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LIGHT BANANA FRUIT CAKE

 

Cholesterol: Food, Facts and Recipes
by Juliette Kellow & Sara Lewis
Fruit cakes are traditionally made with butter, but this version has no added fat at all and just very small amounts in the eggs. It is made by soaking dried fruit in hot tea and then mixing in mashed bananas for extra moistness and sweetness.
Preparation time: 20 minutes, plus soaking
Cooking time: 50-60 minutes
Makes 10 slices


Ingredients
• 1 1/2 cups luxury dried fruit
• 1 cup hot black tea
• grated zest of 1 orange
• 6 oz bananas, weighed with the skin on
• 1/2cup light brown sugar
• 2 cups self-rising flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 2 eggs, beaten


Directions
1. Put the fruit into a large bowl with the hot tea and orange zest and allow to soak for 4 hours. Line the base and sides of an 8 inch springform pan with nonstick parchment paper or waxed paper. If using waxed paper, lightly brush the paper with oil.

2. Peel and mash the bananas and add to the soaked fruits with the sugar, flour, baking powder, and cinnamon. Add the eggs and mix together.

3. Spoon the mixture into the lined pan, spread the top level and bake in a preheated oven, 325°F, for 50-60 minutes or until golden-brown, the top has risen and cracked, and a tester inserted into the center of the cake comes out cleanly.

4. Allow to cool for 10 minutes, remove the pan, transfer the cake to a cooling rack and peel away the lining paper. Allow to cool completely, then cut into slices to serve. Store in an airtight container and eat within 3 days.

Nutritional Tip
Using mashed bananas helps to keep this cake moist, sweet, and tasty, without the need to add butter or too much sugar.

Nutritional Values
Kcals 212; fat 1.5 g; saturates 0.4 g; sugars 29.9 g; salt 0.4 g; fiber