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Tu BiShvat dried fruit and nut cake
Dense loaf packed with dates, figs, apricots and walnuts
Tu BiShvat, the New Year of the Trees, falls in late winter, and in Israel it is celebrated with plates of dried fruit and nuts, the fruits of the land, and with cakes made from them. This loaf is almost all fruit: chopped dates, figs, apricots and raisins with walnuts, held together by just enough egg and flour, so every slice shows a mosaic of colour. Serve it thinly sliced with tea. The common mistake is cutting it hot, when it crumbles; it slices neatly once completely cold. Chef's tip: toss the chopped fruit in the flour first, which keeps it from sinking and clumping.
- Total time
- 80 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 12
Ingredients
- 5 ½ oz datespitted and chopped
- 4 oz dried figschopped
- 4 oz dried apricotschopped
- 2 ⅞ oz raisins
- 4 oz walnutsroughly chopped
- 5 ½ oz plain flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 pinch salt
- 3 eggs
- 3 ½ oz light brown sugar
- ¼ cup vegetable oil
- 1 orangezest and 3 tbsp juice
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Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Heat the oven to 350°F (300°F fan). Grease and line a 900 g (2 lb) loaf tin.
5 minStep 2: Toss the 5 ½ oz dates, 4 oz dried figs, 4 oz dried apricots, 2 ⅞ oz raisins and 4 oz walnuts with the 5 ½ oz plain flour, 1 tsp baking powder, 1 tsp ground cinnamon and 1 pinch salt.
5 minStep 3: Whisk the 3 eggs, 3 ½ oz light brown sugar, ¼ cup vegetable oil and 1 orange zest and juice until smooth, then fold into the fruit until every piece is coated.
5 minStep 4: Spoon into the tin, level the top and bake for 55–60 minutes until dark golden and firm; a skewer should come out with no wet batter. Cover with foil after 40 minutes if it browns fast.
60 minStep 5: Cool in the tin for 15 minutes, then on a rack until completely cold before slicing. It keeps a week wrapped.
60 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 300 kcal
- Protein
- 6 g
- Carbs
- 44 g
- Fat
- 12 g
- Fibre
- 4 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does tu BiShvat dried fruit and nut cake take?
- About 80 minutes in total: 20 minutes to prepare and 60 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 12 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of walnuts?
- Pecans or chocolate chips, same amount.
- What can I use instead of plain flour?
- Self-raising flour, same amount (then leave out the baking powder).
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