My Culinary Trial Room

Monday, January 2, 2012

A comeback, wishes, 'nd a cake ~Fruit Cake / Christmas Plum Cake

...118 days or 3 months 27 days or 16 weeks. Wondering what this is all about. Well, I have been away from the blogging world for an approx of 4 months and I would say that it was for a good reason. I had loved and hated this break as well. Hate as I had to stop doing one thing that I most loved and love.. well lets come back to that later.

So dears, hows it going with all of you. Hope everything is good with everyone... and thanks to all my dear friends who stayed in touch with me when I was away. U guys were one reason that I missed blogging.
Hope you welcomed the new year with utmost joy and had a great time celebrating the day. HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL YOU GUYS...

I am hoping to blog frequently here on but lets just see how everything happens... So now to the reason why I was away for such a long time. I am so happy to tell all you guys that me and huss are waiting for the arrival of our little angel in another 4 months. The past months have been so tiring with all the morning sickness and dizziness but in addition to that was taking in every second of the happiness of motherhood and all the pampering that I received. It was only this month that I visited the kitchen properly ...let alone cooking. So it was just dosas and chutneys / upmas, nothing special or new. But then with Christmas and new year, I wanted to make my way back, the original me who baked, tried and fried. What best than with the traditional Christmas fruit cake / plum cake.

I had intended to bake the cake on Christmas but moved the plans for New Year as huss's friends were showing up and so baked this for them.
Verdict from the men:
Soft, moist, fruity and truly addictive.

~*What U Need*~
For caramel water:
Sugar - 1/4 cup
Water - 1/2 cup + 1 tbsp

For the cake:
All purpose flour - 1 cup
Sugar - 3/4 cup
Butter - 1/2 cup
Dried fruits - 1 cup (chopped dates, tutti frutti, black raisins, dried grapes, dried figs)
Dried nuts - 1/2 cup (toasted and chopped almonds, cashews and walnuts
Eggs - 2
Baking powder - 1 tsp
Baking soda - 1/4 tsp
Vanilla extract - 1 tsp
Salt - a huge pinch
Garam masala powder - 1 tsp
Rum/Brandy/Red Wine - 1/2 cup

How I Made it:
In a non-stick pan, add sugar and 1 tbsp of water at low flame. Warm 1/2 cup of water. When the sugar turns light brown to dark add the water slowly. Be careful when adding in the water. It splutters so maintain a distance from the pan. Shake and keep aside. Let it cool completely.

Soak dried fruits in red wine for 1 -2 days. I did it for 1 week.

Lets Bake:
Grease the cake pan and place buttered parchment paper in the base alone.
In a bowl, cream butter and sugar. Add the eggs and again beat. Combine caramel water, vanilla extract, garam masala, salt and beat well

Sift APF, baking soda and baking powder thrice.

Add this to the wet ingredients and fold in together. Strain the dry fruits from the juice. Fold in the dry fruits.
Pour the batter into the pan.
Mix the dry nuts with 1 tbsp flour. Spread the nuts on the top of the batter.
Bake at 180°C in a pre-heated oven for 40 to 50 minutes or until the tester comes out clean.
Cool completely. Insert the knife in the edges of the cake to loosen it. Invert it on a wire rack. At this stage, the cake will be sticky.