Eggless plum cake| fruit cake recipe

There is a saying that, Life is so short to say no to a cake!! yess,, i completely agree to this statement. Cake is something that has evolved over years and has found a secure place in our hearts and minds.. Although never our kitchen made in the growing years, but the interest has somehow found its way into my kitchen in recent years, my first experience of baking a cake was with my MIL who had learnt it and had heaps of its recipes in her recipe book. she was kind enough to pass on her knowledge and a few baking tins and oven to me, which i recently gave away owing to small kitchen place  and an intention to buy a brand new oven.

No oven also has not stopped me from baking, as it can give a sense of fulfilment and when the end product would be so bounty and beautiful and also tasty and a treat to the eyes.!!. I have started baking without oven(For now)

I love December as it is a birthday month and from childhood i longed to eat and cut cake during Christmas post which is my birthday and could get freshly baked cakes in the bakery then and with new bakers and bakery pastry came into lives and filled us with joy.With humangus  varieties and eggless and so many variations. with so many changes, fruit cake or plum cake which would come wrapped in a plastic is still available in almost same way, and i cannot tell how much i love it.. I am sure you would agree that once you start eating it you cannot stop until you finish eating it, the cherry,tuttifruity, dry fruits and nuts.. kind of make you crave for more and it never satisfied to eat that small packet of joy...

So this recipe is for all those who love it to the core like me.. presenting the yummy fruit cake or  plum cake as popularly known.
even though it is called plum cake, it can be made without plums by addition of other fruits like cherry and tutti fruity..and even the rum, brandy used traditionally can be replaced with orange juice or coffee.

Ingredients:
Raisins-100gms
Dates- 100g
Nuts- 1/2 cup chopped
Tutti fruity- 1/2 cup
water- 1 1/2 cup
Coffee powder- 3tbsp
Vegetable oil/Butter- 1/2 cup
Orange zest- 1 tbsp- 2 tbsp
Vanilla essence-  1 tsp

Dry Ingredients:-
Maida-13/4 cup
Sugar- 1 cup
Baking soda- 1tsp
Baking Powder- 1tsp
Cinnamon Powder- 1tsp
Cardamom-1tsp
Cloves- 1tsp
salt- 1tsp

Method:

Take raisins,dates, tutti fruity, water in a sauce pan, coffee powder heat and simmer for 8-10 min.

Meanwhile dry roast dry nuts and add it to the above mixture.

Take off heat add  oil/butter melted,vanilla essence ,orange zest- mix . Remove from heat cool.

Prepare your cake tin with butter paper lining and smear butter and dust. keep ready.

Prepare oven by preheating it. If there is no oven prepare one by taking kadai add salt at the bottom.allow preheating for 10 min. This step is crutial and do not skip preheating.

Take the dry ingredients in a mixing bowl and mix well. Then add the cooled mix of coffee and fruits here.

Take 2 tbsp of milk add 1 tsp of vanilla essence and add to the mixture or mix vanilla in the oil mixture.

Fold in  the batter well. it should be of a falling consistency.(Check video)

Now pour the batter into the prepared cake tin and tap gently.

Place it in the oven and bake for 40-45 mins in medium flame. Check occassionally as temperature is not controlled in the DIY oven./ 170degee in oven- 40- 45 min

As the salt is hot the bottom of cake can char easily. place a stand which is a little high to prevent burning or use a thick bottomed cooker.

Once the knife or toothpick when inserted in the cake is coming out clean your cake is ready..

Allow to cool on a cooling rack for 2o min . remove cake from pan.

Yummy,soft and super nutty and fruity cake with a bang on taste of that store brought one is ready in your kitchen. 

Cut and serve . eat when ever you feel like. It can be eaten as dessert after dinner, evening snack as well.

It is great even with icecream scoop.

Check video on my youtube channel: