Authentic Plum cake , also know as Fruit cake is prepared by soaking dry fruits(Nuts) in rum which gives it unique flavor. I have made my plum cake completely eggless and used wheat flour. Spice mix give it extra taste.

It’s December and christmas is approaching. It’s fun time in Goa during this month. People busy shopping, preparing sweets . I have many catholic friends in Goa and during my childhood I used to visit them for christmas especially to feast on those delicacies. I used to always get fascinated with plum cake and always wanted to try it out at home. Earlier I tried out rum free plum cake using apple juice to soak the fruits and that cake also turned out good. But dry fruits soaked in rum has its own taste and flavor which has no substitute. I have used Cashew nuts, black raisins, candy peels and tutti fruity but it all depends upon your taste , so can use any nuts of your choice. Some people even use dates.

Normally for rum cake, fruits are soaked in rum in advance. Some people keep them soaked even for 1 year . Yes. you heard it right. As soon as the year begins, they soak the fruits in rum, keep them in sterilised bottle for 1 year and then in the month of december, they use them for baking plum cake.

Of course , if you are in a hurry, you can just soak in rum for 3-4 days like I did and still the cake tastes scrumptious.

Another key ingredient in this cake is spice mix. Either you can buy it from store or can make at home. I normally make my spice mix at home using1-2 cloves, 1/2 inch cinnamon , small piece of nutmeg. Just make fine powder using 1 tablespoon of sugar.

Soaking and Preparation Time: 3-4 Days

Baking Time: 20-25 Minutes

Yields: 500 Grams cake

Ingredients : 

110 Grams Wheat flour + little more for dusting

1/2 Teaspoon Baking Powder

1Teaspoon Spice Mix

110 Grams Milk Powder

50 Grams Jaggery Powder

25 ml Oil (I used Olive oil, you can use any cooking oil)

1 Teaspoon Vanila Essence

2 Tablespoons each of mixed dry fruits like Cashew nuts, black raisins, candy peels and tutti fruity

100 ml White Rum

100 -130 ml Milk(to be adjusted according to batter consistency)

1-2 Drops of Brown color(I was running out of brown so mixed green with red 😉 )

Method:

Soak Dry fruits(Nuts) in rum for at least 3-4 days.

Squeeze out all the rum (Drink it.Tastes amazing 🙂 )

Preheat oven to 180 degree celcius for 10-15 minutes.

Grease the baking tin with oil and dust it with little wheat flour. Also line it with parchment paper.

Measure wheat flour and baking powder and sieve it .

Add spice mix to the sieved dry ingredients.

In a mixing bowl take milk, milk powder, jaggery and oil.

Using beater beat the mixture for 1-2 minutes.

Add Vanilla essence .

Add 1-2 drops of brown color. I was running out of brown color , so prepared using green+red.

Beat well.

Add 3/4th of the nuts into the mixture.

Add sieved dry ingredients .

Using spatula, slowly mix. Don’t over mix otherwise the cake will go flat.

If more milk is needed , add. Dont make batter runny.

Pour the batter in pan.

In the remaining soaked nuts add pinches of dry flour and mix. This will be our cake topping and they won’t sink inside once the cake is baked.

Just spread the flour coated nuts over the cake batter and gently press .

Bake in preheated oven for 20-25 minutes or use toothpick to check . If the toothpick comes out clean after inserting in the center of the cake, then the cake is baked well.

After 5 minutes flip the cake on a cooling tray and enjoy once properly cooled down.

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