Eggless Fruit Cake

No. of servings:  12-15	Soaking Time: 30 mins. at least
Preparation Time:  15 mins	Cook Time:  45-50 mins

An amazingly delicious eggless cake that can be vegan too (oil instead of butter)!  All the sumptuous ingredients come together perfectly to make this luxurious, colorful and delectable cake with a wafting fragrance!!  This is a MUST-TRY for anyone, except those who have gluten or nut allergies.

Ingredients:

• All-purpose flour (or) whole wheat flour - 2.5 cups 
• Sugar - 1 cups
• Ripe bananas - 4 medium 
• Apples - 2 medium 
• Orange juice - 0.75 cups 
• Butter (or) oil - 0.75 cups
• Chopped dry fruits and nuts of choice - 2 cups (tutti-frutti, raisins, walnuts, pecans, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds)
• Baking powder - 1.25 tsp
• Baking soda - 0.5 tsp
• Dry ginger powder - 1 tsp
• Allspice powder - 0.5 tsp
• Vanilla essence - 1 tsp (optional)
• Mace - 0.25 tsp (optional)
• Salt - 0.25 tsp

Method:

• Soak the tutti-frutti and raisins in the orange juice for a minimum of half an hour (Can be soaked for up to 3-4 hrs, if preferred.  The more the better)
• Set the oven (or Air Fryer) to preheat at 350° F (180° C)
• Melt the butter just enough to soften (if using) and cool
• Glaze the bottom and sides of the baking pan with some butter (or oil)
• In a large bowl, mash the bananas with a fork
• Strain the soaked tutti-frutti and put the orange juice in a blender jar along with chopped apples
• Pulse the apples and orange juice together to make a coarse sauce
• Pour this into the bowl with mashed bananas and mix
• Add the melted butter (or oil), vanilla essence (if using) and mix
• Add the sugar and mix 
• In another bowl, mix the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, dry ginger powder, allspice powder, mace and salt together
• Mix in the strained tutti-frutti, nuts and raisins into the dry ingredients above 
• Gently fold this into the other bowl with the wet ingredients, until combined, without over mixing
• Transfer the batter into the buttered/oiled pan
• Smooth the top gently with the spatula
• Bake until a toothpick comes clean at the centre of the bread (about 45-50 mins.; depends on the oven and the pan being used)  (or) 15-20 minutes in the air fryer 
• Remove when done and let it sit for 5 minutes
• Loosen from the sides of the pan and set in a tray 
• Slice and serve warm or at room temperature
• Top it with some whipped cream or cool whip (optional) for extra pizzazz

Tips and Tricks:

• Soaking the tutti-frutti in orange juice makes them moist, supple and citrusy flavored in the cake
• Due to weight, the nuts and soaked tutti-frutti tend to settle to the bottom of the cake while baking.  Mixing them with the dry flour will prevent making a bottom-heavy layer and spread them evenly throughout the cake
• A hand blender is NOT required for this recipe.  All the ingredients should be folded in or mixed into the bowl using a spatula
• Overmixing the batter will yield tough rubbery bread.  Avoid doing this
• The loaf might open at the top, or develop cracks.  That is very normal
• Use porcelain bakeware for easy cleanup
• If using porcelain, butter can be melted in it using a microwave
• Buttering can be done by just swishing the melted butter around in the pan and pouring it out into the batter later, saving a vessel from washing
• No need to use wheat flour instead of all-purpose flour as there is sufficient fibre from the fruit, dry fruit and nuts.  White flour makes the cake less dense as well

Pictures: 

Final Outcome: