TRADITIONAL CHRISTMAS CAKE / FRUIT AND NUT CAKE WITH ALCOHOL

 This is a recipe of a traditional fruit and nut cake with alcohol made during Christmas. The dry fruits are soaked in alcohol and left to mature and are added to the cake. You may use Rum, Brandy, Sherry, Vodka or Whisky. After the cake is baked itis fed with a generous amount of alcohol. This process not only makes the cake very rich and flavourful but also helps in preserving it for a long time. But make sure you are using the same type of alcohol that you did for soaking the dry fruits. These can be made weeks ahead of Christmas and refrigerated. You can add the desired glazing one day before you serve it. 

How long do we soak the dry fruits :

This can be done for few days, weeks, months or even a year ahead. The more they soak the better they taste. You have to keep them refrigerated in a jar.

For those who avoid alcohol :

The dry fruits can be soaked in orange juice or grape juice. But this has to be done only a day ahead of baking. These cakes don't stay fresh for long. However for convenience you can bake and freeze them. Defrost a day before using them and do the glazing. 

Ingredients:

All purpose flour .... 150 gms
Organic jaggery ....... 150 gms (or brown sugar)
Butter ...................... 150 gms
Dry fruits soaked in alcohol .... 200 gms
Eggs................................. 2
Chopped walnuts ............ 25 gms
Chopped cashew nuts ..... 25 gms 
Apple ............................ 1 (peeled and diced. Squeeze some lemon juice)
Orange marmalade .......... 1 tbsp
Baking powder ................... 1/2 tsp
Baking soda .................... 2 pinches
Salt .......................... 1/4 tsp (skip it if using salted butter)
Mixed spice ............ 2 tsps ( cardamom powder, ginger powder, cinnamon powder,nutmeg powder and clove powder) 
Alcohol for feeding the cake .... 6-8 tbsps 

For glazing:

Orange marmalade .................. 2 tbsps (or jam)
Honey .................................. 1 -2 tbsps
Dry fruits like walnuts, almonds, pecans, cranberries, cherries, candied fruits ... as needed 
(use any of the above as available / preferred)

Method:

1. Sift the flour, baking powder and baking soda. 
2. Beat the butter and organic jaggery until creamy.
3. Add eggs one at a time and beat well.
4. Spoon in the flour little by little and continue blending until it is all used up.
5. Add the marmalade and the spice mix.
6. Next tip in the chopped walnuts and cashew nuts.
7. Stir with a spatula and add the alcohol soaked dry fruits.
8. Mix everything well.
9. Take  8" diameter baking tin and line it with greased butter paper.
10. Spoon all the batter and level it with a spatula.
11. Bake in a preheated oven at 120 C for 2 hours. (If it is a non-fan oven bake at 140 C) . These cakes are always slow baked. The larger ones can take 3 to 3 and 1/2 hours.
12. Remove the cake when done and check it with a tooth pick or a satay stick. Cool and unmould in a platter.
13. Pierce on the surface with the stick. Pour 6-8 tbsps of alcohol on the cake. Use the same type used for soaking the dry fruits.
14. Wrap it in a cling film and refrigerate. It can stay good for a long time.

To prepare the glazing:

Heat the marmalade and honey in a pan. You may also use jam instead but add some orange or lemon rind. Add the desired dry fruits or candied fruits. Toss them well. Spread them on the cake.

Note:

The alcoholic cakes can stay good in the refrigerator for long time. The ones without alcohol have to be consumed in few days.

 Watch the recipe video 

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