Don’t panic if you haven’t been nurturing a Christmas cake since the middle of winter. It’s not too late to make a moist, fruity cake for Christmas. This is a tropical take on the classic fruit cake, perfect for Christmas in a Kiwi summer. It’s got a fresh, golden, fruity
Tropical Christmas cake recipe
Fresh Recipes
2 mins to read
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A fresh, golden fruit cake feels just right for a hot-weather Christmas. Photo / Fresh Media
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1 cup brown sugar
1 cup neutral oil (such as rice bran, canola)
250g plain flour
1 tsp salt
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1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1 tsp ground cinnamon
2 ripe bananas, mashed
1 tin (227g) crushed pineapple, drained
⅔ cup sultanas
½ cup desiccated coconut
½ cup walnuts, finely chopped
For the whipped yoghurt cream icing
1 cup cream
100g icing sugar
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¾ cup Greek yoghurt
Toppings
Shredded coconut
Sultanas
Pecans
Passionfruit pulp (topping)
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Method
- Preheat the oven to 160C fan bake. Grease 2 x 20cm round cake tins and line with baking paper.
- In a large bowl, whisk the sugar and eggs together until thick and creamy. This will take 3-5 minutes with an electric mixer. Gradually pour oil into the bowl while whisking.
- Sift the flour, salt, baking soda and cinnamon over the bowl and mix with a large spoon or spatula until just combined.
- Stir the bananas, pineapple, sultanas, coconut and walnuts gently into the cake batter.
- Divide the mixture evenly between the prepared tins. Bake for 40–45 minutes until cakes are no longer wobbly, and a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean.
- Cool in tins for 10 minutes before turning out on to a wire rack to cool completely.
NOTE: This is a very moist cake with a rich, creamy topping. We recommend storing it in the fridge if it isn’t being eaten on the same day. Bring it back to room temperature before serving.