Nutty Cranberry Cake sheds fat, not flavor

Dear Jeanne: This cake is light and delicious. Can you reduce the fat and maintain the quality? — Linda Collins, Jacksonville, Fla.

Dear Linda: This is a delicious cake, and if you don't have cranberries, you can use any other fruit, chopped into small pieces.

CRANBERRY CAKE

3 cups fresh cranberries

1 1/2 cups sugar, divided use

1 cup chopped pecans

2 eggs

3/4 cup flour

3/4 cup melted butter

Grease a 9-inch square pan. Spread cranberries over bottom of pan. Sprinkle with 3/4 cup of the sugar and the nuts. Stir the sugar and nuts into the cranberries. Beat eggs until light in color. Add the remaining 3/4 cup sugar, the flour and the butter. Spread over the cranberries. Bake at 400 degrees for 30 minutes.

Makes 12 servings.

LIGHT CRANBERRY CAKE

3 cups fresh cranberries

1/2 cup sugar

1/3 cup chopped pecans, toasted

1 large egg

2 large egg whites

1/2 cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 cup butter, melted

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F. Spray a 9-inch square pan with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.

2. Roughly chop half of the cranberries, combine with the whole cranberries in a bowl and mix in the first 1/2 cup sugar. Let sit for 15 minutes to allow the sugar to dissolve.

3. Place the pecans on a baking pan and place in the oven at 350 F for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring once until lightly toasted. Set aside.

4. In another bowl, beat the egg and egg whites until light and foamy, about 1 minute. Add the additional 1/2 cup sugar, a little bit at a time, and continue to beat for another 2 minutes, until the eggs are thick and light. Add the vanilla, butter and flour, and beat in.