Plum Cake

Recipe No: 245

I have mentioned about ‘Ann’s Bakery’ many times in my posts. It is the only bakery in my neighborhood that sells both Fruit and Plum Cakes. Usually those two names are used as synonyms, but Ann’s Fruit and Plum Cakes are very different. I like their concept of using all type of Fruits for Fruit Cakes but only Plums for Plum Cakes. The taste and texture of both of these are different. As per my recipes, Fruit Cakes have to sit and age for perfection as it uses Brandy, this doesn’t need that treatment. (I don't use Brandy for this, but if you want, you can too). Even though this is good to go on the day of baking itself, it is better from the 2nd day onwards.

Ingredients                                  Makes 2, 6 inch cakes
To make the Plum Puree

• Dried Plums………………………..12
• Water…………………………………1/2 Cup

To make the Caramel

• Sugar………………………………….1/2 Cup
• Hot Water…………………………..1/4 Cup

To make the Cake

• All Purpose Flour………………….1 ¼ Cups
• Baking Powder…………………….3/4 Teaspoon
• Baking Soda…………………………1/2 Teaspoon
• Salt……………………………………..1/4 Teaspoon (Avoid if you are using salted Butter)
• Dry Ginger/ Chukku Powder...1/4 Teaspoon
• Cardamom Powder…………….…1/4 Teaspoon
• Cloves Powder………………………1/4 Teaspoon
• Cinnamon Powder………………..1/4 Teaspoon
• Nutmeg Powder…………………...1/4 Teaspoon
• Caraway Seeds/ Cake Jeera…..1/2 Teaspoon
• Unsalted Butter…………………...1/2 Cup/ 1 stick
• Vegetable Oil……………………….3 Tablespoons
• Sugar………………………………....3/4 Cup
• Eggs………………………………...…3
• Vanilla Extract……………….......1 Teaspoon
• Dried Plums Chopped..………...1 Cup
• Toasted Cashew Nuts……........1/2 Cup (chopped)
• 1 ½ tablespoons of Flour to coat the Plums and Cashew Nuts

Method of Preparation
To make the Plum Puree

1. Boil 12 Plums in ½ Cup Water. Once boiled, reduce the heat to low and let it cook for 3 minutes. Switch off the heat and let it cool.
2. Once cooled, blend the Plums together with the cooking liquid in a blender to a very smooth consistency. (Use 2-3 Tablespoons of Brandy if you want while pureeing.) Keep it aside till ready to be used.

To make the Caramel Syrup

1. Heat Sugar with a Tablespoon of Water in a thick bottomed sauce pan on medium low heat till it become amber colored Caramel.
2. Add boiled Water and let the Sugar dissolve. Remove from heat and let it cool down completely before using.

To make the Cake

1. Preheat the oven to 350˚F/ 180˚C.
2. Put a parchment paper and apply a thin layer of Butter on two 6 inch cake pans and spread some Flour. Do dust the extra Flour off. Instead of this you can use cooking spray.
3. Sift together Flour, Baking Powder, Baking Soda, Dry Ginger Powder, Cardamom Powder, Cloves Powder, Cinnamon Powder, Nutmeg Powder and Salt really well. Once sifted, mix in the Caraway Seeds. Keep aside till ready to be used.
4. Beat together Butter, Oil, Sugar and Vanilla Essence till light and fluffy.
5. Add Eggs one at a time and beat well after each addition.
6. Mix in the Plum Puree and the prepared Carmel to the Butter - Egg mixture. (At this point the batter may look all curdled; but believe me it will be fine.)
7. Stop beating and fold/ gently mix in the Flour mixture to the Batter. (Don’t over mix.)
8. Toss the chopped Plum and Cashew nuts with 1 ½ Tablespoons of Flour thoroughly and mix them with the Cake batter.
9. Divide and pour them equally among the two prepared Cake pans and level the top off.
10. Bake them in the middle of the preheated oven for 30-40 minutes or till a tooth pick inserted in the middle of the Cake comes out clean.
11. Let it cool down for 10 minutes before taking out of the pan.
12. Cut and serve at room temperature. Store the Cake covered with Aluminum foil.

Notes:

• You can use Canola Oil instead of Vegetable Oil; the addition of the Oil will make the Cake moist.
• Don’t avoid Cashew Nuts as the crunch is really good in this recipe.
• If you don't have spice powders, please grind  whole spices and use.
• Don't avoid Caraway seeds as it gives a signature flavor to Fruit and Plum Cakes.
• While making the Caramel, don’t stir the Sugar, as stirring makes the Caramel gritty. But do swirl the pan often. Once the Sugar is caramelized, you can stir.
• Adding hot Water to the Caramel will dissolve the Sugar fast. If it is cold Water, the Caramel will solidify and it will take a long time to dissolve.
• Adding Water (hot or cold) to the Caramel results in bubbling up of the hot liquid. (It is very hot as Caramel  is formed only at high temperatures.) So do take care while doing this.
• Over mixing the batter after the addition of Flour will develop  Gluten in the Flour which in turn makes the Cake tough.
• Tossing Plums and Nuts with the Flour will separate the otherwise sticky Plums and prevent them from sinking to the bottom of the Cake.
• Do chop the Plums small or it may sink to the bottom due to their weight.
• Don’t open the oven while the cake is baking because sudden temperature changes may lead to the falling of the Cakes. (sinking in the middle)
• Do insert a toothpick only if the top of the cake feels cooked. If you do it before it  is almost cooked,  the Cake may fall in that area.
• This Cake will stay good at room temperature for a few days; so please don’t refrigerate. But on the other hand it freezes well too. But once thawed, don’t refreeze or  refrigerate.
• If you want to use Brandy, add 2-3 Tablespoons while grinding the cooked Plums. Also drizzle 2-3 Tablespoons when the Cake is out of the oven and still warm. In this case the Cake will be good after a week or so.

 



Make it, enjoy the deliciousness and 
serve it to your family with love…