Since it’s the festive season, we’ve decided to feature the popular Christmas cake for our dedicated set of readers. In India, there are different versions of the plum cake and the one that’s most popular is the fruit cake from Kerala. Jyothi Joseph from a traditional christian household in Ernakulam, has been relishing her grandmother’s fruit cake recipe since her childhood with a lot of memories attached. She’s been kind enough to share this much loved recipe on Ceia to help you get into the festive feast mode!
Here’s the recipe:
Ingredients
1 cup flour
3 eggs
3/4 cup white sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup chopped cashew nuts
1/4 cup black raisins
1/2 cup mixed dry fruits (dates, cherries, orange peels, etc)
1/2 tsp cinnamon powder
1/4 tsp clove powder
2/3 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp vanilla extract
Pinch of salt
Instructions
Place a pan on medium heat and melt 1/2 cup sugar.
Let it turn into a dark caramel colour but make sure it doesn’t burn.
Add 1/4 cup water and turn off the heat as the sugar will harden.
Turn the heat back on and slowly heat the mixture until the sugar crystals dissolve.
Set aside to cool.
Pre-heat oven to 180C.
Take 3 tbsp flour adding it to the dry fruits and nuts and mix thoroughly.
Add the remaining flour and baking powder, spices, and salt until well combined.
Beat the butter adding 3/4 cup sugar until soft and fluffy. Add eggs, vanilla and beat. Gently fold in the flour mixture.
Now add in the cooled caramel and fruits and gently fold in. Pour the batter into a greased cake pan.
Bake for about 50-55 minutes until the top turns a dark brown. Make sure the skewer comes out clean when inserted in the cake.
Once the cake is completely cooled, sprinkle with icing sugar.
Contributor: Jyothi Joseph
