Kerala Plum Cake

Merry Christmas

I was in a full baking mode this Christmas...*smiles*...I managed to bake 2 cakes....And I still don't know why I baked two!!!

Even though it was Advent, I couldn't resist myself from licking the batter of this cake because it was sooo tasty and when it was being baked in the oven, my home was filled with the smell of the spices and the dry fruits.....This is why I love baking...*smiles*....your two senses (taste and smell) are been stimulated before, during and after baking!!! *winks*....

Here is the recipe of my second cake:

Ingredients

Recipe Source: Swapna's Cuisine

1. Butter - 100 gms

    Ghee - 125 gms

2. Powdered Sugar - 300 gms

    Egg yolks - 4

    Vanilla Essence - 1 tsp

    Ground Orange peel - 1/4 tsp

    Sugar - 4 tbsps (to carmalize)

3. Mixed dry fruits - 600gms

    Cashewnuts - 100 gms

    Brandy/Rum - 1/2 cup

4. Flour/Maida - 250gms

    Baking powder - 1/2 tsp

    Baking soda - 1/4 tsp

    Cinnamon powder - 1/4 tsp

    Clove powder - 1/4 tsp

    Nutmeg powder - 1/4 tsp

5. Milk - 1/4 cup

6. Egg whites - 4

    Lime juice - 3 tbsps

    Sugar - 4 tbsps

Method

To Prepare the Fruits

• Chop all dry fruits and cashewnuts finely and saok them in Brandy/Rum in a clean dry bottle for minimum one week. Stir the fruits atleast once a day. {Store them a year in advance for more taste.}
• On the day of baking the cake, transfer these fruits to a heatproof container with lid and steam them in a steamer or pressure cooker for 10 mins. Remove the lid and allow the fruits to cool completely.

To Caramelize Sugar

• Heat 4 tbsps sugar in a pan sturring continuously. When it becomes dark brown, add 1 cup of hot water and stir until it becomes thick. Cool it. {Be careful}

Preparing the flour mix

• Sieve together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon powder, clove powder and nutmeg powder. Toss the steamed and cooled fruits in the flour-mix well in a large bowl, so that the fruits are completely coated. Keep aside.

For the cake batter

• Cream butter, ghee and sugar. Add egg yolks one by one and beat in.
• Add vanilla essence, ground orange peel, caramel syrup and beat well.
• Add flour-fruit mix slowly alternating with milk to the cream mixture, beginning and ending with the flour-fruit mixture. Stir well with spatula to blend uniformly.
• Beat egg whites till stiff. Add 4 tbsp sugar and lime juice and beat again. Fold in the egg whites into the cake mixture.

Baking

• Preheat oven to 170 C/340 F.
• Line the bottom and sides of the cake pans with lightly greased parchment or butter paper.
• Pour cake batter into the prepared pan. Bake in the centre of the oven for about 1 1/2 hours to 1 3/4 hours or till a skewer inserted in the centre come out clean. {In a microwave oven, bake the cake at 600W for 25mins to 30 mins.}
• Cool in pan on wire racks for 10 mins.
• Remove from pans. Cool completely on wire racks.

Storing the cake

• Prick holes on the top of the cake with a skewer. Sprinkle 1-2 tsp of Brandy/Rum over the cake. Let it sink in for few minutes. {Use a syringe to inject the Brandy/Rum. I used homemade grape wine, instead of brandy/rum}.
• Wrap well with parchment paper and then in aluminium foil for storage.
• Every week, drizzle or brush 1-2 tsp of the Rum/Brandy over the cake, to keep it moist but not soggy.

Once again wishing all of you, from my home to your home a Merry Christmas!!!!

**PS: Guys!!!I managed to get just one snap of this cake (the rest all were blurred)....I thought of posting more pictures when the cake is cut, but unfortunately I am leaving to Kerala tonight since my papa is not keeping well and is in hospital.....So, will post better pictures if I can later on (or maybe next yr for X'mas) and requesting your prayers as well!!!