Kerala-style Plum Cake

Kerala-style Plum Cake 

(also known as Christmas Fruit Cake). The deep brown color comes from caramelized sugar syrup, and that distinctive texture is achieved by soaking dried fruits like raisins and tutti-frutti.

​1. The Fruit Soak

• ​Ideally, do this 24 hours (or up to a week) in advance.
• ​1 cup Mixed Dried Fruits: Black raisins, golden raisins, tutti-frutti, and chopped dates.
• ​½ cup Liquid: Orange juice (for non-alcoholic) or Rum/Brandy.
• ​Soak the fruits in a glass jar until they plump up.

​2. The Dark Caramel Syrup

• ​This is the secret to that rich mahogany color.
• ​Melt ½ cup sugar in a heavy-bottomed pan on medium heat. Do not stir; just swirl the pan.
• ​Once it turns a deep, dark amber (almost smoking), carefully pour in ¼ cup hot water. It will bubble violently.
• ​Stir until smooth, then let it cool completely.

​3. The Main Ingredients

• ​Dry Mix:

• ​1 ½ cups All-purpose flour (Maida)
• ​1 tsp Baking powder & ½ tsp Baking soda
• ​1 tsp Spice Mix (Ground cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, and a pinch of dry ginger)

• ​Wet Mix:

• ​¾ cup Butter (Unsalted, softened)
• ​¾ cup Sugar (Powdered)
• ​3 Large Eggs (Room temperature)
• ​1 tsp Vanilla extract
• ​The cooled Caramel Syrup

• ​Toppings (As seen in your photo):

• ​Whole Cashews
• ​Whole Black Raisins

​4. Preparation Steps

​Prep: Preheat your oven to 160°C (320°F). Grease a 6 or 7-inch round tin.

​Creaming: Beat the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each. Stir in vanilla.

​Combine: Fold in the dry flour mix and the caramel syrup alternately. Do not overmix.

​Fold in Fruits: Drain any excess liquid from your soaked fruits, toss them in a spoonful of dry flour (to prevent sinking), and fold them into the batter.

​Decorate: Pour into the tin. Gently place the cashews and raisins on top in the pattern shown in your photo.

​Bake: Bake for 45–55 minutes. A skewer should come out clean.

​Pro Tip: For the best flavor, wrap the cooled cake in parchment paper and let it "mature" for 2 days before slicing. It gets moister over time!