Indian Plum Cake - Kerala Plum Cake

Wish you all a happy New Year and happy blogging.

Plum Cake is our favorite cake and so thought it would be an appropriate 1st post of 2010. I don't think Plum cakes need any introduction anyways. Everybody I assume knows of this delectable delight. They are huge during Christmas and New year's Eve in India. We had such great bakeries back home and always bought it and had some friends who baked these sweet nutty delights. After coming to the US when you crave for these Indian Plum cakes I had to bake it at home and since then have fallen in love with the home baked soaked in rum cakes.

This time I have tried a new recipe from my friend Sangeetha's blog. She has a wonderful collection of recipes and her awesome presentation and step by step instructions make it so easy to follow her recipes. You could check out her recipe here. I have used the recipe as is, I did not want to mess it up. NoBody messes with the PLum cake.( I must admit though at times I'm tempted to tweak the recipe a bit). Another reason being, I had promised to get this great cake for the New year's eve party hosted by one our friends and so I baked this cake exactly as per Sangeetha's recipe which was a big hit. They all loved this plum cake and it was their first time they had tasted our Indian Plum cake.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup All purpose flour
• 1 tsp Baking powder
• 3/4 Butter at room temperature
• 1 cup Sugar
• 2 Eggs
• 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
• 1 cup Tutti Frutti
• 1/4 cup Raisins
• 1/4 cup Cashew nuts (chopped)
• 1/4 cup Almonds and Walnuts (chopped)
• 1/4 cup Dates (chopped)
• 1 cup Rum/wine or enough to soak the fruit

To prepare the Caramel syrup:

• 1/2 cup Granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon water (to soak the sugar for the caramel)
• 1/2 cup Water ( to prepare the caramel syrup once the sugar has been caramalized)

To prepare the Spice Mixture :

• 1 tsp Caraway seeds
• 1/4 tsp Powdered Cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp Powdered Nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp powdered Ginger
• 1/4 tsp powdered Cloves
  

Preparation :

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F/180 degree C and prepare a 9 inch cake pan by greasing it or line with parchment paper.

2. This step you would do ahead of time ( 2 months to a week) before you bake this cake. Soak the dry fruits in rum/wine and keep it in a bottle at room temperature. Shake the jar once in a while. Now you guessed it right , the longer they are all allowed to soak, the more intense the flavor. (So let them get happy in there... after all they are getting ready to party for New year's eve.. ). See I was enjoying myself so much with the holidays I just had enough time to soak them in rum for a day.

3. Now we will prepare the Caramel Syrup. Heat a heavy bottomed vessel and add sugar with 1 tbsp of water on medium high heat. The sugar will begin to melt and soon you will see it changing its color as well. Its recommended to Not Stir, but you could swirl the vessel, once or twice. Turn off the heat once you get a darker golden brown color. Immediately, pour half a cup of water very carefully into the caramel and stir and mix well. Caution :(Be Very Careful, the liquid will splash when you pour the water into the hot caramel). Let the caramel cool before adding to the cake batter.

4. Sift the flour, baking powder and keep aside.

5. Now we'll Separate egg yolks from the whites. Whisk egg yolks with vanilla.

6. Cream butter and sugar till creamy and combined well.

7. Next add the egg yolk and vanilla mixture little at a time, alternating with a little (about 1 tablespoon) of the sieved flour and combine till smooth.

8. Now add 1/2 cup caramel syrup and spice mixture and beat thoroughly till well combined.

9. Next add the remaining flour, slowly and gently fold in with a wooden spoon.

10. Drain the soaked fruits and add them to the batter and mix well again.

11.Whisk egg whites till it forms peaks and gently fold into the cake batter till well combined.

12. Now pour this batter into the prepared cake pan, filling it till half the pan.

13. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes or until a tooth pick inserted into the center of the caket comes out clean.

14. Remove from the oven and let it cool in the pan for 10-15 minutes and invert them onto wire rack and let it cool completely.

Voila , Your cake is ready to Party...