CHRISTMAS PLUM CAKE (Non-Alcoholic)

A flavour-packed Christmas fruit cake that is loaded with dry fruits and fresh fruit flavour to cherish in every bite.

INGREDIENTS

For the soaked fruits

1 and a half cup dry fruits

(1/2 cup dates, 1/4 cup of dried orange peel and candied ginger, 1/4 cup of black and white raisins. 1/4 cup tutti fruity, 1/4 cup cherries)

Fresh juice from 3 medium oranges or any fruit juice - sieved

For the caramelized syrup

1/2 cup white sugar

1 cup boiling water

For the cake

100g unsalted butter

1/4 cup oil, refined

1/2 cup brown sugar, powdered

3 eggs - separate egg white and yellow

1/2 cup caramelized syrup, at room temperature

1 and a half cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

175g to 200g mixed fruits in orange juice

1 tablespoon orange marmalade

1 tablespoon black current jam

1/2 tablespoon honey

1 teaspoon powdered spices (1 cinnamon, 5 cardamons, 6 cloves, 1/4 portion nutmeg )

1/4 cup cashew, pistachios, almonds and walnuts

1 tbsp lemon juice

1 tsp vanilla essence

INSTRUCTIONS

In a small bowl, place the dry fruits chopped into bit-sized pieces. Soak these in approx. 1 cup of fruit juice and cover this with cling film or an aluminium foil. Let this refrigerate overnight.

For the plum cake, bring out the soaked fruits mix to room temperature. Mix in the orange marmalade, black current jam, honey and powdered spices. Set aside.

To prepare the caramelized syrup, in a pan on medium heat on the stovetop, melt 1/2 cup sugar slowly. Let it turn dark brown. Turn the pan around and let it turn a deep dark caramel colour. Turn off heat and boil the 1 cup water. Add this to the melted sugar and slowly heat the mixture until the sugar crystals dissolve. Let the mixture cool completely.

Grease and line the base of the baking tin with baking parchment. Next, take two long sheets of baking paper and fold them in half, horizontally and cover the tin on the sides on the inside of the cake tin.

Preheat oven to 180 degrees C for 15 minutes.

Sift the flour, salt, baking powder and baking soda together into a bowl and set aside.

Separate the egg into two separate bowls.

In a mixing bowl, beat the butter, oil and the brown sugar until the mixture looks pale. Add the egg yolks one by one beating between each addition.

When all the eggs have been beaten, add in the caramelized syrup and whisk well.

Next sieve in the flour mixture, followed by the soaked fruits in parts, folding well to incorporate. Any remaining liquid of the fruits needs to be added as well. Follow this with the chopped nuts and mix this lightly with either wooden spoon or hand mixer at low speed. Add in the lemon juice and vanilla essence.

In another bowl, beat the egg white until fluffy and add this to the batter in parts, beating between each addition.

Transfer it into the prepared tin and level off on all sides using a spoon. Smoothen it in such a way that the sides are slightly higher than the centre. Decorate with cashews , optional.

Remove and leave the cake to cool completely or overnight in its tin on a wire rack. Next day, remove from the tin and peel off the parchment. Slice and serve.

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