This cake is particularly good this time of year. A pic can be seen here: http://buttoni.wordpress.com/2009/0...ge-brandy-cake/

CRANBERRY ORANGE BRANDY CAKE

I’ve made a number of changes to this cake recipe and believe I’ve got it about right. I’ve added several ingredients and altered amounts on some. The smokey taste of mesquite flour is what makes this such an unusual cake. Even my husband thought this cake had a nice texture and flavor. It was light and fluffy. I think the addition of the lecithin/oat fiber is what fluffs this cake up a bit. Lecithin granules can be purchased in most health food stores or ordered on-line. I order oat fiber from Honeyvillegrains.com. Original recipe uses homemade sugar-free dried cranberries, but I’ve decided that’s just way more trouble than it’s worth for no appreciable difference in taste from fresh berries. Having dried them once now, I know I have better things to do with 9 hours and sure don’t like having my oven on 9 hours!!! This recipe is not acceptable for Induction.

INGREDIENTS:

7/8 c. butter
1 ¼ c. granular Splenda
¼ c. brandy
¼ c. DaVinci Coconut or vanilla sugar-free syrup
4 beaten eggs
½ c. coarsely chopped fresh cranberries
2 T. grated orange rind
3/4 c. chopped pecans
¼ c. unsweetened coconut
2 T. Lecithin granules (or 2T. oat fiber if you prefer)
1 3/4 c. CarbQuick bake mix
¼ c. mesquite flour (available from netrition.com & other on-line sources)
1 tsp. baking powder (yes, even though CarbQuick has some)

DIRECTIONS: Pour brandy over cranberries and orange peel to macerate while mixing the cake. Chop nuts. Soften butter and beat with Splenda until smooth. Add eggs beating well after each one. Mix all dry ingredients in separate bowl and slowly add to egg mixture, Stir well. Now add in cranberry mixture, brandy and all, and the nuts. Be sure batter is well-blended. Pour into a sprayed round, deep cake pan (I used a small silicone sunflower-shaped pan that is about 3″ deep). Bake in a preheated 350º oven for 50 minutes. It is done when toothpick stuck in center comes out dry/clean. Cake will be mounded in the middle at first & then fall back level as it cools. Turn cake onto cake plate when fully cooled.

NUTRITIONAL INFO: Serves 12, each serving contains:

268 calories
25.8 g fat
14.1 g carbs
7.6 g fiber
5.54 g protein
239 mg. sodium
6.5 g NET CARBS