Christmas Fruit cake / Kerala Plum cake EPISODE:130

Making caramel

Sugar -1cup
Water-1tbs+1/2cup hot water

Mix 1 cup sugar with 1 tbsp water, heat in a thick bottomed pan, stir in continuously and use only medium heat. The sugar will melt first .As it gets hotter it will change in to a dark caramel syrup. Then add 1/2cup hot water(be careful while doing it, It can cause severe burns.)Stir it well to dissolve completely and allow it to cool.

Soaking dry fruits

Raisins-1/2 cup
Dried apricots chopped- 12
Dried cherries -1/4cup
Nutmeg powder-1/2 tsp
Cloves -3 or 4
Grated orange rind- 2tsp
Orange juice -1 cup
Rum -1/2cup
Dates chopped -6 (Optional , substitute with a dry fruit of your choice)

Add all the ingredients and mix well ,keep in an airtight container for at least 12 hours .

Ingredients for the cake

Cake flour-2 1/2 cup
Baking powder-2 Tbsp
Sugar -1cup
Butter-1 cup
Eggs beaten-5
Cinnamon -two pinches
Nutmeg powder-1/4tsp
Cloves-1/4 tsp
Vanila-1tsp
Caramel-1cup
Soaked dry fruits
Nuts chopped -1 cup(You can use cashews, badam and walnuts)

Preheat oven to 375 degree F , line the bottom of the pan with parchment/ wax paper.
Sift cake flour with baking powder and mix in spice powders.
Cream butter with sugar, add eggs, vanilla essence, caramel, and beat well till the mixture is creamy.
You can reduce the amount of caramel to get a lighter color for the cake.
Add flour, half a cup or less at a time, and gently mix in. Stir in soaked dry fruit mixture. Gently mix.
Pour into the prepared pan and bake at 375 degree F for approximately 45minutes or till a tooth pick or tester inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean (Start checking after 30minutes).
Cool on a wire rack and unmold.
Optionally brush the cake with rum everyday for a week or two.

Nuts chopped and coated with 1 tsp of flour- 1cup(Before you add nuts to batter coat it with little flour.Otherwise it will sink to the bottom of the cake)