Macadamia and Tropical Fruit Bundt Cake ~ #BundtBakers

If you are a fan of a lighter fruitcake then this is the cake for you.

The Bundt Bakers are making Fruitcake Bundts this month. I must confess that I really wasn't a fan of fruitcake growing up. They all seemed so dark, and heavy, and dense and it was a chore to get through a piece.  Then I discovered that fruitcake doesn't have to come from the dark side.  It can be light, and fruity, and tropical.  Then I wanted all the fruitcake.

This recipe is heavy on the tropical fruits as well as some traditional flavors like cranberry and raisin.  Since this was for the Bundt Bakers group it is baked in a bundt pan, but if you don't have one you can bake it in a regular circular or square pan, just remember to keep an eye on the cooking time.

The recipe for this cake is really versatile.  If you do not enjoy any of the dried fruits you can easily sub them out and add another fruit that you do like.  I used brandy but you could use a different alcohol if you wanted to as well. Just remember to brush the cake whilst it is still a little warm so that it absorbs all of that goodness.

I happen to love macadamias but any nut would work well.  The nuts give the cake a little texture which is a very welcome addition.  This cake has a nice tender crumb and the dried fruits add a nice sweetness.  I got two thumbs up at my house, which is great as it means I won't be tempted to eat the whole thing myself. I may or may not be joking about that..............

Macadamia and Tropical Fruit Bundt Cake

Printer Friendly Recipe

Ingredients

• 750g mixed dried fruit
• 125ml brandy
• 75g dried pineapple, roughly chopped
• 75g dried cranberries
• 75g candied mixed peel
• 150g golden raisins
• 50g dried bananas, roughly chopped
• 50g dried mango, roughly chopped
• ½ cup crystallized ginger, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons flaked coconut
• 1 Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored and finely grated
• 1 teaspoon grated orange zest
• ⅓ cup raw macadamias, finely chopped
• 250g butter, softened
• 1 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
• 5 large eggs, lightly whisked
• 2 cups plain flour, sifted
• 1 teaspoons Penzeys Baking Spice or ground cinnamon
• 80g orange marmalade 
• raw macadamias for decoration

Preparation

1. Combine dried fruit and brandy in a glass or ceramic bowl; cover with plastic wrap and set aside, stirring occasionally, to macerate.
2. Preheat oven to 160 ℃ (325 ℉).
3. Spray bundt pan with baking spray.
4. Cream the butter and sugar with an electric mixer until combined.
5. Add eggs one at a time, adding a tablespoon of the sifted flour in between each egg addition.
6. Combine the remaining flour with nutmeg, cinnamon and mixed spice and fold through the creamed sugar and eggs until well combined.
7. Drain the fruit mixture, reserving the brandy.
8. Fold the drained fruit as well as the ginger, coconut, apple, and macadamias into the batter.
9. Place macadamia nuts in the bottom of the bundt pan.
10. Spoon mixture into prepared pan, tap the pan on the bench-top to settle the mixture.
11. Bake in preheated oven for approximately 1.5 hours or until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean.
12. While the cake is baking mix together the remaining brandy and the marmalade; set aside.
13. Remove cake from oven.
14. Allow to cool for 10 minutes.
15. Once cooled brush with brandy-marmalade mixture.

#BundtBakers is a group of Bundt loving bakers who get together once a month to bake Bundts with a common ingredient or theme. You can see all of our lovely Bundts by following our Pinterest board. We take turns hosting each month and choosing the theme/ingredient. Updated links for all of our past events and more information about BundtBakers, can be found on our home page. This months theme was Fruitcake Bundts and was hosted by Stacy from Food Lust People Love.

Please take a moment to check out all of the delicious bundts baked by the group this month ~

• Applejack Bundt Cake from Palatable Pastime
• Cake aux Fruit Bundt from Patyco Candybar
• Cranberry and Apricot Fruit Bundt Cake from Making Miracles
• Dried Fruit Bundt Cake from Living the Gourmet
• Gram's Famous Fruit Cake from Food Lust People Love
• Macadamia and Tropical Fruit Bundt Cake from All That's Left Are The Crumbs
• Sorrel/Hibiscus Fruit Cake from Sneha's Recipe
• Spiced Rum Cake from A Day in the Life on the Farm