Low Fat Fruit Cake

A delicious twist on the holiday classic... fruit cake! This afternoon, as I watched the flurry of snow coming down on the pavement outside, I asked myself... "what could make this moment feel even more Christmas-y?" With this in mind, I thought... FRUIT CAKE! But, I didn't just want to make any old fruit cake, I wanted to make it in such a way as to enjoy my favorite Christmas cake while still maintaining a healthy diet. All that alcohol (who doesn't love rum?) butter and sugary fruits, although delicious can sometimes hamper your holiday healthy-eating plans. But, with this recipe... healthy + tasty can be combined in one sentence with no need to compromise! Albeit, the loaf isn't so pretty to look at... it's kind of pale in comparison to traditional fruit cake. However, it is nice and moist with the addition of freshly cut apples and yes... of course I had to add the rum :P

Low Fat Christmas Fruit Cake
Yields: one 8-inch rectangular loaf (serves 8)

Ingredients:
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 1 packet of equal/twin/sweet-and-low
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp each baking soda, baking powder
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp all spice
- 1/3 cup mixed peel
- 1 medium apple, chopped to the same size as the mixed peel
- 1/3 cup desiccated coconut, sweetened
- 1/4 cup rolled oats
- 1 oz dark rum
- 1 egg white
- 2 tbsp milk powder + enough water to equal 125ml
- 1 tbsp low calorie margarine (I used celeb)

Method:
1. Mix together the fruit peel, chopped apple, coconut and rolled oats. Slowly add in the dark rum. (If you want to add a little more flavor and no calories, you can always add in some vanilla or maple essence). Mix until well combined and allow mixture to rest/soak up the liquor for at least 2 hours.

2. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, baking sugar, equal, cinnamon, allspice and salt.
3. After letting rum mixture rest, add in 1 egg white. Mix well.
4. In a small pot/microwaveable bowl, combine the buttermilk powder+water mixture plus the margarine. Heat/microwave until the margarine is melted and the powder is fully dissolved.

5. Pour the milk mixture into the rum mixture and combine.
6. Add the flour mixture to the wet rum mixture and stir until just combined, and no more flour is visible.

7. Place in a well greased/parchment paper-lined 1 lb loaf pan. Bake at 350degrees for 25-30minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Pour the buttermilk mixture into the rum mixture and combine.

Read more: http://caloriecount.about.com/low-calorie-fat-fruit-cake-recipe-r294318#ixzz0ZiredvaW

The cake was a hit with my parents, although my sisters didn't care for it. But, they don't really enjoy fruit cake in general... they can't stand the taste of candied peel. I enjoyed the texture of the cake, it was quite moist and almost the same texture as a steamed bread pudding. You could not tell that it was low fat, because it tasted so full of flavor... I will definitely be making this again!

If you want to know the nutritional information of my recipe, you can check it out at this webpage (http://caloriecount.about.com/low-calorie-fat-fruit-cake-recipe-r294318)