My first post for December and maybe the last one for this year ( i do have the plan for writing one more recipe though)....
Its been really long since i posted something, but since its december,i cannot keep quiet anymore. How beautiful the city looks?? I am so so so much in holiday mood, my home is lit up,i have a small beautiful tree gazing at me in all its glory,and the entire kitchen has an aroma of a freshly baked fruit cake.
This cake is my best christmas cake yet. After many trials and errors,i have zeroed in on this recipe. I took inspiration from the jamaican version and the traditional fruit cake recipe. All my fruits were soaking in dark jamaican rum called as Myers(probably the best you can use for fruit cake,second being old monk) for about 2 months,usually they do it for a year(you can soak it even 24 hrs before,if short on time). Its dark, intense and gives an excellent flavour to the cake. I have used molasses( treacle/browning) instead of making the caramel syrup,which is usually done in Kerala Plum Cake.
Lets get baking!!
These are the ingredients needed. Eggs, butter, brown sugar, fruits soaked in rum, plain flour, baking soda, salt, cinammon, nutmeg, molasses, walnut powdered, vanilla extract.( ignore the honey,he just came by!!)
The above one----" He is the Man!!!"
Cream butter and sugar. In case anyone forgot ;
if( butter == room temperature)
println("mixing is heaven");
else
println("irritation and trauma for me");
Thats the magic of room temperature butter above! Smooth and easy, i whisked it with my hands.
Add four eggs seperately and mix together gently. Donot worry about the curdling, it will be taken care off, in the below steps.
Add the molasses and vanilla extract.
Mix in the fruits into the mixture. Checkout how plump and juicy they are!!
Sift and add flour, soda, mixed spice powder ,walnut powder(almond meal can also be used) and salt. Gently fold in the mixture, batter will be heavy and it will take up lot of space, thus use a wide bowl for mixing.
That is how it looks after mixing.
Line parchment paper in baking pan in bottom as well as cover around the cake tin, this helps in even baking and also prevents burning of the cake and also if the cake rises ,this lining helps in holding it.
Bake at 350 F( 180 C). I baked the small loaf for exactly an hour and the cake for 1 hour and 40 minutes. Many people overbake this cake, at times as much as 3-4 hours, which in turn makes it very hard as it ages.
Cool it completely in a wire rack for atleast 30 minutes or till it cools completely. Make small holes throughout with a sckewer and feed rum once in week. Wrap the cake in a cheese/muslin cloth and then aluminum foil or parchment paper and keep it in an airtight tin. This cake should be good at room temperature for a month or two, else you know how to refrigerate!!!!
Check out my mini christmas tree, this is our first xmas after moving to Boston, and my first ever decked up tree!!!
Ingredients:
1.5 sticks of butter(175 gms)
4 eggs(room temperature)
salt 1tsp
1.5 cups brown sugar( as per taste)
mixed spice 1.5 tsp
vanilla extract 1tsp
10-15 walnut powdered(optional)
1 cup of rum
1.5 pounds of mixed dried fruits like raisins, candied peels, etc
All purpose flour- 4 cups
Molasses- 2tbsp
Baking soda- 2tsp
Method:
Preheat the oven at 350F. Cream butter and sugar. Mix 4 eggs separately and whisk together. Add vanilla essence and molasses. Add all fruits and mix gently. Add flour, baking soda, salt, mixed spice, walnut powder, gently fold together. Bake for around 1 to 1.5 hrs. Keep checking the done ness of the cake after an hour by inserting a sckewer,especially in the center, if it comes out clean,cake is ready to be taken out and allow it to be cooled COMPLETELY before cutting,as cooling further firms up and bakes the cake.The entire mixture had fit a mini 7 " loaf and a 11 " cake pan. Cake was heavy, atleast 2.5 pounds!!
