4 minutes
We are going to teach you how to prepare a Christmas cake with which you can surprise your visitors on holidays. You don’t need many ingredients for an excellent result.
Preparing an exquisite Christmas cake with candied fruit is much simpler than it may seem. With few ingredients we will get an exquisite dessert which can be consumed on special days, thus pleasing all diners. It is an alternative to Panettone or even nougats.
Now, keep in mind that this type of preparation must be included in the diet in moderation. Otherwise, blood glucose levels could be affected, since it has short chain carbohydrates.
Ingredients for the Christmas cake
If you want to prepare an excellent Christmas cake you will need to have the following ingredients:
- 1 lemon
- 6 eggs
- 300 grams of flour.
- 100 grams of sugar.
- 80 grams of raisins.
- 250 grams of butter.
- 60 grams of brown sugar.
- 2 tablespoons of brandy.
- 2 teaspoons of baking powder.
- 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla powder.
- 250 grams of assorted candied fruits.
Step by Step
You have to start by soaking the raisins in brandy for at least 15 minutes. In parallel, beat the butter, white sugar and brown sugar until the 3 integrated ingredients are left.
From here the eggs begin to be incorporated one by one, beating continuously. The goal is to get a fine paste.
Then the flour is added, but it is important that it is sifted beforehand, to avoid the formation of lumps. The same is done with baking powder. The next step is to work the dough until it becomes homogeneous, also adding the lemon zest and the vanilla powder.
In this point raisins should be drained to remove excess alcohol and pass them through flour, then introduced into the cake dough. Candied fruits will also be incorporated here.
It only remains to take the mixture to an oven-safe mold and cook the cake for 10 minutes at 180 degrees Celsius with the preheated oven. After this interval, the temperature is lowered to 160 degrees Celsius and it is cooked for 40 more minutes.
You remove the cake and let it cool before consuming. It is advisable to first prick it in the center with a toothpick to check that it comes out dry and that the doneness is optimal.
Can you include the Christmas cake in the diet?
It is clear that the Christmas cake has added sugars. These elements have proved increase the risk of developing metabolic pathologies when consumed regularly, especially in the context of sedentary lifestyle. However, this does not mean that its occasional intake poses a health risk.
To reduce the risks, it is advisable to propose a dietary guideline with a predominance of fresh foods and foods with high nutritional density. In the case of including sweets, those made in a homemade way will always be better.
Many industrial products, such as biscuits, may contain trans fatty acids inside. These compounds are especially harmful to health, given their inflammatory properties. According to a study published in the journal Diabetes & Metabolic Syndrome, increase the risk of developing complex diseases.
On the other hand, you can always substitute added sugars in recipes with caloric sweeteners. These have the advantage of not providing energy and of having a less significant impact on blood glucose levels.
Prioritize natural sweeteners over artificial ones. The latter could harm the diversity of the intestinal microbiota, according to a research published in EXCLI Journal.
Make this Christmas cake with candied fruit at home
It is easy to prepare a Christmas cake with candied fruit at home. It won’t take you long to achieve an exquisite end result at the organoleptic level.
You will triumph in front of your guests with an original dessert that can replace the Panettone or to other traditional recipes. Of course, it should be consumed in moderation so that it does not impact significantly on blood glucose levels.
Finally, remember that to maintain good health over time it is essential to combine a series of appropriate habits. Among them is the regular practice of physical exercise.
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