packed any fruit cake mix would hold the same amount of glace fruits and nuts in place of the fruit.