Penny’s Almost 100% Raw Holiday Fruitcake

Cake:
• 3/4 cup Medjool dates pitted and packed
• 1/2 fresh, organic lemon juice
• 1/2 fresh, organic orange juice
• 1 cup organic, raw almonds
• 1 cup shredded coconut
• 1/2 cup organic, raw cashews
• 2 tsp organic almond extract (gluten-free/alcohol free if you have a gluten sensitivity)
• Pinch pink Himalayan or Celtic sea salt

Fruit Filling:
• 3/4 cup dried fruit (I used organic raisins, organic cranberries, organic cherries, organic blueberries, and organic gojis)
• 1/4 cup juice or rum of choice (I used orange juice)

Zest Mixture:
• 1 inch sliced and slivered ginger (you can also use 1/2 tsp dry ginger)
• 1 tbsp fresh, organic lemon zest
• 1 tbsp fresh, organic orange zest (be sure to prepare these BEFORE you juice the fruit)
• 2 tbsp raw agave nectar

Candied Nuts:
• 1/3 cup chopped organic, raw walnuts
• 1/3 cup chopped organic, raw pecans
• 2 tbsp maple syrup (grade B is ideal)
• 1/2 tsp organic ground cinnamon
• Pinch pink Himalayan or Celtic sea salt

You could probably do it without a dehydrator too and either chill in the fridge, or bake at a low temp in the oven.

240 mins. is for total dehydrating time for all ingredients unless you choose to dehydrate it overnight.

Cake: Soak the dates in the juice and extract for an hour. Food process the nuts and coconut and set aside.

When the dates are done soaking, blend them in the food processor or vitamix. With your hand, mix the date mix and nut flour. Set aside.

Fruit Filling: Combine filling ingredients in a bowl and dehydrate at 115°F for 1 hour.

Zest Mixture: Combine ingredients in a bowl and dehydrate at 115°F for 1 hour.

Candied Nuts: Chop nuts (not too small) and combine with syrup, cinnamon and salt. Lay on a dehydrator sheet and dehydrate at 115°F for 1 hour.

Drain the fruit filling. Take the “cake” batter and add to it the fruit filling, the zest mixture and the candied nuts and mix with your hands or a silicone spatula. At this point, either make balls or mini cakes using a small spring form pan or a tupperware (as I used, lined with plastic wrap). Make sure your cake snugly fits into your container. Flip over and you have your finished fruitcake.

I took it an extra step further and dehydrated about 2 more hours to make the cake a bit drier. I’m actually going to leave one of the three in overnight and maybe an extra day to see how dry it can get and still taste good. Play around! That’s the beauty of it. The other beauty…is THIS fruitcake can’t be used as a rock like the traditional ones! Penny Shack

Serving Size: 18 bars