Rum-Plum Cake

Christmas has some elements which are so essential, that without them, Christmas would be as melancholic as the old Ebenezer Scrooge’s House.

Among other things, Christmas wouldn’t be complete without the traditional Christmas cake. There are many versions and flavors of cake that people bake during Christmas nowadays. But nothing beats the classics; i.e. the traditional rum cake and plum cake.

Although there are many variations in the recipe and the preparations for the two, they are still traditional, as is it not possible to do everything by the books.

This year, let’s celebrate Christmas, the traditional way by baking the traditional Christmas Cakes (with some modern tweaking).

Rum Cake

RUM CAKE

Ingredients:
A cup of coarsely chopped walnuts,
1 ¾ cups of all purpose flour,
A quarter cup cornstarch
4 teaspoons of baking powder
1 tsp kosher salt
Half a cup of unsalted butter
1 ½ cups of granulated sugar
3tsps and half a cup of canola oil
A cup of vanilla pudding mix
4 eggs
¾ cup of whole milk
¾ cup dark rum (Old Monk if possible, though any spiced rum would do)
1tbsp vanilla extract/essence

For the Rum Syrup:
¾ cup of unsalted butter
1½ cups of granulated sugar
A quarter cup ofwater
A Pinch of salt
½ a cup of spiced rum

1) Whisk the flour, baking powder, cornstarch and salt, together, in a bowl and set it aside.

2) Whisk the butter and sugar with the help of an electronic mixer, in medium speed, till it becomes soft and fluffy.

3) In a bowl, whisk the milk, eggs, rum, the remaining half a cup of granola oil and the vanilla extract/essence. Then slowly add the egg mixture to the dry one, while continuously mixing so that no bubbles form. Beat the mixture continuously, for 5-6 minutes. The batter should be of a thin consistency.

4) Pour the batter in a greased and floured pan or a Bundt pan and put it in the oven which is preheated to 325° F. for 50 to 60 minutes. Keep checking every 3-4 minutes, after it has been in the oven for 40 minutes, by inserting a toothpick in the center. If it comes out clean, it is cooked.

5) When the cake has about 10 minutes left to bake, i.e. around the 40 minutes past putting it in the oven, start with the rum syrup. Melt the butter in a saucepan in medium heat. After it melts, add sugar and water. Bring it to a boil and stir constantly. Turn of the heat but keep stirring for another minute or so. Once it is mixed, head it again or 30 seconds to reduce the consistency.

6) Take the cake out of the oven and slowly pour about one third of the rum syrup in the base of the cake. Let it sit for 5 minutes.

7) Invert the cake on a serving disc/platter. Poke holes all over the cake, using a fork. The holes will ensure that the rum syrup seeps into the cake evenly. Now, very slowly, pour the remaining rum syrup on the top of the cake. Don’t worry if it drips outside. It makes it even more appealing.

8) Allow the cake to cool, by keeping it in room temperature, before serving.

Plum Cake, Source

PLUM CAKE

Ingredients:

For the cake
½cup of raisins
¾ a cup of cashews
¾ cup of walnuts
¾ cup tutti-frutti
½ a cup of dried plum
¾ cup of dried figs
½ tsp cinnamon
¾ tsp nutmeg
half a cup of red wine
¾ cup of dark/spiced rum
½ a cup of sugar
a cup of all-purpose flour
2 eggs
2 tsps mix fruit jam
120 gms butter
2 to 3 drops vanilla extract/essence
½ tsps baking powder

For the icing
1 egg white
one tsp cream of tartar
¾ cup of icing sugar

Method:
1. Cut the cashew nuts, dried plums and figs into small pieces and soak them with the a tutti-fruity and raisins in the red wine and rum (This is normally done from 24 hours to 10-12 day in advance so that the dry fruit absorbs all the spirits so this is the perfect time to soak all of these ingredients).

2. Whisk the butter and sugar along with the vanilla extract/essence

3. Add the eggs in gradually mixing all the while

4. Fold in the flour sifted with baking powder

5. Mix in the soaked ingredients

6. Grease a Bundt pan and sprinkle a little flour on the surface. Place a sheet of butter paper at the bottom.

7. Pour the cake batter into the Bundt pan and bake at 300° F. in a pr-heated oven for 20 to 25 minutes

8. Take it out and leave it aside to cool down

9. For the icing, make sure, that the egg whites are at the room temperature

10. In a bowl, whisk the egg whites, powdered sugar, and cream of tartar for 6-7 minutes.

11. Apply the icing generously over the cake

12. Garnish with the remaining dry fruits.

13. Put it in the room temperature to cool down before serving.