With the days getting shorter, evenings getting longer, and a real nip in the air, nature has begun to embrace the winter season. The onset of winter is indeed joyful with the weather getting pleasant - a harbinger of the approaching holiday season!
With Christmas around the corner, this is the time to get going with the holiday preps and ensure everything is ready on time to revel in the holiday festivities with our loved ones. That said, Christmas is incomplete without three things - Santa Claus, Christmas tree and the Kerala plum cake!
Everyone would have their unique ways of decorating or crafting the Christmas menu, but it certainly is incomplete without the Kerala style plum cake. So, let us turn our hand to the Kerala plum cake recipe, a festive delight for Indian Christmas. Let us practice baking it well enough in advance to ensure it turns out to be nothing but perfect on Christmas Eve.
Prep time: Around 30-35 minutes
Baking time: Around 45-50 minutes
Servings: 12 slices
Ingredients
• 1 cup all-purpose flour (plain flour maida)
• 1/4 cup black raisins
• 1/2 cup mixed dried fruits (chopped cherries, orange peels and dates)
• 1/2 cup walnuts or almonds (raw and chopped)
• 3/4 cup white sugar for cake batter
• 1/2 cup white sugar for sugar syrup
• 3 eggs
• 2/3 cup melted unsalted butter
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon powder
• 1/4 teaspoon clove powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Kerala plum cake recipe
Here’s an easy step-by-step recipe for the incredibly delicious Kerala plum cake infused with the zesty flavors of cherries, dates, orange peels and more!
1. Caramel alchemy
- Grab a pan, medium heat, and add ½ cup sugar.
- Stir as it melts, and let it deepen to a rich caramel hue—but, don’t let it burn!
- Turn off the heat and add ¼ cup water carefully—it will harden.
- Reheat and stir until the sugar dissolves (around 10 minutes). Let it cool
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).
- Toss 3 tablespoons of flour onto your dry fruits and nuts. Coat them well to keep them from sinking in the depths of batter!
- In another bowl, combine the rest of the flour, baking powder, spices, and salt. Give it a good mix.
- Beat ¾ cup sugar and butter until fluffy—10 minutes if you're flexing hand muscles, or 3-4 minutes with an electric beater.
- Add vanilla, then alternate between adding eggs and the flour mixture until fully blended
- Pour in the cooled caramel, and fold in the floured fruits and nuts.
- Grease a cake pan, pour the batter in, and smooth the top.
- Bake for 50-55 minutes. Start peeking at 45 minutes though! The top should be dark brown and a skewer should come out with moist crumbs.
- Cool completely, dust with icing sugar, and relish your masterpiece with your loved ones!
Storage secrets: At room temp, it is good for 3 days. In the fridge, you can store it for 2 weeks, if it lasts that long!
So, practice whipping up Kerala style plum cake, and secure your legit festive bragging rights!
