Buttermilk Fruit Cake - Eggless

If you haven't steeped the fruits but want to make a christmas-y  cake, this is just the recipe for you.  You need two bowls one for the dry ingredients and another for the wet ones.  Not too much work for a good tasting cake.  This one is a great recipe and a cake that can be baked even if it is not the festive season.  Recipe from Joy of Cooking. 

Ingredients -  ( Serves 6-8 - 8" cake tin)

All purpose flour - 200 gms
Pitted dates - 90 gms
Granulated sugar - 130 gms
Salt - 1/4 tsp
All spice - 1 tsp
Freshly  grated nutmeg - 1 tsp
Cinnamon powder - 1 tsp
Baking soda - 1 tsp
Buttermilk - 240 ml
Unsalted butter ( melted) - 113 gms
Raisins, sultanas, mixed peel - 195 gms
Vanilla extract - 1/2 tsp

Prepare the cake tin - grease and line it with parchment paper - a 9x5 loaf tin can also be used
To prevent the dates from getting mushy, put flour on a cutting board and cut the dates in it.
Place the flour, date mixture in a bowl.
Add sugar, salt, spices and baking soda.
Stir well to combine all ingredients.

Preheat the oven to 165 C.  I used 150 fan.

In the second bowl whisk buttermilk, melted butter and vanilla essence.
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Stir the buttermilk mixture and the rest of the dried fruits into the dried ingredients in the first bowl.
Mix well.
Pour into prepared tin.  Smooth the top with a spatula or a back of a spoon.
Place in oven.  For 50-55 mins or till golden brown and pulling away from the sides.  Test with toothpick.

Remove from oven. Place on wire rack to cool for 10 mins.  Then remove from tin.

Can be had warm.  Can also store it for a few days.