PASSION OF COOKING

Christmas Fruit Cake – a delicious and easy fruit cake that’s perfect for Christmas or really, all year round.

The story of plum cakes started in medieval England, where it was a popular tradition to observe a period of fasting and abstinence from any kind of feasting in the weeks leading to Christmas. The fasting and abstinence would hold you in good stead for the indulgent days ahead. As per the custom, on the eve of Christmas, a rich porridge was cooked and eaten to 'line the stomach' for the upcoming feast. The porridge was prepared with oats, dried fruits, spices, honey and sometimes even meat, eventually turning into a Christmas pudding. People started using the same ingredients and made fruitcakes with plums and other dried fruits on Christmas. That's how plum cakes are believed to have come into existence as a traditional dessert.

This fruit cake recipe doesn’t need you to soak the dry fruits in advance and it’s alcohol-free so you can make the cake instantly just before you need it.

INGREDIENTS:

All purpose flour - 1&1/2 cup

Chopped cashew nuts - 1/4 cup

Black raisins - 1/4 cup

Golden raisins - 1/4 cup

Mixed dry fruits (dates - 1/2 cup, glazed cherry - 1/4 cup, prunes - 1/4 cup, cranberries - 1/4 cup, crystalized ginger -2 tbsp)

Orange peel - 1tsp

Orange juice - 1 to 2 cup (approximate)

Powdered sugar (for cake batter) - 1/2 cup

Sugar (for caramelizing) - 3/4 cup

Butter - 3/4 cup

Egg -3

Spice powder( 1/2 inch cinnamon stick, 2 clove, 1 cardamom, 1/2 tsp nutmeg powder) - 1 tsp

Baking powder - 1 tsp

Baking soda - 1/2 tsp

Vanilla extract - 1 tsp

Pinch of salt

METHOD:

Dry fruits preparation:

Chop dry fruits into bite size pieces. Soak the dry fruits, black and golden raisins, orange peel in the orange juice for overnight or at least 3 to 4 hours. Ensure that the contents are completely immersed in the juice.

Caramel syrup preparation:

Heat a heavy bottomed vessel and add the sugar with a tbsp of water on medium high heat. You will find that the sugar will melt and start to change color. Don’t stir, you can swirl the vessel, once or twice. When you find that the color has changed to a dark golden brown, turn off heat. Immediately, pour half cup of boiling water very carefully into the caramel and stir and mix well. Just boil the syrup for 1 min. Cool the caramel before adding to the cake batter.

Note: Be careful, the liquid will splash when you pour the water into the hot caramel. The color of caramelized sugar is the key to the color of the cake.

Cake preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F/180 degree C.

2. In a bowl, sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, spice powder and keep it aside.

3. Add 2 tbsp flour to the soaked dry fruits and nuts and dredge completely to coat it. This is so that they don’t sink to the bottom of the batter while baking. Set aside.

4. Separate egg yolks from the whites. In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites until soft peaks form and set aside.

5. In a large bowl, using a hand mixer or a stand mixer, beat the egg yolks. Add powdered sugar gradually and beat well.

6. Now add butter and beat until it creamy and combined well.

7. Add vanilla extract and pinch of salt. Beat after each addition.

8. Pour the caramel syrup and beat thoroughly till everything is creamy and combined.

9. Add the sifted flour in small quantities and gently fold in with a spatula.

10. Add the coated dry fruits and cashews to the batter and gently fold them into the batter. (Note : Don’t beat the flour just fold gently, by doing this you’ll get the soft moist cake.)

11. Add the beaten egg whites in two batches and gently fold the batter.

12. Grease the cake tins and line with parchment paper. Pour batter up to half of the prepared cake tins. Gently shake and tap the pan so as to even out the batter.

13. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes or until a tooth pick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. The baking time can vary depending on the oven and the size of the tin used.

14. Remove from the oven and cool in the pan for 10-15 minutes.