Rich Fruit Cake or Plum Cake (with caramel syrup and without alcohol)

Rich Fruit Cake or Plum Cake (with caramel syrup and without alcohol)

Here's the 2nd recipe (made of 75 g unsalted butter, honey and other ingredients)

All the ingredients should be at room temperature and please use standard measuring cups and teaspoons.

Ingredients

For the flour:

130 ml (1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons) all purpose flour ( maida ) (please use fresh all purpose flour) Indian standard measuring cup of 100 ml / 4 oz capacity.

1/2 teaspoon + 1 pinch baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon clove powder

¼ teaspoon cinnamon powder

¼ teaspoon nutmeg powder

Other ingredients

100 g butter

110 g sugar (1/2 cup + 2 teaspoons), measure sugar and then make a powder

Extra 100 g sugar / ½ cup (for caramel)

100 ml hot water - for caramel (please use same measuring cup to measure sugar and water)

2 eggs (net weight of 2 eggs are 110 g)

1 teaspoon vanilla essence

1 teaspoon shajeera

65 g (1/2 cup) raisins

3 dried orange peel, finely chopped into ¼ - inch pieces

6 cashew nuts, chopped

6 seedless dates, finely chopped (net weight of dry fruits is 125 g – any dry fruit of your choice, like black currants, sultanas, figs..)

2 tablespoon flour ( for dusting fruits)

1 teaspoon extra butter ( for greasing baking pan )

1 tablespoon extra flour dusting ( for baking dish )

How To Caramelize Sugar ?

Short method - Heat a heavy bottomed kadai on a medium heat. Add 100 g sugar and spread well. Do not stir.

When it melts (smooth and clear solution and there won’t be any sugar crystals), color changes from yellow to dark brown. Approximate time for this process (till melting on a low to medium heat) 18 - 20 minutes. See this photo.

Do not stir or shake the kadai / pan. Switch off the heat and please wait for 2 minutes. Maintain a safe distance from the gas stove when mixing with water. Gently add 100 ml hot water. Do not stir now. Keep aside for 1/2 hour.  You will get a clear syrup of 70 - 80 ml. See the photo below. Do not use thick sugar crystal.

Method

1 st stage:

Dust fruits ( cashew nuts, dates, raisins & orange peel ) and shajeera with 2 tablespoons of flour and keep aside in a separate container for 1 hour.

Grease baking dish with 1 teaspoon butter and dust with 1 tablespoon flour ( sprinkle about 1 tablespoon of flour inside a cake pan and shake to coat all greased surface. Turn pan upside down to tap out the excess flour ).

Pre heat oven at 170 * C or 325 * F.

2 nd stage:

Sieve thrice flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon powder, clove powder and nutmeg powder.

In a big bowl, beat butter and powdered sugar until light and creamy. Add egg one by one and beat until smooth and creamy (use electric beater).

Gently add dusted fruits and shajeera (do not add leftover flour). Mix it well slowly with the help of a thick tablespoon (do not use electric beater).

Add vanilla essence. Gently fold sieved flour mixture in 3 batches. Stir slowly till blended. First add 3 tablespoon caramel syrup and mix gently. It should be a medium thick batter.. If the mixture too thick and difficult to stir, then again add 2 - 3 teaspoon caramel sugar syrup. Cake batter should not be very thin. If the liquid is more, it won't bake properly. Do not add leftover syrup / milk / water ....

Final procedure:

Transfer this cake mixture into a greased baking pan ( or paper lined ). Spread evenly with a spatula, and bake at 170 * C or 325 * F for 50 minutes or till golden brown or till a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean / leaves from the sides of the pan. Keep aside to cool for one hour.

Run a knife round inside of the pan to loosen the cake, and then invert the pan. Cut into desired shape and size.