Hispanic/Venezuelan Fruit Cake Torta de Navidad
By Rosana Machiela
Images
Ingredients
- For the batter:
- ½ cup (8tbsp) butter
- ¼ tsp. salt
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup dark brown sugar
- 6 eggs
- 2½ cups flour
- 2 tsp. baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ¾ cup applesauce
- ¾ tsp. cinnamon
- ¾ tsp. all spice
- ⅓ tsp. nutmeg
- For the fruit mixture:
- ½ cup chopped blanched almonds
- ¼ cup walnuts
- ¼ cup orange flavored cranberries (or regular cranberries)
- ¼ cup golden raisins
- ¼ cup raisins
- ¼ cup (30 grs) candied ginger
- 1 cup rum
- For the browned butter frosting:
- ⅓ cup butter
- 3 cups powdered sugar, sifted
- 5-8 tbsp. whole milk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Procedure
Make the cake: Preheat oven to 350°F and grease two 8-inch round pans.
In a bowl of a stand mixer, on medium-high speed, cream butter and salt.
Add sugar and brown sugar, one cup at a time.
Mix in eggs, one at a time. Continue beating.
Reduce speed to low, add in sifted flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, all spice.
Strain fruit mixture and fold into batter. Discard rum.
Fold in applesauce.
Divide mixture into two prepared pans.
Bake for 50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Allow to cool completely before frosting.
Make the frosting: In a large saucepan, melt butter over medium heat until light brown. Sift in powdered sugar and whisk. Add vanilla extract and milk, one tablespoon at a time, until desired consistency (I used about 8 tbsp.).
Fill and frost cake layers with the brown butter frosting.
Decorate with fresh fruits (I used gooseberries) and chopped walnuts (or preferred nuts).
In a bowl of a stand mixer, on medium-high speed, cream butter and salt.
Add sugar and brown sugar, one cup at a time.
Mix in eggs, one at a time. Continue beating.
Reduce speed to low, add in sifted flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, all spice.
Strain fruit mixture and fold into batter. Discard rum.
Fold in applesauce.
Divide mixture into two prepared pans.
Bake for 50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Allow to cool completely before frosting.
Make the frosting: In a large saucepan, melt butter over medium heat until light brown. Sift in powdered sugar and whisk. Add vanilla extract and milk, one tablespoon at a time, until desired consistency (I used about 8 tbsp.).
Fill and frost cake layers with the brown butter frosting.
Decorate with fresh fruits (I used gooseberries) and chopped walnuts (or preferred nuts).
Hispanic/Venezuelan Fruit Cake Torta de Navidad
By Rosana Machiela
Ingredients
- For the batter:
- ½ cup (8tbsp) butter
- ¼ tsp. salt
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup dark brown sugar
- 6 eggs
- 2½ cups flour
- 2 tsp. baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ¾ cup applesauce
- ¾ tsp. cinnamon
- ¾ tsp. all spice
- ⅓ tsp. nutmeg
- For the fruit mixture:
- ½ cup chopped blanched almonds
- ¼ cup walnuts
- ¼ cup orange flavored cranberries (or regular cranberries)
- ¼ cup golden raisins
- ¼ cup raisins
- ¼ cup (30 grs) candied ginger
- 1 cup rum
- For the browned butter frosting:
- ⅓ cup butter
- 3 cups powdered sugar, sifted
- 5-8 tbsp. whole milk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Procedure
Make the cake: Preheat oven to 350°F and grease two 8-inch round pans.
In a bowl of a stand mixer, on medium-high speed, cream butter and salt.
Add sugar and brown sugar, one cup at a time.
Mix in eggs, one at a time. Continue beating.
Reduce speed to low, add in sifted flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, all spice.
Strain fruit mixture and fold into batter. Discard rum.
Fold in applesauce.
Divide mixture into two prepared pans.
Bake for 50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Allow to cool completely before frosting.
Make the frosting: In a large saucepan, melt butter over medium heat until light brown. Sift in powdered sugar and whisk. Add vanilla extract and milk, one tablespoon at a time, until desired consistency (I used about 8 tbsp.).
Fill and frost cake layers with the brown butter frosting.
Decorate with fresh fruits (I used gooseberries) and chopped walnuts (or preferred nuts).
In a bowl of a stand mixer, on medium-high speed, cream butter and salt.
Add sugar and brown sugar, one cup at a time.
Mix in eggs, one at a time. Continue beating.
Reduce speed to low, add in sifted flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, all spice.
Strain fruit mixture and fold into batter. Discard rum.
Fold in applesauce.
Divide mixture into two prepared pans.
Bake for 50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Allow to cool completely before frosting.
Make the frosting: In a large saucepan, melt butter over medium heat until light brown. Sift in powdered sugar and whisk. Add vanilla extract and milk, one tablespoon at a time, until desired consistency (I used about 8 tbsp.).
Fill and frost cake layers with the brown butter frosting.
Decorate with fresh fruits (I used gooseberries) and chopped walnuts (or preferred nuts).