Relish Guilt-Free Christmas Cakes

CALORIE BREAKDOWN OF CHRISTMAS CAKES

Plum Cake
Kcal: 280 (approx)
Eat 1-2 slices a week

Yule Log Cake
Kcal: 410 (approx)
Limit to 1-2 servings a week, depending on overall caloric intake for the week

Fruit Cake
Kcal: 365
One slice per week, considering the cake’s richness and sugar content

Rum Cake
Kcal: 357
Limit to 1-2 slices per week considering the high calorie and alcohol content

HEALTHY ALTERNATIVES

Fruit and Nut Cake Made with almond flour or coconut flour, naturally sweetened with dates, figs, or stevia, the cake is packed with the goodness of nuts, seeds, and dried fruits, minus the excess sugar and butter

Vegan Chocolate Avocado CakeMade from avocado and coconut cream as a butter alternative, it is sweetened with natural sweeteners like dates or stevia

Carrot and Walnut CakePrepared with grated carrots, nut flour, and natural sweeteners like dates or cinnamon, this cake is rich in fibre, beta-carotene, and healthy fats from walnuts

(As suggested by Dr Manjari Chandra, functional nutritionist)

STRIKE A BALANCE IN YOUR DIET

• Fill your plate with wholesome foods and rainbow colours of vegetables and fruits
• Opt for natural sweeteners when preparing sweets and be mindful of the portion you consume
• Stay hydrated to curb sugar cravings and avoid overindulging in salt and sugar as that can cause dehydration

BAKE HEALTHY CHRISTMAS CAKES AT HOME

Sugar-free Christmas Cake
Ingredients: 1 tbsp of each dried fruit; 1 1⁄2 cups fruit juice; 1 cup milk; 1 cup deseeded dates; 4 cloves, small piece of nutmeg, 1 cinnamon stick and cardamom; 1⁄2 tsp dry ginger powder; 1 cup wheat flour; 1 tsp baking powder, corn flour, jaggery and vanilla essence each; 1⁄2 tsp baking soda; 1 1⁄2 tsp coconut oil
Method: Soak some dried fruits in fruit juice of your choice for two hours. In a pan, heat milk and add deseeded dates. Make the dates mushy. Once done, blend this with cloves, nutmeg, cinnamon stick, cardamom and dry ginger powder to make a spice mix. In a pan, add jaggery and some water to make a caramelised syrup. Now, take a bowl, add the spiced mix, soaked dry fruits, and the caramelised syrup. Through a sieve, add wheat flour, baking powder, baking soda, and corn flour. Then add nuts of your choice and vanilla essence. Mix well to make the batter. Grease the cake mould with coconut oil, dust it with wheat flour and then pour the batter into it. Top it with some dried fruits. In a big vessel, place a steel stand and preheat it for 10 minutes on low flame. Then place the mould on the stand, cover it for an hour. Keep the flame low at all times. Once done, transfer it to a plate and enjoy.
- Inputs by Bijal Shah (Bijalsfoodcreations), culinary professional
Vegan cake
Ingredients: 100-125 gm each of raisins, cranberries and dried apricots; 100 ml orange juice; 125 gm tofu and vegan butter; 80 ml milk; 1 tbsp vinegar and jaggery; zest of 1 orange and lemon; 250 gm oats flour; 90 gm almond flour; 50 gm chickpea flour; 1⁄2 tbsp baking soda; 50 gm chopped almonds; a pinch of salt and 1 tbsp dry spices

Method: Soak dry fruits in orange juice for a day. Start by blending tofu with non-dairy milk and vinegar. In a bowl, combine vegan butter with jaggery and orange and lemon zest until the butter is fluffy. Add oats flour, almond flour, chickpea flour, baking soda, a pinch of salt, and the dry spice powder. Combine the tofu mixture to make the batter. Add the soaked dry fruits along with the juice and some chopped almonds. Transfer the batter to a greased and floured mould. Bake at 150°C for about 2.5 hours, until the middle of the cake is completely cooked. Allow to cool for 30 minutes before serving.
– Inputs by Shivani Sharma, chefpreneur and founder of Gourmestan