Nimmy's Kitchen: Plum Cake/Fruit Cake

Plum cakes are also known as Fruit cake or Christmas cake. The traditional plum cake has alcohol content in it. Rum or Brandy is used in it and it is a very lengthy process to bake this cake. It seems this cake is made one month before serving. After baking this cake, every day little rum or brandy is poured on top of the cake and stored in an airtight container in a fridge. After one month this cake is served. I don't know whether it is true or not. But i read this somewhere.

I didn't even think about trying this cake as alcohol is used in it and because of its lengthy process. Recently one of my friend asked me how to bake it and that's how i modified the traditional cake recipe into an easy and non-alcohol cake recipe.This is definitely not a traditional method of making this rich cake. But mark my word, this cake tastes exactly or more tastier than the traditional one.

I used dry fruits like Prunes, Dates, Raisins and nuts like cashew nuts, almonds and walnuts. You can use dry fruits and nuts of your own choice. Usually, candied orange peel is used in the recipe and the dry fruits and nuts are soaked in alcohol. Instead of this i soaked them in orange juice, so that the cake gets the orange flavour which we get through the orange peel. You can add nutmeg powder also in this recipe. Its up to you how you want the cake to be.

Ingredients

1 1/2 cup Maida/All purpose flour
3/4 cup Sugar
7 - 8 tsp Caramel syrup*
1 cup Dry Fruits (chopped)
1 cup Dry Nuts (chopped)
3 Eggs
8 tsp Unsalted Butter
1 tsp Baking Powder
1/4 tsp Baking soda
1 tsp Cinnamon powder
1 tsp Vanilla essence
1/2 cup Orange juice

Method

Soak dry fruits and nuts in the orange juice for approximately half an hour.
Sieve maida, baking powder, baking soda into a big bowl. Keep this aside.
Take butter and sugar in a bowl and beat it well using an electric beater.
Beat well till sugar is completely dissolved and the mixture is light and fluffy.
Now add eggs and beat well. Add cinnamon powder, vanilla essence and caramel syrup. Beat well.
Pre heat the oven - convection mode - 190 degree Celsius.
Add the soaked dry fruits and nuts. Mix well using a wooden spoon.
Pour this mixture into the maida mix. Mix well so that everything is combined properly.
Pour the cake mix into a greased baking tray lined with butter paper.
Put this in the oven for 35 to 45 minutes.
Check in between using a tooth pick whether the cake is cooked or not.
Once done, take off from heat and give it a standing time of 5 minutes.
Transfer it on a wire rack and let it cool before serving.
Decorate it with dusting some powdered sugar on top.

*Caramel Syrup: Heat 1/4 cup sugar and 3 tbsp water in a pan till it turns golden colour. Take off from heat and add 3 - 4 tbsp warm water. Mix well. Caramel syrup is ready.