Dairy free Christmas Fruitcake

 This is a special event, if you live in Thailand, you can make a request for a can of King Rice bran oil Shortening  (non-hydrogenated shortening) by sending me your address to my Facebook's page (25 cans) . 

 I love fruit cake but not the one that's too sweet ^^, so my version of fruitcake has more nut than other, with more nut the sweetness from dried and candied fruits will be less. This fruitcake made from  Shortening, even the one who's allergic to dairy product can enjoy it too. 
The Macerated Dried Fruit Mix in this version is easy and need less time to prepare (anyway you can keep it longer if you want). If you plan to keep the cake longer you need to soak it with more liquor. Bake it as a gift for the one you love or yourself, and this new year event will full of happiness.

Ps. Don't forget to send me a request if you want to try "King Rice barn oil Shortening  (non-hydrogenated shortening)" for healthier baking.
And don't forget to send me a photo and comment after you try this  fruitcake  so we can share this moment together.

Dairy free Christmas Fruitcake 

Make 18cm cake

900g ............................... Dried fruits and candied cherry, cut into small pieces (I use raisins, apricot, cranberry, apple, candied orange peel and red candied cherry)
60g .................................. Honey
60ml ................................ Cointreau (or other brand of orange liquor)
60g .................................. Cognac
300g ............................... Chopped nuts (walnut or pecan is fine), roasted until fragrance
170g ............................... Eggs (about 3 large egg)
20g ..................................  Honey
1tsp ................................. Vanilla extract
........................................ Pinch of Salt
155g ................................ Shortening (I use non-hydrogenated shortening)
70g .................................. Granulated sugar
1/2tsp .............................. Lemon zest
150g ................................ All purpose flour
1tsp ................................. Cinnamon powder
20g ................................... Almond powder
100ml .............................. Cointreau (or other brand of orange liquor)
.......................................... Apricot jam, for brushing  the cake
.......................................... Dried fruit for decorating

I use this Shortening  (non-hydrogenated shortening).

Make Macerated Dried Fruit Mix: Put dried fruits, and candied cherry into a bowl, pour honey, cointreau, and cognac into the bowl, mix lightly. Cover with plastic warp let it macerate overnight before using.

 Preheat the oven to 190°C.
Line  18cm round cake pan with baking paper.
Sift the flour, cinnamon powder and almond powder together.
 Beat the shortening  until smooth add the sugar, honey and salt, beat until fluffy.

 Add the egg, lemon zest and vanilla extract, beat to combine.

 Put half of the flour mixture into the bowl, fold to combine.
Put the rest of the flour into the bowl with Macerated Dried Fruit Mix and chopped nuts.

 Fold to combine.

Put the batter into the prepared pan.
Place in the oven, and reduce the temperature to 180C
Bake for 60-80 minutes, or until the toothpick insert into the center come out with few dry crumbs. (Cover the top of the cake if it become dark before the cake is done)

Remove from the oven, use a toothpick to pick the top of the cake and pour the Cointreau over the cake, let the cake cool completely before removing from the pans.
Warm the apricot jam, brush the cake with apricot jam and decorate with dried fruits, cover with plastic wrap.
Let the cake rest for at least 2 days before eating.

* if you are planing to store the cake for several weeks, months or years, you need to soak the cake with more liquor.
Let the cake cool, brush the cake with more liquor (about 90ml ), cover it with liquor soaked cheesecloth, cover the cake with another layer of plastic wrap, and finally cover it tightly with aluminium foil. Every 3 months, open the aluminium foil, and plastic wrap and sprinkle 90ml over the cheesecloth before resealing it with plastic wrap and aluminium foil. Keep in the cool place. 

Dairy free Christmas Fruitcake