Spiced Fruit Cake by Sidhula George ( @graceofspice )

A wintery and warm spiced fruit cake dream made by our  contributor Sidhula George (@graceofspice) using the most popular  Amoretti® ingredients, our premium blanched Almond Flour and Natural Vanilla Bean Extract. It is perfect for winter evenings with a warm cup of tea!⁠

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 cup All Purpose Flour
• 50 gm Amoretti®  Premium Blanched Almond Flour
• 150 gm Unsalted Butter
• 3 Large Eggs
• 1/2 cup Caramalized Sugar Syrup*
• 1/2 cup Brown Sugar
• 1 Tsp Baking Powder
• 1/2 Tsp Baking Soda
• 1 Tsp Amoretti® Natural Vanilla Bean Artisan
• 1/2 Tsp Amoretti® Natural Orange Extract Water Soluble
• 1/4 Tsp Salt
• 1 Tsp Spice Powder (Cloves, Nutmeg, Cinnamon)
• Zest of one orange
• 250 gm Mixed Dry fruits soaked in rum (at least for 2 weeks

Directions

• Preheat the oven to 330 F.
• Combine all the dry ingredients together (All-purpose flour, Almond Flour, Baking Powder, Baking Soda, Salt, Spices) in a bowl and keep aside.
• Beat the butter and brown sugar until it is light and fluffy with an electric mixer.
• Add the eggs one at a time and mix well.
• Add the soaked fruits along with the orange zest, the vanilla extract and the orange extract. Beat until well incorporated.
• Add the dry mix set aside with the sugar syrup* and fold gently using a spatula until everything comes together.
• Transfer the batter into greased and lined cake pans (1 x 8 inch or 2 x 6 inch pans can be used) and decorate the top with dry fruits.
• Bake for 55-60 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Cool and brush with alcohol (Optional)

 * Caramelized Sugar Syrup:

Heat 1/2 cup of white granulated sugar with 1/4 cup of water in a hard-bottomed sauce pan until it turns an amber color. Pour in 1/4 cup more of water. It will splutter and hiss and start boiling. Stir with a spatula and until all of the hardened pieces of sugar melt and you have a dark amber, smooth syrup. Take off the heat, transfer to a bowl and let cool.