Friday, December 20, 2013

Plum Cake: Christmas Special ( Rum Essence Only)




It’s time to sing a song together, it’s time to dance in a tune, it’s time to see snowflakes falling from the sky because it’s Christmas. Once in every year all over the world people celebrate this special occasion with friends and family.  I think Christmas has its own essence, the decoration all over the street, Shops, Houses, Malls make you feel that it’s Christmas.



This is also one of the best times to purchase gifts for your near and dear ones. I think when it comes to gifts we all want to be kid again so that we can ask whatever we want from Santa. The price of the gift or the size of the gift actually does not matter, what matters is the feelings of love. From last few months my husband asked me what I want in coming Christmas which actually gives me an immense pleasure. But he only decided to buy a DSLR camera for me which can help me to take some nice Photos for my blog. And can help me to become a little better in food photography. Which I loved was his thinking about my passion of photos. 



So my Santa is going to bring a big smile on my face this year, hope each and every people of the world get his or her smile from Santa clause. Christmas cannot be completed with a perfect cake and this is the best time to bake an authentic PLUM CAKE. My husband, daughter, friends everybody liked it very much and that's why I am really satisfied after everybody's reaction. This authentic Plum cake used to make with RUM but my daughter is going to have it so I just added Rum essence, but if you don’t have any issue then you can use any normal RUM or Spiced RUM which is available in any big super market. 

Ingredients:
For Soaking dry fruits
1.Dry fruits: raisins, currents, cherries, orange peels, apricot, prunes, cranberries, cashews, almonds, pumpkin seeds, pistachios. (1 cup chopped)
2.Two table spoon powdered sugar.
3.One tea spoon water,
4.One tea spoon lemon juice.
5. Rum or Rum essence one cup.

At least 7 days before baking the cake, you have to soak the dry fruits for that you have to prepare caramel sauce.

First  in a heavy bottomed vessel add two table spoon of sugar then slowly add the water and lemon juice in medium heat and slowly your sugar will become dark brown in color, don’t use any spoon just shake the vessel . And don’t allow it to burn also so stand in front of the stove still it become dark and thick like sauce. Then add 2 table spoon water.

Now in an air tight container add all chopped dry fruits then add the caramel sauce then add the Rum essence or normal Rum and keep it aside for at least 7 days.



Caramel Syrup for cake:
Sugar : 1 cup.
Water: one cup and Two table spoon
Lemon juice: 1 tea spoon.

First  in a heavy bottomed vessel add one cup of sugar then slowly add the water and lemon juice in medium heat and slowly your sugar will become dark brown in color, don’t use any spoon just shake the vessel . And don’t allow it to burn also so stand in front of the stove still it become dark completely.

Then allow it to cool a bit then add the one cup warm water and your caramel syrup is done.



Ingredients for cake.
1.All-purpose flour: 2 cup.
2.Sugar: 2 cup. And One tea spoon
3.Egg: 4 (separate the egg yolks and egg white).
4.Spices powder: Nutmeg powder, Cinnamon powder, Clove powder (1/2 tea spoon of each item).
5.Few almonds and few walnut : just make dry powder with the nuts.
6.Butter: 1 cup.
7.Vanila essence: one table spoon.
8.Baking powder: one table spoon.
9.One tea spoon orange zest.
10.Pinch of salt.

Process:

Pre heat the oven in 350D F. And grease one round loaf pan with butter and flour.

First in  a bowl mix all the dry ingredients together (flour, salt, baking powder, spices powder, dry nuts powder) and keep it aside.

Now in a bowl mix the butter and sugar till it become smooth, then slowly add the egg yolks one at a time and mix it nicely till it become smooth and creamy.

Then add the butter sugar mixture into the dry ingredients bowl and combine together, now slowly add the caramel syrup, orange zest, vanilla essence and mix together.

Now drain the rum from the soaked dry fruits save the rum. Then add some flour on to the dry fruits and slowly add them in to the mixture and with wooden spoon just folds the dry fruits in to the mixture.

Now in a separate bowl mix the egg whites with one spoon of sugar and whisked them till it become smooth.

Now add the egg white mixture into the cake batter and fold it carefully with the wooden spoon.

Now pour the cake batter into the greased pan and bake it for 55 mints to 1 hr or till it done, to checking insert a toothpick inside the cake if its come smoothly then your cake is done.

Now take the cake out from the oven and slowly take out from the pan, now allow it to cool. Now brush the saved rum on top of the cake for at least one day. 



Your authentic super yummy PLUM CAKE is ready enjoy your CHRISTMAS with your family and friends.