Christmas - the time of Carols, Christmas Tree, Christmas Star, Santa. Gifts and of course the super most and delicious Rich Plum Cake. Rich Plum Cake was in my 'To Bake' list from many years; but was doubtfull about how it turns out. This year I decided to give it a try and I am glad that it was great success. My friends and family loved the cake.The aroma of cake, especially the dry fruits while baking the cake is beyond words.. ..
Wish you all Merry Christmas...
Wish you all Merry Christmas...
Ingredients
To Soak
- Cashew Nuts - 1 cup (chopped)
- Almonds - 1 cup (chopped)
- Cherry - 1 cup (chopped)
- Walnut - 1/2 cup (chopped)
- Dates - 1/2 cup (chopped)
- Raisins - 1 cup
- Tutti Fruity - 1 cup
- Rum - 2 cups
- Suagr / Brown Sugar - 2 cups
- Cinnamon - 1 stick
- Nutmeg - 1 tsp
- Cloves - 3-4 nos:
- Unsalted Butter - 100gms (in room temperature)
- Large Egg - 3 nos: (if the egg is small use 4 of them)
- All Pupose Flour (Maida) - 2 cups
- Baking Powder - 1 tsp
- Baking Soada - 1/2 tsp
- Salt - a pinch
- Vanilla Essence - 1 tsp
- Preheat the oven at 220 degree for 10 mins:
- Prepare two cake pan of 9" each and line it with butter paper. Keep butter paper on the bottom and sides of the pan.
- Starin the soaked dry fruits and keep dry fruits and syrup separately.
- Dust the dry fruits with 2-3 tbsp of maida and keep aside.
- Seive together maida, baking powder, baking soda and salt and keep aside.
- Finely powder the ingredients listed under To Powder and keep aside. If you are using normal sugar powder 1 cup of sugar and caramalize one cup sugar. If you are using brown sugar, you can powder the 2 cups.
- In a large bowl soften the butter with the help of electric beater or hand beater.
- Add powdered sugar and beat well.
- Add one egg at a time and beat till the mixture become creamy.
- Slowly add maida and gently fold with a wooden spatula and combine well.
- Gradually add the starined dry fruits and combine well with spatula.
- Add vanilla essence and caramalized sugar (if using) and mix well.
- If the cake batter is too thick to fold add 3-4 tbsp of reserved dry fruits syrup and mix well.
- Transfer the cake batter to the prepared cake tin and garnish with cashew nuts.
- Bake in the oven for 50-60 mins. at 160 degree. Insert a tooth pick to the center of the cake; if its comes out cleanly, the cake is ready. If the toothpick is wet or sticky bake for another 10-15 mins:
- Keep the cake in a wire rack and allow it to cool completely.
- The super moist, Rich Plum Cake is ready.
Tips & Tricks
- Use glass bowl to soak the fruits and for making the batter.
- Donot use wet bowls and spoons.
- Make sure that all the ingredients like butter and egg is in room temperature before making batter.
- You can use orange juise instead of rum; but if you are using oarange juice, soak dry fruits just for 2 days.
- Here I used normal sugar, so I powdered 1 cup sugar and 1 cup of sugar is caramalized. Caramalized sugar and brown sugar will give plum cake its color. You can avoid caramalizing sugar if needed. To caramalize sugar, add 1 cup sugar and 1/4 cup water to a thick bottom pan. Once the sugar start boiling reduce the flame and stir continuously till the syrup become light golden brown. Remove from the flame and bring it to room temperatre before using in the cake.
- You can use Prunes, Dates, Walnuts and Apricot also. Finely chop them and soak with other dry fruits.
- While baking the cake, the top may become dark brown; no worries, the cake will not get burned. If you don't want the cake to become dark brown on the top, cover the top of the cake with butter paper after 40mins: and bake it.
- With this measure you can bake two Rich Plum Cake of almost 800gms: each.
- to keep the cake for 7-8 days, after cooling down the cake completelty brush the top and sides of the cake with 1tbsp rum and keep in a air tight glass bowl.
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