“It’s the most wonderful time of the year.
With the kids jingle belling,
and everyone telling you,
“Be of good cheer,”
It’s the most wonderful time of the year.
There’ll be parties for hosting,
marshmallows for toasting and
caroling out in the snow.
there’ll be scary ghost stories and
tales of the glories of Christmases
long, long ago.
It’s the most wonderful time of the year.
There’ll be much mistletoeing
and hearts will be glowing,
when loved ones are near “.
Christmas will not be Christmas if a Fruit Cake is no where near….so here is a tried and tested ‘Rum’ laced Fruit Cake that you can try at home. Its not difficult, and its moist, tasty, different, yummy and …ruuuuummmy !.
The colour of the cake depends on how dark you caramelize your sugar; so if you want a deep dark brown, caramelize the sugar a darker shade. Mine could do with a bit darker shade, I felt.
Soaking of the fruits can be done much in advance but even a mere 2 days will do. I soaked them for about 3 days in a steel pan, tightly covered.
To soak the fruits:
850 grams dry fruits (I used raisins, prunes, dates, mixed peel, sultanas, dried papaya, cherries, cranberries- as per your choice but see that it measures 850 grams)
2 tbsp strawberry or plum jam
1/2 cup orange juice
6tbsp granulated sugar
6 tablespoons dark rum
Lemon Juice – 1 Tablespoon
Vanilla essence – 1 tablespoon
Spices – (powdered fine 1 whole nutmeg, 1inch cinnamon and 12 cloves)
Mix and keep covered in a bowl.
For the Caramel Syrup :
1-1/2 cup of granulated sugar
3 / 4 cup hot water
Put the sugar in a pan and heat till it comes to a rolling boil and colour changes to a deep dark brown. Switch off the flame and add the water (hot) and mix. Be careful of the fumes and the hot caramel. Stir and keep aside to cool.
For the Batter for the Cake :
250 grams unsalted butter
300 grams sugar,powdered
5 eggs, separated
6 tbsp granulated sugar
200g all purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
100 g cashewnuts
½ cup milk
50g Semolina
For the cake batter:
In a small bowl add the egg whites and 6 Tablespoons of granulated sugar and beat till stiff peaks form. Keep aside.
In another bowl, cream butter and powdered sugar (normal granulated sugar powdered in a dry blender) till fluffy. Add in the egg yolks one at a time and beat well. Add in soaked fruits and cashewnuts and fold it with a whisk or a wooden spoon. Add in the flour, baking powder and semolina and mix well. Then add milk and caramel syrup little by little and beat till well mixed. Lastly fold in the beaten egg whites.
Pour the cake batter into prepared pan, which has been greased with butter and lined with a double/or more wax paper on the bottom and sides of pan.
Keep in a preheated oven (180 deg C) and bake for 1 hour 45 minutes or till a cake tester inserted comes out clean. Do not open the oven till at least one hour is over – only after that you can test to check if the cake is done.
Remove the cake from the over once it is done and pour ½ cup of Rum on it all over the top. Every 2 days or so, add a tablespoon of rum. This ensures that the cake is moist.
When the cake is cooled, wrap in Aluminium Foil and keep in a cool dark place to age.
MERRY CHRISTMAS TO YOU AND YOUR LOVED ONES.
Christmas is finally here and the geese are not the only ones getting fat……… 
;)….. HO, HO, HO….. Have a jolly good time.
