Christmas is good baking/food, and school holidays for me. Being a Punjabi, Christmas is never a big affair at home, though we relish the whole atmosphere around. It’s so bright, happy and live, so positive everywhere. We don’t do much at home, but kids do have Christmas Parties to attend to. And I do, crave a good Rich Christmas Plum Cake during this festival.
Just one slice with coffee (and a movie of my choice) is what I want. When this baking bug was not that strongly active in me, I used to buy the Traditional Christmas Plum Cake. One of my favourite winter/holidays treat. Now I bake one of the best Christmas cake, which is loved and is demanded over and over again. So #happyme..
This recipe is one of the classic recipes, and believe me, you will love it, once you bake it yourself. Why?
Because, you can choose the ingredients that you like, especially the dry fruits. You can control the sugar quantity. I personally don’t enjoy very sweet cakes. Most of the recipes you see her on the blog have a very subtle sweet taste, unlike market bought.
Soaking the ingredients in Rum… is another high. An assortment of dried apricots, figs, prunes, raisins, sultanas, currants, dried cranberries, dried cherries, candied oranges … take your pick
Here are a few ingredients options-
Dry Fruits varieties: Raisins, sultanas, apricots, figs, dates (seedless), prunes, currants, tutti fruit, glazed cherries, dried unsweetened cranberries.
Nuts: Cashews, Almonds, Walnuts, Pistachios, Pecans.
Soaking liquid (alcoholic): Rum, Brandy, Cognac, Amarula, Baileys Irish Cream.
Soaking liquid (non-alcoholic): grape juice, apple juice, orange juice.
Spices: Dry Ginger powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, clove, cardamom.
I also have added Ossoro Rich Plum Cake flavour, Ossoro Rich Plumcake Flavour, 30 ml
How to prepare fruits
Chop dry fruits into bite-size pieces, and transfer to a clean and dry glass container. Pour the rum into the container and ensure that it is completely immersed.
Soak the fruits for at least 2 days, you can even preserve them up to 6 -8 months; I soaked mine for 4 weeks. Shake the jar every alternative day.
We will require 2 cups of soaked fruits and for baking this cake.
After draining the soaked dry fruits before adding to the cake batter, coat them in a few spoons of flour. This helps the fruits to stick on to the batter while baking and prevents from setting down to the bottom.
Ingredients
2 cups (260 grams) all-purpose flour
3/4 cup (75 grams) almond flour
1 teaspoon (4 grams) baking powder
1/2 teaspoon (2 grams) salt
225 grams of unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup (210 grams) firmly packed light brown sugar
Tate And Lyle Light Soft Brown Cane Sugar, 500 Gm
3 eggs, (room temperature)
2 cups of rum soaked dry fruits
3 tablespoons of rum for brushing the cake
Juice and zest (outer orange skin) of one orange
1 cup of almonds, walnuts, pecans, or hazelnuts, coarsely chopped
1 tablespoon of dry spice mix (ginger powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, clove, cardamon)
Few drops of Ossoro rich plum cake flavour
Ossoro Rich Plumcake Flavour, 30 ml
Method
Preheat your oven to 160*C. Line a 10-inch springform panHome Buy Heart, Round and Square Shaped Springform Non Stick Baking Pan (Black) – Set of 3
In a bowl, whisk together the flour, ground almonds (almond flour), spice mix, salt, and baking powder.
In another bowl place soaked fruits (without rum), along with the chopped nuts. Remove about 3-4 tablespoons of the flour mixture and add it to this mixture, tossing well to coat all the fruits and nuts. And set aside.
In another bowl, using an electric hand mixer beat the butter until creamy. Add the sugar and beat until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the alcohol (left from soaked fruits), orange juice, orange zest.Baskety FDA Stainless Steel Zester, Cheese Zester, Lemon Zester Grater, Kitchen Tool for Ginger, Citrus, Nutmeg, Potato, Vegetable & Fruit
Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan and, if desired, decorate the top of the cake with blanched almonds flakes.
Bake in your preheated oven for 45- 50 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 150*C and continue to bake the cake for about 10 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out with just a few moist crumbs.
Remove the cake from the oven and place on a wire rack to cool completely.
Optional – Then, with a skewer, poke holes in the top surface of the cake and liberally brush with alcohol of your choice. When completely cool, Wrap the cake thoroughly in plastic wrap and aluminium foil and place in a cake tin/container. Store in a cool dry place. (If you live in a warm climate I find it best to store the cake in the refrigerator.) Brush the cake periodically (once or twice a week for about two to three weeks) with alcohol before Christmas.
