Some of our best childhood memories revolve around food. Food memories often spark nostalgia, and comfort and also strengthen our bonds with friends and family. My earliest memories around plum cake are rekindled each year around November and early December when hotels in most Indian cities organise Christmas cake mixing or fruit mixing ceremonies. While it’s easy to dismiss this as PR or photo opportunities, they are organised for a reason. There are accounts that suggest that the cake-mixing traditions have been part of British culture since the 17th century. This quintessential English tradition first began as plum porridge before evolving into the traditional Christmas or plum cake as we know it.
According to Ashutosh Nerlekar, Director of Food Production, The Park, Chennai, cake mixing in earlier days was about the beginning of the harvest season. Communities friends and families got together to celebrate the season. Ashutosh adds that ingredients used in cake mixing-dried fruits, nuts, spices, and spirits are symbols of abundance and prosperity. “It is seen as a gesture of gratitude for the year’s blessings and a prayer for a fruitful year ahead.”
Ashutosh’s tip for home bakers is to soak the fruits at least 6 weeks ahead of baking. He also strongly recommends giving this fruit mix a churn every week. “Make sure the fruits are cut small and evenly. Uneven and big fruits will make the cake crumbly. Use molasses for the nice dark colour. Add apricot jam to elevate the taste and richness. After the cake is baked spray it with some alcohol to keep it moist and boozy.” Many pastry chefs I spoke to, believe that the fruit soaking process helps the flavour, adds to the moisture content and also leads to the plumping of fruits. It’s a vital step in preserving the flavours and textures of the plum cake.
Rehana, who is the Baker and Co-owner of OVN Bakehouse shares her secret step – “We cook the dry fruits in wine. The following day we add rum, whiskey and freshly ground spices and combine before letting it ‘sit’ for 10-12 months. Shri Bale, a Celebrity Chef and culinary anthropologist believes that spices are the key. She uses a spice mix powder with cinnamon, cloves, a dash of nutmeg along with loads of ground dry ginger. Her other secret ingredient is orange rind and zest. She also suggests the use of Blackjack caramel (caramelised sugar water) to moisten the cake.
Chef Ravi Varma (Area Pastry Chef, Tamil Nadu, Indian Hotels Company Limited) who shared his plum cake recipe with us (See recipe below) believes the intensity of the flavours depends entirely on how long you soak the fruits. It’s why many of the guests at fruit mixing events this year may taste the ‘fruits of their labour’ only next year. Many hotels preserve this year’s fruit mix until next year when it soaks in alcohol for those intense flavours. While classic plum cake tastes delicious at room temperature, you can also warm it up and serve it with brandy sauce. You can try our recipe at home:
Plum Cake Recipe
Recipe courtesy: Chef Ravi Varma, Area Pastry Chef, Tamil Nadu, Indian Hotels Company Limited
Ingredients:
- Unsalted Butter – 100gm
- Brown Sugar -100gm
- Eggs-2nos
- Flour -100gm
- Ginger Powder-1gm
- Cinnamon Powder 1gm
- Nut Meg Powder 1gm
- Candied Orange peel 28 gm
- Candied lemon peel 28 gm
- Candied Ginger Chips-12 gm
- Candied Cherries -167 gm
- Orange rind- 1
- Raisins -167gm
- Black currents-167gm
- Dried figs -83gm
- Dates-83gms
- Black raisins-117gm
- Chopped almonds – 42 gm
- Cognac-120ml
- Treacle / Blackjack-17ml
Method:
- Mix all the dry fruits, Cognac and Blackjack and let it marinate for at least 24 hours.
- Sift flour & spice powders together in a bowl.
- Cream butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy
- Gradually add the eggs one by one
- Add flour, spice mixture & chopped almonds to the marinated fruit mixture.
- Fold the four and fruit mixture into the butter mixture to form a smooth batter.
- Pour batter into a greased pan and bake at 170 degrees C for 20 minutes and 40 mins at 150 degrees C.
- Remove from the oven once it’s done.
- To ensure the cake is moist and flavorful spray cognac over the crust of the cake and allow it to cool.
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