Rich Christmas Fruit Cake with Garam Masala / Kerala Plum Cake

Slowly and eventually we have reached at the end of 2014. it's the time to look back and reflect on our favorite moments, also to look forward with new hope and wishes. As some wise man said, 'Tomorrow, is the first blank page of a 365 page book. Write a good one". It's been a good year for us. We finally visited India after two years of gap, which were being cancelled or postponed for a while. We had fun with our near and dear ones, both at home and abroad. Thanks to my San Diego friends for inviting to many memorable parties and get-togethers.  When it comes to my blog, I received huge appreciations and love from my readers. So my sincere thanks to all of you who made my year so colorful and exciting. 

During the last month I baked several types of Christmas Cake and cookies following different recipes.  Few of them are for our tea time snacks and others were for the parties in our friend's places. Both me and my family love to have these cakes. The Christmas time is a great excuse for preparing and having cakes. Today I will share the recipe of a Christmas Cake that I tried first time this season. What is special about this cake is that I have added garam masala with the traditional method of making a Rich Fruit Cake. The combination makes it more delicious. There was a time at our home on the Christmas day when my mom used to prepare a cake with the small electric cake oven and everybody used to be so delighted when it came out of the kitchen. I can't recall its taste now but can remember the smell which used to make the whole house aromatic. Other than that, Christmas in our childhood was not complete without orange and the Fruit Cake ordered from Park Street's bakery Shops. 

Christmas cake is a tradition that started way back in nineteenth century. Originally people used to eat a type of porridge on Christmas Eve. After a day's of fasting on Christmas Eve, it was the dish to fill their stomachs. Gradually people added dried fruit, spices and honey to the porridge mixture together. Christmas cakes are made in different shapes with frosting, glazing, a dusting of confectioner's sugar or plain. There are different variations with very little difference in the process. Christmas cakes are generally made in advance. Many people make the cake in November and keep it up side down in an airtight container, Then they poke the cake and brush it with sherry or whisky every week until Christmas. Interestingly the method is called "feeding" the cake. 

Recipe of Rich Christmas Fruit Cake with Garam Masala / Kerala Plum Cake ( one 8 inch round cake )

Ingredients :

Unsalted butter : 1 stick and 1/2 stick, at room temperature 

Brown Sugar or white sugar : 1 cup and 1/2 cup 

Eggs : 3
vanilla extract : 1 teaspoon 

All purpose flour : 2 cups

Salt : a pinch

Baking Powder : 1 teaspoon

Mixed dry fruits ( dates, cherries, orange peel, cranberries, tutti fruity ) : 1 cup

Chopped Cashew nuts, black raisins : 1/2 cup

Rum : 1/2 cup ( optional )

Spice mix ( garam masala )

Cinnamon : 1 inch

Cloves : 2

Cardamom : 2 

Grated nutmeg : a pinch

Method :

1. Chop all the dry fruits, raisins add rum to it. Cover and let it soak for a day or two and give stirs a few time during the day.

2. In a dry grinder, take the whole spices and grind it into a powder. Keep it aside.

3. Take a pan, add 1/2 cup of sugar and melt it slowly on medium heat. Keep stirring and let it change color into deep dark brown. Turn off the heat and add 1/4 cup of water. The sugar will harden. Turn on the heat again. Slowly heat it up until the mixture dissolves. It will take 5 to 8 minutes. Once done, set it aside. 

4. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F / 180 degrees C.

5. Sieve the flour, baking powder, salt and powdered spice mix. 

6. Take a mixing bowl, add butter and 1 cup of sugar and beat it until it becomes fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time and beat again. Add vanilla extract and mix it. Gradually add the flour mixture and beat until incorporated. 

7. Add the fruits and nuts, add the caramel and gently fold in. 

8. Pour the batter evenly into the prepared pan and decorate the top with almonds. Bake for about 50 to 60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.

9. Remove from the oven and let it cool down on a wire rack. Once it is at room temperature remove from it from the pan and dust with icing sugar.

Note :

Use Rum only if you like your cake to have a boozy flavor,  Otherwise make it alcohol free. You may make the cake a month ahead and keep it up side down in an airtight container, Then poke the cake and brush it with rum / sherry or whisky every week until Christmas. 

You can serve the cake the day it is baked, better it is stored a day or two before serving, it helps to mingle the flavors.

You can cover and store this cake for about one week at room temperature.

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Light Fruit Cake

I hope everybody is enjoying the best time of the year in US. I love the way Christmas is celebrated here. All the neighborhoods are so well decorated with lights and Christmas trees. People are visiting friends’ or relative’s places with pack of gifts. Kids are taking snaps with Santa Claus and waiting for surprise gifts from their parents!  And last but not the least is Christmas Special Cakes are being made at every home.

Today I will share the recipe of Light Fruit Cake that I am baking on Christmas Day for last couple of years. From the start of this month, I received many requests from my friends to upload this recipe. Though I was busy planning for a short trip to spend some quality time with family, I made this cake in hurry on their request. This is the easiest fruit cake, a perfect recipe for the beginners. It is light and free of alcohol. This is not the proper British Fruit Cake but easily can compete with the same in taste. 

This Light Fruit Cake is the combination of candied mixed peel and candied cherries. The best part is that it has lots of candied fruits and delicate almond flavor. And good thing is that, you do not have to wait to enjoy this Christmas Cake, as it can be eaten the same day it is baked!  If you like your fruit cakes to have a boozy flavor, you can mix the candied fruit and raisins with a little alcohol and let it soak for a day or two. In that case, rum, brandy or sherry is the good option in alcohol. You need to soak it at least for one day and give stirs a few times during the day. Ground Almonds are used in the cake batter. It’s not necessary to buy it from stores because you can make your own at home by grinding blanched almonds or natural almonds. If you like dried fruits, you can add them more instead of candied fruit and raisins by reducing candied fruits.

Since this Fruit Cake is so easy to make and needs only few ingredients, you don’t need to wait for special festival like Christmas, rather you can make them throughout the year. When you have guests at home, they will love it along with tea or coffee. One last thing to note that though you can serve the cake on the same day it is baked, it would be better to store it for a day or two before serving. Because it helps to mingle the flavors.

Recipe of Light Fruit Cake ( alcohol free ) : for a 9 by 5 by 3 pan 

Ingredients : Flour / all purpose flour : 1 1/2 cups Ground Almonds : 1/2 cup Baking Powder : 1 teaspoon Salt : 1/4 teaspoon Zest of one small lemon ( outer skin ) Candied mixed peel ( optional ) : 1/2 cup Candied red and green cherries ( cut into quarters ) / Fruit Cake mix / Tutti Frutti : 3/4 cup Raisin ( preferably dark colored ) : 1/3 cup Unsalted butter : 1/2 cup or 1 stick White sugar : 3/4 cup Large eggs : 3 Pure Vanilla extract : 1/2 teaspoon Milk : 1/2 cup Sliced / flake almonds : handful for decorating ( optional ) Method : 1. Preheat Oven to 350 degrees F or 180 degrees C and place the oven rack in the center of the oven. Butter or spray a 9 by 5 by 3 inch loaf pan with a nonstick vegetable spray. 2. In a mixing bowl, mix the flour, ground almonds, baking powder, salt and lemon zest together. Set it aside. 3. In the bowl of your electric mixer or with a hand mixer beat the butter and sugar until it is fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time and beat well. Scrape down the sides of the bowl if needed. 4. Add the vanilla extract, add the candied fruit, dried fruits and mixed peel (optional). Beat them nicely until they are well combined. 5. Add half of the flour mixture to the bowl and beat until incorporated. Add the milk and the remaining flour mixture and mix again it well. 6. Pour the batter evenly into the prepared pan and decorate the top with almonds. Bake for about 60 to 80 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. 7. Remove from the oven and let it cool down on a wire rack. Once it is at room temperature remove from it from the pan and cut it into pieces.  Note :   If you like your fruit cakes to have a boozy flavor, you can mix the candied fruit and raisins with a little alcohol and let it soak for a day or two and give stirs a few time during the day. You can serve the cake the day it is baked, better it is stored a day or two before serving, it helps to mingle the flavors. You can cover and store this cake for about one week at room temperature.

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