Microwave Chocolate Fruit Cake

PREP TIME 10

COOK TIME 8

TOTAL TIME 18

1 x 8 inch cake

Microwave Chocolate Fruit Cake, a decadent dessert that not only skips the eggs but is also ready to savor in just 20 minutes!

Ingredients

US Customary - Metric

For the Soaked fruit

½ cup water or juice
1 cup dried fruit (See note 1)

For the cake

6 tablespoons butter (softened to room temperature)
½ cup brown sugar (see note 2)
¼ cup of plain unflavored yogurt or sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon of almond extract (optional)
1 ⅓ cup all purpose flour (same as plain flour -UK OR cake flour)
2 teaspoons baking powder
3 Tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon allspice (mixed spice)
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg (optional)
¼ teaspoon salt (add ½ teaspoon salt if using unsalted butter)
½ cup chopped pecan and cashews (optional)
1 cup milk

Glace icing / frosting(optional)

1 ¼ cup powdered sugar (icing sugar)
2 Tablespoons hot water

Instructions

Soak the fruit

In a saucepan, bring water or juice to a boil, add dried fruit.
½ cup water or juice, 1 cup dried fruit
Boil for 2 minutes, then cover and leave uncovered for 10 minutes, allowing the fruit to absorb the liquid.

Grease and line a microwave safe container (see note 3)

Prepare a microwave-safe container by greasing and lining it with parchment paper. Ensure the inner edges of the container are also greased or coated with non-stick cooking spray.
I used an 8-inch (20cm) round glass container with a height of 2.7 inches (6.9cm). The cake will rise to approximately 2 inches (5cm) during the baking process

Cake batter

In a large bowl, mix butter and brown sugar using a whisk or handheld beater until well combined.
6 tablespoons butter, ½ cup brown sugar
Add plain unflavored yogurt or sour cream, vanilla extract, almond extract (if using) Mix until well combined.
¼ cup of plain unflavored yogurt or sour cream, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, ¼ teaspoon of almond extract
Sift in all purpose flour, baking powder and unsweetened cocoa powder.
1 ⅓ cup all purpose flour, 2 teaspoons baking powder, 3 Tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
Add ground cinnamon, allspice (mixed spice), ground nutmeg (if using) and salt. Mix lightly with a spatula.
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1 teaspoon allspice, ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg, ¼ teaspoon salt
Mix in the fruit that should have absorbed most of the liquid by this point. If there's any remaining liquid in the pot, feel free to pour it in with the fruit. Stir until all the fruit is evenly coated with the flour. Add in any chopped nuts now if using
½ cup chopped pecan and cashews
Pour in the milk and mix with a spatula to form a batter.
1 cup milk
Pour the batter into the microwave-safe dish lined with parchment paper.
Bake in the microwave for between 6 to 8 minutes or the high power setting. (see note 4)
Check if the cake is baked after 6 minutes by inserting a toothpick in the center. The cake should be baked if the toothpick comes out clean. Do not overbake
If after 6 minutes the cake has not finished baking, continue to bake it until done.
Keep in mind that the cooking time is going to vary depending on your microwave and the container you are using.
After baking, allow the cake to cool in its container for 10 minutes. Then gently remove it from the container onto a plate.

Frosting -The cake can be served with or without frosting (see note 5)

If frosting: If you are frosting the cake, I suggest you turn it out onto a cooking rack, so that the bottom of the cake is now the top.
This part of the cake has a much flatter surface and makes for a flawless, smoother spread glacé icing
Cool completely before frosting.

Make the frosting (glacé icing) (optional)

Add powdered sugar and boiling water in a medium bowl and mix to combine.
1 ¼ cup powdered sugar, 2 Tablespoons hot water
If you feel that the frosting is too thick, add a tablespoon of boiling water at a time to get it to the desired consistency.
If too thin, add a Tablespoon of powdered sugar at a time to get it to the desired consistency.
Spread the frosting over the cooled cake, gently pushing it along the edges for a drip effect.
Ensure that you use the frosting immediately after mixing. As it cools,it dries and thickens making it difficult to spread and get a smooth finish. An offset spatula dipped in a glass of hot water and dried helps work the frosting around the cake easier
Leave the frosting to dry on the cake for about 30 minutes to an hour, before topping with any decoration.

Storage

At room temperature: Keep covered in an airtight container for up to 2 days.
In the fridge: Store in an airtight container for up to 1 week. Serve at room temperature

Recipe Notes

1.Fruit: Dried fruit and chopped nuts: This cake's versatility lies in the freedom to incorporate any dried fruit, nuts, or cherries you prefer or have on hand. So feel free to choose your preferred assortment of dried fruit. In my version, I included cranberries, currants, raisins, candied cherries, and candied orange peel, totaling 1 cup (150g) in weight. Plus a ½ cup chopped cashews and pecans. Adding chopped nuts is optional, but does add extra texture and crunch.

2. Brown Sugar: Light or dark brown sugar is used for a deeper flavor and gives the best caramelized flavor when baked. You can use white sugar if you prefer, just keep in mind that the baked cake might lack the caramel flavor- but will still be delicious.

3. Which container is the most suitable? The container or pan used must be microwave safe. Keep in mind that the type of container used can affect the baking time and sometimes the texture of the cake. Never use regular metal oven pans for any of your microwave baking. Use only microwave-safe glass, silicone, plastic or ceramic containers. It is preferable to use a rounded container for this cake as it cooks more evenly around the edges

4. Microwave cakes bake very quickly, here are a few guidelines to have an idea of when it has baked.

The baking time in my recipe is based on my 1000 watt microwave. This means that your baking time will vary by either a few minutes more or less depending on your microwave.
Check if the cake is baked by inserting a toothpick or thin metal skewer into the middle of the cake. If there is batter clinging to the toothpick, put the cake back into the microwave and bake at 1-minute increments until baked.
The cake will be firm to the touch and will pull away from the sides of the pan when baked.
Sometimes, you'll see the middle of the cake looking a bit gooey on the surface. That happens because the outside cooks faster with all that microwave power.
Once the cake is taken out of the microwave, it continues to bake as the heat moves from the outer part to the cooler middle. So, even if it looks a bit undone at first, the leftover heat (called residual heat) will bake the middle of the cake.

5. Without frosting decorating ideas: Reserve about 2 to 4 Tablespoons of the soaked fruit to spread over the batter before baking. This gives the cake a beautiful appearance if served without the frosting.

Nutrition