Alcohol free Christmas Cake (Kerala Plum Cake)

Just went to Tuticorin town yesterday and the whole town was in the christmas mood.Almost every shop sold only the christmas items..From a small item to a big one..It was  a colourful treat to the eyes.So much of christmas tree accessories and it is nice to browse through all those items.

 

This reminded me that I should start posting christmas dishes and cakes..It is long since I baked anything.So decided to start with an authentic christmas cake.I scanned the recipe of it but it called for wine and rum..I was quite hesitant to use those for my cakes.One of my friend from Kerala mailed me a recipe which she had taken from Omana Paul's baking class.Thank you so much dear for sharing the recipe...The recipe had no alcohol in it and no soaking business too..Delighted by the recipe I could not wait long to bake it.I baked it the same night and it turned out deliciously well like the one which used alcohol.

 

Enjoy making the alcohol free christmas cake...

 

For the recipe please press READ MORE below..

 

Ingredients:

 

1 Cup of All Purpose flour (Maida)

1/3+1/3 cups of butter

1 Cup of granulated sugar

3 No. of eggs

1/4 Cup of chopped cashewnuts

1/4 cup of chopped cherries

1/4 Cup of black raisins

1/2 cup of mixed dry fruits(dates,orange peels,walnuts)

1 tsp of baking powder

1 tsp of vanilla essence

A pinch of salt

1 clove+1 cardamom pod+ small piece of cinnamon+a pinch of nutmeg(make it into  powder by crushing everything together)

 

Baking temperature:180 degrees C for 55-60 minutes

 

Recipe Source:Omana Paul

 

For the caramel:

 

1/2 a cup of granulated sugar

1/4 cup of water

 

For the decoration:

 

2 Tbsp of icing sugar

3 nos of cherries

 

Procedure:

A)Caramelising the sugar:

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is the most lengthiest procedure in the whole cake making!!!.

Take 1/2 a cup of sugar in a pan(preferably a non-stick) and heat it in low flame.Keep stirring continously till it turns deep dark brown.It might take 10-15 minutes.

After it attains dark brown colour take it off from the flame.

Add 1/4 cup of water little by little and mix well.Be cautious, the syrup might splurt when u add water.The sugar might also turn into thick granules.Don't worry.

After adding water again heat  in low flame and mix well till the sugar gets dissolves completely in water.

Keep the solution aside to cool completely.

 

B) Preparation of the batter:

 

 

 

Take 3 Tbsp of flour from the 1 cup flour and mix it with the nuts and fruits mixture nicely.See to it that the flour gets coated on every nut and fruit.Or else the fruits and nuts mixture might sink at the bottom of the batter.Mix it and keep it aside.

 

Sieve baking powder,spice powder,salt,baking powder fo 3 to 4 times so that all gets mixed nicely.Make it ready and keep this also aside.

 

 

 

In a mixing bowl cream the butter and the sugar.(grind the sugar into fine powder.Mix it with the butter and make it into a nice creamy paste.Beat it with hand for 10 min or with electronic beater for 2-3 minutes)

Add the vanilla essence and mix well.

Then add one egg and beat well.Then add a portion of the flour mixture and beat it.Then the next egg,beat it.Then add another portion of flour and finally the 3rd egg,beat it and add the remaining flour and mix it well.

 

 

 

Add the caramelized sugar solution to it and fold it gently.

 

 

Then add the flour coated nuts and fruits.Gently fold the mixture

 

 

Grease the baking pan.

Add the batter gently into it

Bake it for 55-60 minutes at 180 degrees C.

The timing may vary according to the oven capacity.

Bake it till it turns brown and when a skewer inserted comes out dry.

 

Spray icing sugar (Use a coffee filter to spray the icing powder on the cake) on the cake to make it more attractive.Or U can do icing on it if you love to have it very sweet..

 

Handy Tips:

 

• Let the sugar be caramelised to dark brown colour.
• coating of the fruits n nuts is must or else it will sink down.
• Keep checking from 45 minutes on wards whether the cake gets baked.
• Let the nuts and raisins be made small into even size
• chop the dates and walnuts of slightly even sizes

 

 

 

 

Let the celebration start!!!Jingle bells jingle all the way.....