Eggless Christmas Fruit Cake | Kerala Plum Cake Eggless

Every December I look forward to baking THE fruit cake of the year.I don't bake fruit cakes otherwise,only during Christmas time.That gives it a special charm no?I have been baking fruit cakes for the past few years and even though we do get good quality fruit cakes here and in Kerala,the joy of baking a home style fruit cake is something so special.Especially because we get to choose what to add in the cake and soak it according to our liking and then finally bake it and wait for it to mature a bit before consuming.Ah,the whole process is so fulfilling.

Personally we do not like the strong flavor of rum soaked fruits so I soak it for a shorter duration which gives me boozy fruits but not with the strong aftertaste.Last year I baked this cake and it was so good.Usually fruit cakes are slightly dense but the addition of beaten egg whites gives it the sponge texture.

I will be baking the same cake this year too,but wanted to post a new recipe here on the blog so zeroed in on this one as this recipe too is by Lekshmi Nair,whose recipe is what I followed last year.I liked the simplicity of this cake,minimal ingredients and tastes absolutely delicious.If you do not like soaking fruits in alcohol,you could do the same in orange juice or grape juice.Make sure to keep the soaked fruits refrigerated though.Plus soak it for maximum 24 hours not more than that.

Though you can consume the cake straight away once cooled,I would strongly recommend storing it overnight(or at least 6-8 hours) before cutting as it would help the flavors settle.

I really hope you try this recipe :)

Wishing you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year :)

Eggless Christmas Fruit Cake | Kerala Plum Cake Eggless

Ingredients

Maida - 1 1/4 cups

Baking powder - 1/2 tsp

Baking soda - 1/2 tsp

Salt - a pinch

Caramel syrup - 1/4 cup*

Milkmaid - 1/4 cup

Curd - 1/4 cup

Brown sugar - 1/4 cup

Oil - 1/4 cup

Soaked fruit and nuts - 1 1/4 cup**

Vanilla extract - a few drops

Almond/Orange extract - a few drops

Lemon juice - 1 1/2 tsp

*Caramel syrup

Sugar - 1/2 cup

Hot water - 1/2 cup

Heat sugar in a pan till it caramelizes well.Add hot water and let it cook for 3-5 minutes on low flame till it thickens.Remove from the pan and let it cool down completely.

**Soaked fruits and nuts

You can use any combination of fruits and nuts.I have used

*Black Currants

*Sultanas

*Dates

*Tutty Frooti

*Cranberries

*Dried Pineapple

*Mixed dry fruits

*Cashewnuts and Almonds

Soak all this together(exclude nuts if you are soaking for a longer period) along with some honey,spice powders(a combination of cardamom,clove and cinnamon),Orange marmalade and Strawberry Jam(or any jam).Use as required.

Method

Preheat oven to 180C.Grease and line a 7" round pan.

In a mixing bowl add milkmaid,curd,brown sugar and oil.

Beat well till it comes together.

Sift in flour,baking powder,baking soda and salt.

Mix well and add the cooled caramel syrup.

Fold in the dried fruits and nuts and give a good mix.

Add the extracts and lemon juice and pour the batter into the lined tin.

Bake for 40-50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean.

Let the cake cool down completely.Cover it well using aluminium foil and let it rest for a few hours.

Slice and serve.

Step by Step Tutorial

Preheat oven to 180C.Grease and line a 7" round pan.

In a mixing bowl add milkmaid,curd,brown sugar and oil.

Beat well till it comes together.

Sift in flour,baking powder,baking soda and salt.

Mix well and 

add the cooled caramel syrup.

Fold in the dried fruits and nuts and give a good mix.

Add the extracts and 

lemon juice and 

pour the batter into the lined tin.

Top with some halved cashews or almonds or leave it plain.

Bake for 40-50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean.

Let the cake cool down completely.Cover it well using aluminium foil and let it rest for a few hours.

Slice and serve.

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Plum Cake | Christmas Fruit Cake | Kerala Plum Cake

Ever since I started baking,making Fruit Cakes or Plum Cakes as they are called in Kerala,has been a Christmas tradition.I've missed a few years in between but every year I look forward to the whole process of selecting the fruits and nuts,soaking them in rum and waiting for the perfect time to bake the cake.

At home,we are not too fond of the strong flavor of alcohol,so I soak for a shorter period of time.Even a twenty four hour soak gives you good results if you ask me,speaking from experience!

Over the years,I've tried many versions of the same.But honestly,I grew up eating Plum cakes with a rich caramel flavor and studded with raisins and sultanas with a few nuts thrown here and there,mostly as garnish.Every cake I bake,I search for that familiar flavor.So I don't really experiment much with it.My choice would be alcoholic and egg based recipes as that's the way it is made in Kerala.

Last few years,I've been making this recipe with some tweaks here and there and have been extremely satisfied with the taste.But this year,as I was soaking the fruits,only one recipe called out to me.The one by Lekshmi Nair,someone whom I've grown up admiring..I've been watching Magic Oven since a teenager.

I didn't think twice before preparing to bake as I knew this was going to be a foolproof recipe.I did a few changes here and there as per convenience,will share that in the recipe.

Plum Cake | Christmas Fruit Cake | Kerala Plum Cake

Ingredients

For soaking

Raisins,Dates,Sultanas,Black Currants - 3/4 cup/120 gms
Tutti Frutti - 1/2 cup/100 gms
Almonds,Walnuts - 1/2 cup/100 gms
Rum/Brandy - 1/4 cup
Lime Marmalade - 1 tbsp(you could use Orange Marmalade)
Mixed Fruit Jam - 1 tbsp
Honey - 1 tbsp
Cinnamon powder - 1/2 tsp

Mix all the ingredients together and let it soak for 24 hours to a week.Keep shaking the bottle so that the soaking is even.If you are planning to soak for a longer period of time,skip the nuts and add it just before you plan to bake the cake.As I was soaking just for a day,I added the nuts as well.

For the Caramel Syrup

Sugar - 1/2 cup
Water - 1 cup

In a thick bottom sauce pan add the sugar and heat on medium flame until it starts changing color,dissolves completely and starts to caramelize.
Simultaneously keep water to boil on another flame.
When the sugar caramelizes to a deep brown color,add the boiling water and let it cook for 5-7 minutes or until it becomes thick and syrupy.

For the spiced sugar

Brown Sugar - 1/2 cup
Cardamom - 3
Cloves - 3
Cinnamon - 1 small piece
Nutmeg grated - 1/4 tsp

Grind all the ingredients together till you get a smooth powder.

For the Cake

Butter - 1/2 cup/100 gms,I used salted butter
Oil - 1/4 cup
Spiced sugar - 1/2 cup
Eggs - 3,separated
Vanilla - 1 tsp
Caramel syrup - 1/2 cup
Flour - 1 1/2 cups
Baking powder - 1 tsp
Baking soda - 1/2 tsp
Soaked fruits and nuts - about 1 cup(or more according to your choice)I added all of the soaked fruits and nuts and it was a bit more than a cup.
Sliced Almonds or Cashewnuts for garnish - optional

Method

Preheat oven to 170C.Grease and line an 8' round tin.
In a clean bowl beat the egg whites till soft white peaks form.Keep aside.
In another bowl beat the butter and oil well.
Mix in the spiced sugar and cream well for a minute.
Add in the yolks one at a time beating for a minute before adding the next one.Mix in the vanilla.
Add the caramel syrup and beat well.
Sift together flour,baking powder and baking soda and beat for a minute.
Switch to a spatula and mix well until you get a smooth batter.
Add the soaked fruits and nuts and fold in.
Fold in the egg whites little at a time until no white specks remain.
Pour the batter into the prepared cake tin and bake for 45-50 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.
Let the cake cool completely in the tin.Cover with a cling film or aluminium foil and let it sit for at least 24 hours for the flavors to mature.You can also baste the cake with rum if you prefer.

Step by Step Tutorial

For soaking

Mix all the ingredients together and let it soak for 24 hours to a week.Keep shaking the bottle so that the soaking is even.If you are planning to soak for a longer period of time,skip the nuts and add it just before you plan to bake the cake.As I was soaking just for a day,I added the nuts as well.

For the Caramel Syrup

Sugar - 1/2 cup
Water - 1 cup

In a thick bottom sauce pan add the sugar and heat on medium flame until it starts changing color,dissolves completely and starts to caramelize.
Simultaneously keep water to boil on another flame.
When the sugar caramelizes to a deep brown color,add the boiling water and let it cook for 5-7 minutes or until it becomes thick and syrupy.

For the spiced sugar

Brown Sugar - 1/2 cup
Cardamom - 3
Cloves - 3
Cinnamon - 1 small piece
Nutmeg grated - 1/4 tsp

Grind all the ingredients together till you get a smooth powder.


Method

Preheat oven to 170C.Grease and line an 8' round tin.

In a clean bowl beat the egg whites till soft white peaks form.Keep aside.

In another bowl beat the butter and oil well.

Mix in the spiced sugar and cream well for a minute.

Add in the yolks one at a time beating for a minute before adding the next one.

Mix in the vanilla.

Add the caramel syrup and beat well.

Sift together flour,baking powder and baking soda and beat for a minute.

Switch to a spatula and mix well until you get a smooth batter.

Add the soaked fruits and nuts and fold in.

Fold in the egg whites little at a time until no white specks remain.

Pour the batter into the prepared cake tin and bake for 45-50 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.

Let the cake cool completely in the tin.Cover with a cling film or aluminium foil and let it sit for at least 24 hours for the flavors to mature.You can also baste the cake with rum if you prefer.

Here's wishing all of you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year :)

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Dates Carrot & Walnut Cake | Christmas Special

Years back,when I had not even heard about home-baking,I remember eating a slice of this cake at a friend's place.The fact that cakes can be made at home itself was news to me.Here it was,a rich slice of cake which smelled like fruit cake but it wasn't.It was much more light and delicious and the plus part for me then was,it didn't smell eggy.

I remember getting a recipe from her when I started baking but unfortunately,I lost the recipe somewhere.I was reminded of this recipe again when few years back,I got a similar cake from Ria.Again I started on my search for the perfect carrot cake,just like the one I tasted first.Some were hits and some were so-so but tasted nothing like the carrot cake I remembered.

I stumbled upon this recipe on YouTube and the moment I saw it,I knew this was the one.This recipe in particular does not use any spices but the one I had was spiced,although lightly.I added a bit of cinnamon powder but other than that,haven't deviated from the original recipe.The combination of dates and carrots with walnut is indeed a delicious one.Do try it this Xmas :)

Dates Carrot &Walnut Cake
Recipe source - Bincy's Kitchen

Ingredients

For Caramel syrup

Sugar - 1/4 cup
Water - 1/4 cup

Flour - 1 cup
Baking powder - 1 tsp
Salt - 1/4 tsp
Cinnamon powder - 1 tsp
Grated carrots - 1 cup
Chopped Dates - 15-20
Chopped Walnuts - 1/2 cup
Eggs - 2
Sugar - 3/4 cup
Vanilla - 1 tsp
Oil - 3/4 cup

Method

In a pan caramelize the sugar till it turns a deep brown colour.Add the water and let it cook for a minute.Let the syrup cool down completely.
Sift together flour,baking powder,salt and cinnamon powder.Reserve.
Take 1 tbsp of the sifted flour and coat the carrots,dates and walnuts.
Beat the eggs and sugar till creamy.
Mix in the vanilla and oil and beat well.
Add the caramel syrup.
Add the flour little at time and beat well until you get a smooth batter.
Switch to a spatula and fold in the carrots,dates and walnuts.
Pour into a greased/lined pan(I used an 8' round tin) and bake at 180C for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Let it cool down completely on a wire rack.

Step by Step Tutorial

In a pan caramelize the sugar till it turns a deep brown colour.Add the water and let it cook for a minute.Let the syrup cool down completely.

Sift together flour,baking powder,salt and cinnamon powder.Reserve.

Take 1 tbsp of the sifted flour and coat the carrots,dates and walnuts.

Beat the eggs and sugar till creamy.

Mix in the vanilla and oil and beat well.

Add the caramel syrup.

Add the flour little at time and beat well until you get a smooth batter.

Switch to a spatula and fold in the carrots,dates and walnuts.

Pour into a greased/lined pan(I used an 8' round tin) and bake at 180C for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Let it cool down completely on a wire rack.

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