You’ve got to try this soft and dense delicious vanilla cake, packed with subtly sweet real fruits! Green, orange and yellow natural colors give this mixed fruit cake a beautiful appearance. Not only is this cake colorful and tasty, but it is also super healthy!
Why You Will Love This Recipe!
Sometimes you just want a sweet, warming bite to go with your morning coffee or afternoon tea. A slice of this mixed fruit cake would be that perfect, comforting bite! Chewy and satisfying, this moist fruit cake has it all. Plus, this fruit cake possesses all of the healthy benefits that fruits have to offer: vitamins, minerals, and a variety of nutrients!
The inside of this fresh fruit cake is studded with diced orange mango and ripe, translucent yellow pears. The top of the fruit cake is layered with beautiful green slices of kiwi. This cake looks so natural and beautiful, and your friends would certainly be very grateful if you brought this striking fruit cake along to a party!
Furthermore, you can feel zero guilt about sharing this healthy fresh fruit cake with your family and friends! In fact, I have served warmed-up slices of this loaf cake to my kids for breakfast with a glass of milk. Let me tell you, it is way healthier than sugar-loaded cereal or plain white toast! The subtle sweetness in this delectable mixed fruit cake comes purely from the variety of fresh fruits included in this recipe, plus a touch of pure maple syrup and a hint of natural vanilla.
Nutritious Ingredients in Mixed Fruit Cake
Let’s take a closer look at the nutrient content of the healthy foods used in this mixed fruit cake recipe. Pregnant women should enjoy eating a variety of healthy fresh fruits daily as part of a healthy pregnancy diet! Eating fresh fruits provides nutrients vital for health and maintenance of the body, namely complex carbohydrates, minerals, and vitamins.
Mango
Mangoes are an excellent source of vitamin C for a pregnant woman. In fact, one cup of mangoes contains 100% of the recommended daily value for a grown adult, or 60 mg. Pregnant women should aim to consume 80 mg of this vitamin daily. Vitamin C is extremely important during pregnancy because it supports proper development of baby’s bones, gums, teeth and muscles. Importantly, this vitamin also helps mama to absorb iron more easily and keeps her immune system strong.
Mangoes are also a great food source of vitamin A. Vitamin A helps baby’s developing immune system, skin and eyes, and helps with baby’s bone growth.
Kiwi
Just like mangoes, healthy kiwis are one of those vitamin C – rich foods. Kiwis also contain a good amount of fiber, as well as folate. A single kiwi has 19.5µg of folate. Folate is extremely important during pregnancy because folate deficiency is well known to severely impair fetal brain development, leading to NTDs (neural tube defects). Neural tube defects develop very early on in pregnancy, when the neural tube, which forms the brain and spinal cord, does not close properly. Folate (also known as folic acid in its synthetic form) also helps reduce the risk of pre-eclampsia. This is a dangerous condition in which the mother’s blood pressure and fluid retention increases dramatically.
Pear
Just like the fresh fruits mango and kiwi, pears also have vitamin C and should be part of a healthy pregnancy diet! Importantly, pears also contain folate (folic acid in its synthetic form) and fiber. One cup of raw pear has 3.88g of dietary fiber. Pregnancy women should strive to get sufficient dietary fiber daily because the intake of fiber‐rich foods during pregnancy has several health benefits to the pregnant woman. Such benefits include lowering the risks of diabetes, preeclampsia, and constipation. Additionally, fiber is imperative for good digestion, which aids in allowing a pregnant women to maintain a healthy pregnancy weight.
Bananas
Like the fruits described above, bananas also offer vitamin C and fiber. This fruit also contain minerals potassium. Potassium deficit during pregnancy can cause a variety of issues including fatigue, weakness, and muscle cramps.
Maple Syrup
While some fruit cake recipes opt to use light brown sugar as the sweetener, here I have avoided the use of any refined sugars that provide only empty calories (as I do in most of my recipes!). Instead, I have opted to use a small amount of maple syrup for sweetness. Unlike light brown sugar, maple syrup does provide some beneficial minerals: manganese and zinc.
How to Make Mixed Fruit Cake
First, Prepare the Batter
Making this super moist fruit cake could really not be easier! Recipe prep time is minimal.
Preheat the oven to 175 degrees Celsius (350 Fahrenheit). Line a cake pan with plain, unwaxed parchment paper.
Next, add the wet ingredients to a large mixing bowl: ripe banana, three large eggs, olive oil, maple syrup, and pure vanilla extract.
Stir the mixture thoroughly with a silicon spatula. This silicon spatula is really versatile!
After the wet ingredients are thoroughly blended, add the dry ingredients to the mix: baking powder, flour, and salt.
Once the dry ingredients have been well incorporated into the mixture, lastly, add in the chopped pears and mango and gently fold into the batter.
Next, Prepare the Cake Pan
Spread the batter into the lined cake pan. If you’re giving these away as gifts, these disposable aluminum pans are a great option!
Top smoothened mix with fresh kiwi slices.
Bake Mixed Fruit Cake in the Oven
Bake at 175 degrees Celsius (350 Fahrenheit) for 50 minutes, or until inserted knife comes out clean.
Allow the mixed fruit cake to cool to room temperature in the pan before removing. This allows the loaf to hold its structure and maintain firmness.
Serve and enjoy. YUM!
Serving Suggestions and Tips
Mixed fruit cake is so delicious on its own, but is especially good served along with:
- A scoop of vanilla ice cream
- Fresh whipped cream topping
- Chamomile tea
- Decaffeinated coffee
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Can I substitute other fresh fruits in place of the mangoes and pears? The mangoes do somewhat lend themselves to a tropical fruit cake. But certainly, other fruits could be used instead of the mangoes or pears. I would try to select a fresh fruit that is similar in texture. Some choices that come to mind include diced pineapple, diced apple, or perhaps some finely diced plum. Alternatively, dried fruits would also be a welcome addition to this cake recipe. Dry fruits such as golden raisins, chopped apricots (or even nuts!) would be nice. Simply add ½ cup of dried fruits to the batter as described, prior to baking.
Why is the vanilla extract necessary? The vanilla extract is not absolutely necessary, but it really does enhance the mixed fruit cake flavors. Alternatively, lemon extract could also be used for extra citrus flavor within this fruitcake.
How do I store mixed fruit cakes? I recommend pre-slicing the cake into one-inch slices, wrapping in waxed paper, then foil, and storing in the freezer inside of a Ziploc flavor. This helps to guarantee a moist fruit cake for future eating!
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Recipe Card
Mixed Fruit Cake
Author:Ingredients
- 1 cup pear, diced
- 1 cup mango, diced
- 1 kiwi, sliced into ovals
- 1 banana, mashed
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup maple syrup
- 3 large eggs
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 175 degrees Celsius (350 degrees Fahrenheit).
- Line a cake pan with plain, unwaxed parchment paper.
- Add the wet ingredients to a large mixing bowl: mashed banana, eggs, olive oil, maple syrup, and pure vanilla extract.
- Stir the mixture thoroughly with a rubber spatula.
- After the wet ingredients are thoroughly blended, add the dry ingredients to the mixture: baking powder, flour, and salt.
- Gently fold the chopped pears and mango into the batter.
- Spread the batter into the cake pan and smooth with spatula until level.
- Arrange the sliced kiwis on top and press down gently until they are level with the top of the batter.
- Bake at 175 degrees Celsius (350 degrees Fahrenheit) for 50 minutes, or until inserted knife comes out clean.
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