Winter Solstice Cake – Eggless, Nutless & Fruit-filled

A tasty alternative to the typical fruitcake – filled with a variety of flavors and textures

Happy Winter Solstice!

This dense and spicy holiday cake contains fresh and dried fruit, carrots, spices, alcohol, and sunflower seeds for crunch. Zest from lime, lemon and orange add a boost of fruit flavor without the sugar/additives of candied fruit. Every bite contains different flavors. Using the Wacky Cake formula to help it rise, it creates an attractive cake to serve following a hearty meal on the shortest day of the year. I usually cook a thick meat and vegetable soup, drink a bit of wine to toast the return of the sun, and eat some shortbread to include a Scottish taste.

Scottish Shortbread showing sunburst pattern

I really enjoy celebrating the Winter Solstice with my family and sharing my Celtic history with everyone. Ancient Scots were quite superstitious and believed that evil spirits roamed around when the sunlight was at its weakest in early winter. According to author Ellen Jackson, the Scottish people came up with rituals to protect their families, like dropping hot coals from the hearth fire into water; washing with these opposing elements created a magical charm. As well, they came up with community feasts and partying to celebrate the return of the Sun. Longer days meant the cold weather would lead back to warm and that their crops would grow again. With this reassurance, they heartily shared the abundance of the past harvest.

Greenery, visiting and sharing food is part of celebrating Winter Solstice. (PHOTO CREDIT: Altogether Christmas Vintage Clipart)

When I first started doing research on Celtic holidays and rituals, I was surprised to see the huge overlap between ancient cultures (pagan) and Christianity. Many of the enduring traditions that I thought as a child came from church, actually came from the pagans. Christmas especially is a complete meld of ancient, nature based symbols and customs with later, Christianity-imposed religious practices. I’ve found this both surprising and intriguing. My research has resulted in expanding my own holiday traditions and honoring multiple cultural practices in the process.

Excerpt from a Scottish Blessing –

“May the blessing of light be on you - light without and light within. May the blessed sunlight shine on you like a great peat fire, so that stranger and friend may come and warm himself at it.”

Scottish Toast –

Slainte mhor agus a h-uile beannachd duibh! Good health and every good blessing to you!

Small Rosemary bush with decorations

 Resources for learning more about Celtic traditions in general and Winter Solstice in particular:

--Master musician Àine Minogue presents Winter Solstice info and song samples on herwebsite. She is Irish and currently living in US. Her name is pronounced Ohn-ya Mi-nohg - like it rhymes with Sonya Vogue.

--Celtic Callings website offers history, myth, traditions and products for sale. In this article discussing Winter Solstice, they mention that the holiday is also called Alban Arthuan in Gaelic. Which means "The Light of Arthur," in reference to the Arthurian legend that states King Arthur was born on the Winter Solstice.

--This brief article “The Unconquered Sun,” regarding Winter Solstice and how different religions celebrate, first appeared as an article by Janet Shotwell in The Karma Dzong Banner (Vol III, No 11, December 1991, Halifax, Nova Scotia). 

--Picture book for children of all ages, The Winter Solstice by Ellen Jackson, illustrated by Jan Davey Ellis (Millbrook Press: Brookfield, CT; 1994). Cheerful and detailed painting complement the text, which succinctly covers the history and traditions of ancient Scots, Romans, Scandinavians, and the indigenous peoples of Peru, America, and British Columbia. Also touches on modern America and Europe as well as the astronomical aspect of the solstice.

Moving on to the gastronomical...

Ingredients for Winter Solstice cake - the colors are a feast for the eyes

 

Winter Solstice Cake

A holiday treat, bursting with fruit & spices, variation on a Wacky Cake recipe

Ingredients:

DRY

1½ cups flour

¾ cup brown sugar

¼ cup shredded coconut, unsweetened

¾ tsp baking soda

½ tsp sea salt

SPICES
¾ tsp cinnamon

¼ tsp allspice

1/8 tsp ginger

1/8 tsp cloves

1/16 tsp cardamom

WET

½ cup fresh grated carrots

½ cup pineapple, diced in small pieces (or use canned crushed pineapple, drained)

1 tsp fresh lime zest

1 tsp fresh lemon zest

1 tsp fresh orange zest

¼ cup currants (or use sultanas or regular raisins)

¼ cup dried cherries (or dried cranberries)

¼ cup fresh cranberries, finely chopped - Optional

1 tsp McCormack’s brand Almond extract (it’s made out of apricot pits and McCormack’s is processed in nut-free facilities; I use the pure version)

5 Tbsp vegetable oil

¼ cup sour cream or plain yogurt

¾ cup milk

ALCOHOL

1 Tbsp (I use Drambuie or Sherry; Rum or Brandy work as well)

For a nonalcoholic option use balsamic or malt vinegar

CRUNCH

1/8 cup roasted seeds - sunflower or pumpkin kernels (Gerb’s Seed Company is allergy friendly; David’s brand is usually free from cross-contamination – ALWAYS read labels and /or call manufacturers for most up to date info)

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a round, glass casserole dish (I used an 8 inch, 1.5L capacity).

In a small mixing bowl, measure out all the dry ingredients: flour, sugar, coconut, soda, salt, and spices. Whisk to combine.

In a separate larger bowl, measure out and mix together the carrots, fruits, all three zests, extract, and alcohol (or vinegar). Measure out and mix in sour cream and milk.

Now dump the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients bowl. Add in seeds. Use a spatula to combine all the ingredients and create the cake batter. Fruits and seeds should be evenly distributed through the batter and all flour should be fully incorporated.

Pour into greased glass dish and put into oven straightaway. Bake for ~40 mins. A toothpick inserted in center should come out moist but clean. Cake should have nice browning and be pulling slightly away from edges.

Winter Solstice Cake fresh out of the oven; the area near the center is not a hole but a chunk of pineapple

I serve straight from the dish, warm or cool. Cover to store. If desired, the cake could be turned out of the pan for nicer presentation.

VEGAN SUGGESTION: replace sour cream/milk with either coconut milk or other nondairy “milk” or use 1 cup of water

ALLERGENS: contains wheat, dairy

ALLERGY ACCOMMODATIONS: replace wheat with a gluten-free baking mix; replace dairy with coconut milk, nondairy “milk” like rice or soy, or just use water – cake may not rise quite as high