Plum Cake/ Fruit Cake/ Christmas Cake

Fruit Cake or Plum Cake is commonly known as Christmas cake. Plum Cake is a moist, dark brown cake with plenty of nuts and dried fruits in it. Dry fruits are soaked in rum for several days. It is delicious and tempting!!!

I learnt this recipe from my mom's friend, Vasanthi Aunty...She used bake nice cakes. I'm posting the step by step procedure for making plum cake.......

Ingredients:
350g All Purpose flour
450g Butter
250g Sugar
1½ tsp Baking Powder
6 Eggs
100g sugar for caramelizing
500g Raisins (Black grapes)
Rum for soaking
150g Dates, chopped
100g almonds
½ Nutmegs (Jathikka)
5 Cloves
1 Cinnamon Stick
5 Cardamoms
1 tsp Sugar
½ tsp Salt

Preparation:
1. Soak raisins and dates in rum for a day/ week/ Month.

2. Grind nutmeg, cloves, cinnamon and cardamom to a powder with 1 tsp sugar.
3. Caramelizing the sugar:
In a heavy vessel add 100g sugar and saute on low heat. Once the sugar melts add little water and mix well.

4. Separate egg white and yolks.
5. Beat butter and sugar till it becomes creamy.

6. Add egg yolks one by one to the above mixture and beat till it becomes creamy.

7. Beat egg white with little salt till it becomes frothy.

8. Add egg white to the butter egg yolk mixture and mix gently.

9. Mix Flour, baking powder and sieve it to get mixed evenly.

10. Add the flour to the butter egg mixture and mix using a wooden spatula.



11. Add soaked raisins, dates, ground powder and nuts to the above mixture. Mix well.

12. Add caramelized sugar and mix well.

13. Grease the pan with butter and sprinkle flour over it.
14. Pour this mixture to the pan.

15. Preheat the oven at 250 degree C
16. Baking:
a. Bake at 250 degree C for 15 minutes.
b. Then bake at 200 degree C for 25 minutes.
c. Finally bake at 150 degree C for 15-20 minutes or till the toothpick inserted at the centre of the cake comes out clean.
17. Allow it to cool and garnish with icing sugar (optional).