Fruit cake, is a traditional Christmas cake recipe which is made authentic style with dried fruits soaked in alcohol. This fruit cake is made with dried fruits, butter, sugar, eggs and flour & spices made traditional way. Christmas Fruit Cake which is made the traditional way with rum and caramel and this is one of my favorite and it turns out to be so moist. Don't have time to soak dry fruits, then try my no soak-no alcohol plum cake recipe. Learn how to make fruit cake with step by step pictures, detailed instructions and video.
Fruit Cake
Even though I have three variation of plum cake recipe in my blog. My viewers have been asking for the traditional fruit cake which has rum in it. So I decided to bake it this year and share it. I made it couple days back and i am telling you it turned out to be super yummy and loved it to the core.
When I baked this, the house was filled with the aroma of the rich dry fruits and it was totally heavenly. Loved it so much i couldn't resist smelling it.
Table of Contents
About Fruit Cake
Traditional fruit cake is baked many months ahead of Christmas. The cake is feed with more alcohol every week and let to mature. The matured cake is decorated on Christmas day sliced and served.
Traditionally more than a kilo of dried fruits is used in the making of one fruit cake. The Christmas cake doesn't have any raising agent instead eggs are used. The proportion to dried fruits to flour makes the cake a little dense and pudding like. Also this cake is baked low and slow for many hours. This is how they bake Christmas fruit cake during the victorian era.
These many days I thought that the plum cake which is sold in shops has cocoa powder in it from the dark colour. But recently I discovered that the colour comes from the dark caramel and not from the cocoa. Making the caramel is crucial, because it can get burned quite easily and the cake colour depends on it. Talking about caramel, check my caramel fruit cake.
Similar Recipes,
Chocolate plum cake, White fruit cake, Christmas Pudding, Rum Raisan Cake, Rum Fruit Cake
Watch Fruit Cake Recipe Video (small batch)
Fruit Cake Ingredients
Plain Flour - for best tasting fruit cake, use plain flour which results in tender yet moist fruit cake. If you want fruit cake made with wheat flour, check this whole wheat fruit cake recipe.
Sugar - sugar is used in caramel as well as in the cake batter. I used refined white sugar in this recipe.
Eggs - eggs is essential for making the cake soft and tender. You can check my eggless fruit cake for vegetarian option.
Butter - use soft butter which helps with the moistness of the cake. You can use salted or unsalted butter. If you are using salted butter, skip adding salt.
Raising Agent - you need both baking soda and baking powder for making the cake soft.
Dry Fruits - you can use any variety of dry fruits in this cake. I used a combination of raisins, dates, apricots, kishmish, prunes. Chop dry fruits finely and soak them in rum for few weeks. This makes the dry fruits soft and gives the unique aroma to the cake.
Nuts - You can add cashews, almonds and walnuts in the fruit cake. Don't soak them in rum, add them in the batter.
Spice Powders - ground spices like cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, cardamom and ginger are the basic spices that goes in a fruit cake.
Dried Fruits Used for Fruit Cake
Soaking dry fruits has been celebrated as a huge tradition in almost all countries. Dry fruits are soaked for all most a year prior. Liquor like rum, brandy, red wine is used for soaking of fruits. If you don't want to use alcohol you can use orange juice for soaking.
I soaked the dry fruits for 2 days, by which time the fruits soaked up the rum and was beautifully soft and plumped up. You can soak them for 1 week to 2 months. I added 1 cup of dark rum, you can increase it or decrease as you like. If you don't want to use rum, just soak the dry fruits in orange juice. Instead of rum you can use brandy or red wine as well.
You can check my No Soak Fruit Cake Recipe. Learn More about this Process. How to Soak Dried Fruits for Christmas
- 1 ½ cup seedless black raisins
- ¾ cup dates chopped finely
- ¼ cup apricot chopped finely
- ½ cup prunes chopped finely
- ¼ cup candied cherries chopped finely
- ½ cup kishmish / sultanas
- 1 cup dark rum
You can also use currants, candied orange peel, candied ginger, orange zest and lemon zest.
Expert Tips
- If you don't want to soak the fruit cake or forgot to soak the fruit cake a day in advance. You can mix the fruit cake with the remaining ingredients add 200 ML of rum and mix it well and bake.
- Dried fruits can be soaked a week in prior.
- You can add as much liquor as you like in this cake.
- Dried fruits quantity can be increased or decreased as per your preferences.
How to Make Christmas Fruit Cake (6 easy steps)
Pre Preparation
Take two 20 cm round cake pan. Line the base with parchment paper. Line the sides with parchment paper if needed. Preheat oven to 180 degree C.
Soaking Dried Fruits in Liquour
Take all dried fruits in a bowl, Add in rum and mix well. Leave it to soak over night or two months. .
Make Caramel
Take sugar in a sauce pan and cook till it is golden brown. Swirl the pan so the caramel is smooth. Pour in ¼ cup water and mix till the caramel is smooth. Set aside to cool.
Dry Ingredients
In a mixing bowl, take flour, add salt and all the spice powders and mix well. This is your dry ingredients. Set aside.
Fruit Cake Batter
Take butter, sugar and vanilla in a bowl and cream well. Add eggs and mix well. Add in half of the flour and half of caramel. Fold gently. Add remaining flour and remaining caramel and fold gently. Add soaked fruits and nuts mix well. Now spoon this in your prepared baking pan and bake in the oven.
Baking of Fruit Cake
Bake the cake. Once the time is up, remove the cake from oven and check whether it is baked. You can insert a tooth pick to check whether it comes out clean. If it comes out clean then the cake is baked. The cake will be slightly springy to touch.
Feeding the Fruit Cake (optional)
Remove the cake from oven and use a tooth pick to prick holes all over the cake.. Pour 100 ml brandy or rum over the cake while it is still hot. Leave it to cool completely.
Maturing Fruit Cake (optional)
Unwrap the cake and serve immediately or wrap the cake for Christmas. (See below, how to feed the cake)
Similar Recipes,
- Eggless White Fruit cake Recipe
- Rum Fruit Cake
- Fruit cake brownies
- Non Alcoholic Fruit Cake
- Chocolate Fruit cake
- Eggless Fruit Cake
- Christmas Tree Brownies
- Fruit cake cookies
Feeding Christmas Cake & Maturing
You can bake this cake 2 to 3 months in advance. If you are doing that way. You have to feed the cake every week until Christmas to make the perfect Christmas fruit cake. Follow the below step.
- Once the cake is baked and cooled completely. Remove from the tin. Wrap it in fresh piece of parchment paper and extra sheets of aluminium foil. Store it in a container at room temp.
- Every week remove the cake and use 50 ml of rum of brandy and brush this all over the cake generously. Wrap again and store.
- Repeat this process every week until Christmas.
- You can bake this cake 2 to 3 months in advance.
- This process will mature the fruit cake. Also prevents it from spoiling.
How to Make Fruit Cake (Stepwise pictures)
Soaking Dry Fruits in Alcohol
Take all dried fruits in a bowl or container. Pour in 1 cup rum and mix well. Leave it to soak over night. Dried fruits can be soaked a week in prior.
Pre-preparation
1)Preheat oven to 180 degree C. This recipe makes two 8 inch round cakes. You can bake this into one 8x16 cake pan as well.
To prepare the pan. Line two baking pan with parchment paper and grease with oil. Set this aside.
Dry Ingredients
2)Take plain flour in a sieve. It is best to sieve dry ingredients together so there is no lumps and the cake will be airy.
3)Add in baking soda and baking powder.
4)Add in salt and sieve it well.
5)I added spice powders into the flour. I used cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, dry ginger and cardamom. Add it directly over the sifted flour and mix well. This is your dry ingredients.
Coat dry fruits with flour
6) This step is optional but I highly recommend you to do it. I added 2 tbsp of plain flour over the soaked dry fruits and tossed well. This makes the dry fruits disperse evenly into the cake.
Make Caramel
7)Take sugar in a saucepan and heat it gently. The sugar will start to melt down. Don't stir the pan just swirl it gently so the sugar melts evenly.
8)Now you can see the sugar has reached dark caramel in colour.
9)Pour in ¼ cup of water into the caramel and stir gently. It may splatter so be careful when pouring water. Mix water with the caramel so it melts evenly. Set aside to cool.
Fruit Cake Batter
10)Take butter in a mixing bowl. The butter has to be softened.
11)Add in sugar.
13)Add in a splash of vanilla extract.
14)Use a hand blender or electric beater to mix butter with sugar and vanilla till creamy.
15)The mixture looks creamy.
16)Add in eggs. I added two eggs first and mixed it till creamy.
17)Egg is incorporated into the butter, sugar mixture.
18)Add in the remaining three eggs and whip till creamy.
19)Now the mixture is light and fluffy.
20)Add in half of the dry ingredients.
21)Pour in half of the cooled caramel water and gently fold the batter using a spatula.
22)Add in the remaining flour mixture.
23)Pour the remaining cooled caramel water.
24)Fold batter till the batter is smooth.
Adding Dried Fruits
25)Add in the flour coated dried fruits. At this point you can add chopped nuts as well. You can add ½ cup of chopped nuts. Almonds, cashews, walnuts can be used.
26)Fold the dry fruits and nuts into the batter. you can see the dried fruits is evenly distributed in the cake batter.
Baking Fruit Cake
27)Divide the batter between two cake pans. Spread the cake batter evenly.
28)Bake till cooked. Remove from oven and cool completely.
29)Once cooled invert the cake on a cooling rack.
30)Slice and serve.
Frequently Asked Questions
How to Make Caramel for Fruit Cake?
Take sugar in a sauce pan and heat it on low heat. Now it will start to crystalize. Keep stirring and it will slowly start to melt. Keep heating on low heat till it gets nice dark colour. Now take it off the heat and add in water and heat till the sugar dissolves again. Set aside cool.
How to Use Rum or alcohol in Fruit Cake
Take dry fruits in a bowl, pour 1 cup of dark rum, you can increase it or decrease as you like. I didn't add any nuts in this cake, but you can add any nuts of your choice. Just add it along with the dry fruits and soak it together. If you don't want to use rum, just soak the dry fruits in orange juice.
How to Feed Christmas Cake for Maturing?
You can bake this cake 2 to 3 months in advance. If you are doing that way. You have to feed the cake every week until christmas to make the perfect Christmas fruit cake. Follow the below step.
- Once the cake is baked and cooled completely. Remove from the tin. Wrap it in fresh piece of parchment paper and extra sheets of aluminium foil. Store it in a container at room temp.
- Every week remove the cake and use 50 ml of rum of brandy and brush this all over the cake generously. Wrap again and store.
- Repeat this process every week until Christmas.
- You can bake this cake 2 to 3 months in advance or 6 months to 1 year in advance too.
- This process will mature the fruit cake. Also prevents it from spoiling.
How to Store Fruit Cake?
You can bake this cake 2 to 3 months in advance. Once the cake is baked and cooled completely. Remove from the tin. Wrap it in fresh piece of parchment paper and extra sheets of aluminium foil. Store it in a container at room temp.
How to Decorate Christmas Cake?
- Christmas fruit cake can be served as it is on Christmas day. You can decorate it with marzipan and fondant as well. Cover the Christmas fruit cake with a sheet of rolled marzipan. Then cover it with a layer of rolled fondant.
- Use Christmas cookie cutters to cut out different shapes in the fondant and decorate the cake as per your liking.
What is the oldest known fruit cake?
Fruit cake has magnificent shelf life. The oldest Existing fruitcake was baked in 1878.
What is the story behind fruit cake?
In England, it was customary for unmarried wedding guests to put a slice of fruitcake under their pillow at night so they could dream about the person they would eventually marry. The connection was that fruitcake was traditionally the kind of cake served at British weddings.
Why is fruitcake only for Christmas?
The American tradition of eating fruitcake around the holidays stemmed from the British tradition, when the dessert was sometimes called Christmas cake or plum cake. This fruitcake was incredibly popular in Victorian England, when it became a vital part of celebrating holidays and weddings.
How long should a fruitcake mature for?
Fruit cake can mature anywhere from 3 months to a year. You have to properly feed the cake and allow it to mature.
How to Serve Fruit Cake?
Christmas fruit cake can be served as it is on Christmas day. You can decorate it with marzipan and fondant as well.
More Fruit Cake Recipes
📖 Recipe Card
Fruit Cake | Fruit Cake Recipe | Fruit Cake with Alcohol
Equipment
- Electric Beater
- Mixing Bowl
- 2 8 inch round cake pan
- Oven or OTG
Ingredients
- 1¼ cup Sugar
- 250 grams Soft Unsalted Butter
- 5 Large Eggs
- 2 tsp Vanilla Extract
- ½ cup Nuts cashew, walnuts, almonds, pista chopped finely
- 2 tbsp All Purpose Flour for tossing dry fruits
Dry Ingredients
- 2 cups All Purpose Flour / Maida
- 1 tsp Baking Powder
- ½ tsp Baking Soda
- ½ tsp Salt
- 1 tsp Ground Ginger
- 1 tsp Ground Cinnamon
- ¼ tsp Ground Cloves
- ¼ tsp Ground Nutmeg
- 1 tsp Ground Cardamom
For Caramel
- ½ cup Sugar
- ¼ cup Water
Dried Fruits for Soaking
- ¾ cup Dates chopped finely
- ¼ cup Dried Apricot chopped finely
- ½ cup Prunes chopped finely
- ½ cup Candied Cherries chopped finely
- ½ cup Kishmish | Sultanas
- 1½ cup Seedless Black Raisins
- 1 cup Dark Rum
Instructions
- Start by soaking dry fruits in rum for a day. I did it for 2 days. By this time the fruits will absorb the rum completely.
- Preheat oven to 180 degree C. Take two round 8 inch baking pan and line it with parchment paper. Butter the sides and bottom of the pan and set aside.
- Now Make Caramel. Take sugar in a sauce pan and heat it on low heat. Now it will start to crystalise. Keep stirring and it will slowly start to melt. Keep heating on low heat till it gets nice dark colour. Now take it off the heat and add in water and heat till the sugar dissolves again. Set aside so it cool.
- Take dry fruits in a bowl and toss it with 2 tblspn of flour. Set aside.
- Sieve flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, spice powders and set aside. This is your dry ingredients
- Take butter, sugar, vanilla in a bowl and beat using a electric beater till it is creamy. Add in 2 eggs first and beat till creamy. Add 3 eggs and beat again till creamy.
- Now add in half of the flour mix and half of the caramel. Fold gently. Now add remaining flour and remaining caramel and fold again. Add in dry fruit mix and fold gently.
- Pour this in the prepared pan, smooth the top and bake for 40 to 45 mins. Remove it and let it cool. Now invert it and peel off the parchment. Slice and serve.
Video
Notes
Feeding Christmas Cake & Maturing
You can bake this cake 2 to 3 months in advance. If you are doing that way. You have to feed the cake every week until Christmas to make the perfect Christmas fruit cake. Follow the below step.- Once the cake is baked and cooled completely. Remove from the tin. Wrap it in fresh piece of parchment paper and extra sheets of aluminium foil. Store it in a container at room temp.
- Every week remove the cake and use 50 ml of rum of brandy and brush this all over the cake generously. Wrap again and store.
- Repeat this process every week until Christmas.
- You can bake this cake 2 to 3 months in advance or 6 months to 1 year in advance too.
- This process will mature the fruit cake. Also prevents it from spoiling.
Tips & Tricks
- If you don't want to soak the fruit cake or forgot to soak the fruit cake a day in advance. You can mix the fruit cake with the remaining ingredients add 200 ML of rum and mix it well and bake.
- Dried fruits can be soaked a week in prior.
- You can add as much liquor as you like in this cake.
- Dried fruits quantity can be increased or decreased as per your preferences.
Storage
You can bake this cake 2 to 3 months in advance. Once the cake is baked and cooled completely. Remove from the tin. Wrap it in fresh piece of parchment paper and extra sheets of aluminium foil. Store it in a container at room temp.Decorating Christmas Cake
- Christmas fruit cake can be served as it is on Christmas day. You can decorate it with marzipan and fondant as well.
- Cover the Christmas fruit cake with a sheet of rolled marzipan. Then cover it with a layer of rolled fondant.
- Use Christmas cookie cutters to cut out different shapes in the fondant and decorate the cake as per your liking.
Serving
Christmas fruit cake can be served as it is on Christmas day. You can decorate it with marzipan and fondant as well.Nutrition
If you have any questions not covered in this post and if you need help, leave me a comment or mail me @[email protected] and I’ll help as soon as I can.
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Anonymous
Looking very nice. Will definitely try.
Anonymous
Hi .which brand rum will be good for cakes..
Wowiamfat
Old monk is the best
Anonymous
Please tel the substitute of egg for this cake
Purva Sawant
Thanks Aarathi, cake looks perfect and very tasty too.
Anonymous
While making the caramel, should we stir the sugar or leave it alone?
Evangeline Kanimozhi
hi Aarthi how r u and ur kutti darling... i have one doubt i wanna try ur Christmas Fruit Cake Recipe but my doubt is isbaking soda and aappa soda are the same or wat.. yesterday i went i serached all over the shop my area (tambaram) but didnt get but got the baking bowder
Anonymous
Thnku mam ..mam can u please tell me wat will be the alternative of egg in aforesaid cake receipe...
vishnu rastogi
Can we make this cake on gas
Hamsa
All spice powder can you tell proportion of the spices used .
Ra
Does this recipe make to cakes? Im just confused because you mentioned to line two pans and prepare.
Anitha...
Hi aarthi the cake looks yummy and I can literally taste it thru the pictures. Just a doubt can I soak the dry fruits in orange cake for 2 days?
Renee nirdosh
Hello mam , I love all your recipies and I keep trying your recipies with ease. I want to use oil instead of butter can I mam? If yes how much should i use ? Please let me know mam i have started my preparation from soaking the dry fruits.
Aarthi
@Anonymoussorry no sub
Aarthi
@AnonymousI used old cask
Aarthi
@Anonymousu have to stir it
Aarthi
@Evangeline Kanimozhiyes baking soda and aapa soda are same
Aarthi
@Anonymousno sub for eggs in this recipe
Aarthi
@vishnu rastogiu can use pressure cooker, check my pressure cooker cake recipe for instructions
Aarthi
@Anitha...Yes u can soak it in orange juice
Vini
Hi the cake looks really yummy. Plum cake is my all time favourite. Will definitely try this. Can we use oil here instead of butter.
Aarthi
@ViniButter has to be used because it gives the softness to this cake. because you have to beat till creamy.
vini
@AarthiHi thanks for the reply. One more doubt, in the picture it shows sugar is caramelised initially. But again different sugar is used with buter but not mentioned the quantity. Could you please clarify.
Vini
Hi Aarathi, I tried this recipe and it came out very good 🙂 thank you so much.
Aarthi
@viniYou need two sugar, check out the written recipe.
Anonymous
Hi Aarthi, I tried this wonderful cake and turned out superb. I will treasure this recipe and thank you for sharing. Wishing you and your family Happy New Year.
Regards,
Mages (Malaysia)
Anonymous
Hi Aarthi,
Tried this lovely recipe. Everyone loved it. The best cake of my baking!!!
God bless for sharing such a nice recipe whole-heartily.
A Very Happy and Prosperous New Year to you and your family.
Anonymous
Mam can u pls let me know the weight in grams of the amount of sugar used for caramel process ..and also the amount of water in ml for the same ..thanks
Aarthi
@Anonymousit is 100 gram of sugar and 120 ml water
Yogita kambl
Hey nice fruit cake. But what if you are vegetarian? If you want to order eggless fruit cakes you can get it at Monginis. They provide fresh and best cakes at affordable rates. Anyway's, thanks for the recipe Aarthi.
Anju
Lovely demonstration.... Will definitely try
Anonymous
Hi aarthi... Tried and me and hubby loved it.. Just a query... My kids didn't like fruits and nuts in the cake... How will the proportion be if I were to make it with Maida egg butter caramel baking powder and soda.. Something like a plain caramel cake
Anonymous
Hi, is there any substitute fr Rum?
Abc
Rum essence can be used. I tried with that and it's absolutely delicious. Just as how we get to buy at a store.
Aarthi
@Anonymoususe any fruit juices
Aarthi
@Anonymoussame propertion, just skip the fruits and nuts
Anonymous
OK thank u
.
Hi Aarthi,
Can you please tell me the size of the cake tins that you have used?
jessy ivon
hi mam i want to know that can we use brandy instead of rum for soaking dry fruits.will it affect the texture of plum cake.
Aarthi
@jessy ivonyes u can use any liquor
Aarthi
@.i have used two 18 cm cake pan
umamahi
hie akka,can i use hand whisk to beat eggs n butter here..coz i dn hav electric beater..tats y..
umamahi
can i split the batter into two?one in cake tin and one in loaf tin..and can i bake both simultaneously?if so what is d duration time to bake akka? thanks:)
Anonymous
Hi AArthi, I have tried your recipe and it is just fantastic. But i have a query, when i was checking the cake after 40 mins to see whether the cake is fully cooked, it sank from the centre. Please advisew
Aarthi
@Anonymousi think u must have added too much rising agent, or the cake pan is too small or you have opened the oven door soon, so it made the heat escape from oven and made it to sink.
Aarthi
@umamahi u can split and bake, but the loaf tin cake will take a bit of time. so keep an eye on it.
Aarthi
@umamahiyes u can use a hand whisk as well.
umamahi
can i use white butter instead of yellow butter?
Anonymous
@Aarthi Thank you for your prompt reply. ..I think I have taken small tin for tge cake...one more thing..how much batter should we put in tin(2/3rd or 3/4rd of the tin). Thanking you in advance
Aarthi
@Anonymousu can fill it half the tin
Aarthi
@umamahiyes u can use white butter
Anonymous
Hello.. I tried your recipe and it was just great.. I want to know how to store the cake and also its shelf life. Looking forward to ur reply. . Thank-you!
Rajani Menon
Hi Aarti . I'm planning to try this recipe. Just have a small doubt. The raisins that you have used in this recipe, is it seedless? I'm not finding seedless raising. Can you just help.me.with this?
Aarthi
@Anonymousu can keep it at room temp for a week. and more in fridge
Aarthi
@Rajani Menonno it is with seeds
Anonymous
Hey this looks perfect and I have a strong feeling that this probably could put an end to my quest for the perfect plum cake recipe. But I had few questions to be clarified before I try it out. Can I use a round spring form pan instead of a normal round tin? If yes, would I still have to invert the cake? N can I grease the sides of my tin with veg oil instead of butter? Would the consistency of the cake be really moist with just the butter and without any oil?
Anonymous
Hey this looks perfect and I have a strong feeling that this probably could put an end to my quest for the perfect plum cake recipe. But I had few questions to be clarified before I try it out. Can I use a round spring form pan instead of a normal round tin? If yes, would I still have to invert the cake? N can I grease the sides of my tin with veg oil instead of butter? Would the consistency of the cake be really moist with just the butter and without any oil?
Aarthi
@Anonymousyou can use spring form pan, you dont have to invert it that way. yes grease it well before baking. Yes this cake is moist and soft
anju varma
In love with ur recipes! Making this for the first time! How much orange juice shud i use? Fresh or canned? Shud the mix be kept in fridge? For how long shud i keep this mix? As usual awaiting your speedy reply..love your blog 🙂 keep it up
Anusha
Hi,
I do not understand your measurements for the flour and butter (240, 250 grams) please let me know in cups exactly. Thank you.
Anonymous
hi aarthi,its very motive to see ur blog.some dubts regarding this cake,can i use preserved orange juice like topicana ,real or to be use only fresh juice,and i dont have parchement paper,is it ok i continue with rub the pan with butter,and it seems the caramel looks dark colour,how many minutes to take to get this consistency,,bcoz at every my attempt of my sweets this caramel part spoil my sweets.caramel part is always a big challenge to me.reply me plz.
Aarthi
@Anonymous
1)You can use fresh juice for soaking the fruits
2) You can grease the pan with oil and dust it with flour and bake.
3) Caramel depends on how much heat you are applying. So stand near it and keep an eye on it.
Aarthi
Flour is 2 cups..Butter is around 1 cup + 3 tblspn
Aarthi
@anju varmaYou can use a cup of orange juice. Mix and keep it in fridge for 2 to 3 days.
Anonymous
The cake turned out gorgeous. Your recipe was bang on. Thank you so much.
Anonymous
thank u aarthi.
Anonymous
hello mam,i dont get unsalted butter and nutmeg powder.is ok with salted butter and without nutmeg powder,and one more doubt is the packed amul butter is unsalted one or salted one.in their ingredients they mention common salt..
Anonymous
My cake refused to come out of the tin. I used white sugar for the caramel process however for the batter I used brown sugar. I have an OTG the cake got burnt in the first 20 min itself . So I kept in low temp for the next 10 min and removed the cake . The taste was awesome however it looked like a pudding more than cake . Is it because of brown sugar ?
Aarthi
@AnonymousI think the cake is not baked enough
Aarthi
@Anonymousu can use salted butter as well in this recipe. but dont add salt in this recipe. amul butter is salted ones
Sangeeta S
Hi, please clarify, dry fruits soaked in liquor to be kept for 2 days. Do they need to be refrigerated?
Aarthi
@Sangeeta Sno need refrigeration
deeptiG devikar
Hi aarthi
Thanks for the wonderful recipe. I need to bake around 5 kgs of this cake. Can u tell me by how much should I multiply the quantities given by you?
Aarthi
@deeptiG devikarthis makes around 2 kgs of cake
Anonymous
Is parchment paper and trace paper is same?clarify me please.parchment paper is not available in bakeries,then where can i get this?
Anonymous
Hi aarthi, can I use mixed spices powder instead? How much shall I put? Tks!
Anonymous
@Yogita kambl there is fun to bake cake in home
Sue
Hello Arthi,
Wanted to check if brown sugar/cane sugar could be used in the Caramel syrup and with the butter because I used regular white sugar for caramel and the colour of my caramel turned out exactly like yours in the picture but yet my cake does not have a brown colour. Hence wanted to check if brown sugar helps bring out the dark brown colour in the cake.
Thanks.
Aarthi
@Sue i think u can use brown sugar for the caramel. Just take the caramel really dark but not burnt so you will get nice colour
Aarthi
@Anonymousjust use 1 tblspn of it
Anonymous
hi aarthi,answer for my doubt plz..?parchment paper paper nd trace paper is same?bcoz i tried once without paper it came out well except the shape,bcoz its sticky in the base.if u clarify my doubt i can go on .
Anonymous
is the rack is needed to bake a cake?if it so which one i use?lower rack or higher rack?
Rajani Menon
Hi Aarti.
Just one doubt. you have used 240 grms maida, & baking it in two trays.Did you bake both the cakes at one time? How did u do that? Can we do it one after the other?
But can we keep the batter prepared for so long before baking?
Please answer.
Arooshi
Loved the recipe. Thank you so much. The recipe is bang on and so easy to follow . was my first time ever baking a plum cake.
Anonymous
What is the substitute for rum. We don't use anything alcohol in our foods. Please suggest
Aarthi
@Anonymousparchment paper is same as wax paper
Aarthi
@Anonymousplace in lower rack
Aarthi
@Rajani Menonmy oven is big one, so i can bake two cake in a single rack. you can keep the cake pan aside and bake later
Aarthi
@Anonymousyou can use orange juice
Annesha Ghosh
Can I use a mixture of rum and orange juice as soaker?
Annesha Ghosh
I followed the recipe but the middle of the cake remained completely uncooked after 40mins. I baked for another 5 mins and it was a bit better. I then re-baked for 3 mins. Now the middle is like : if I put a fork maybe one tiiiinnnyy crumb will get stuck. I really don't wanna have the sides burnt or overcooked so I left it like that.
Aarthi
@Annesha Ghosheach oven will vary you have to cook till it is done. if the cake is getting dark, cover it lightly with foil and bake
Aarthi
@Annesha Ghoshyes u can use
Uma K
Hi Aarthi..do we need to soak almonds.. Walnut cashew along with other fruits?
Do we need to refigrate the soaked mix or simply keep it outside..pls reply. Thanks
umamahi
can i use half maida n half wheat flour akka?
umamahi
akka where do we keep our dryfruits with rum?in fridge or at room temp?
Aarthi
@umamahiwhen soaking dried friuits in rum, you can keep it at room temp
Aarthi
@umamahiyes u can use half maida and half wheat flour too
Aarthi
@Uma Kyes u can use any nuts.
umamahi
akka can i add 2 or 1 tbsp of orange marmalade here for some orangy flavour instead of orange candied peel?tell me some clarifications on tat akka:)
Aarthi
@umamahiyes u can add marmalade
Fariza Shafeeq
Hai Aarathi,
Tried dis recepie. I soaked fruits in orange juice and honey. It came out very well. Awesome no words to say.
Thanks a lot
Fariza Shafeeq
umamahi
akka can i use brown sugar instead of regular sugar at the cake part to get even more dark color??
umamahi
akka can i reduce one egg here?
Siva Priya R.
I am a beginner to bake. Really this helped me a lot. You are doing a great job, really appreciate it.
I had recently purchased my convection oven and Stand Mixture to ease my job.
I am not sure how long i should pre heat my oven and during whisking i can find the batter kind of fermented like how we can see in butter milk. can you provide me with some ideas how to prevent these things and make the maximum utilisation of the oven.
Thanks a lot in advance.
Aarthi
@Siva Priya R.1)10 mins is enough for preheating. or you can start preheating once you start working on the batter.
2)And the curdling of mix happens when you add wet ingredient straight into the buter and sugar mix..it is not a issue, once you add the flour the batter will get even.
Aarthi
@umamahidont reduce eggs, it will affect the texture
Aarthi
@umamahithe caramel added in this will give good colour. you can use brown sugar as well
Anonymous
Dear Aarthi,
I followed exact recipe as given by you, but did not get that colour as shown by you. Also, I use microwave to bake so I can't use tin container. I have plastic container to make the cake in microwave. But kindly guide me to have nice brown colour cake and which mode should I use and at what temperature in my microwave (mine is convection one). I tried one without fruit but burnt due to over heating (wished to get brown colour). Another one though not burnt but tasted not so good! I don't know how.
Aarthi
@Anonymousu have to bake at the same temp in convection mode.U have to bake this in convection mode in oven safe glass of aluminum moulds not in plastic.
Ajis Joseph
Excellent Recipe..... thank you for the good way of fruit cake recipe.....
Anonymous
Please aarthi can you tell me this same cake recipe for 1/2 kg....please please...I tried half the recipe but it's around 3/4 kg...that's too much for me please please I request you
Aarthi
You can only half this recipe. If we change it it will affect the texture of the cake.
Anonymous
Please reply to ma post...need to make half kg
Unknown
I tried this recipe last year... and it was a super HIT!!!!
it took we pretty long time to get the cake ready... but all worth it 🙂
This year my kids and Nanny has aready started asking "when do we start the Christmas cake preparation" And they all want more this time....
Thanks for the yummy recipe. specially the caramel syrup.
Anonymous
Hi aarti! any substitute for rum
Aarthi
U can use orange juice
Anonymous
Hi Aarthi.
I preheated oven for 180 deg and baked cake for 45 mins.. but the cake was still in batter form.
Any suggesstion?
Chitra Raju
Hi Dear,
Loved the recipe.Will this recipe work in cupcakes as well? And can i make caramel in advance?
Thanks for replying.
Rupali Kiny
Thanks a lot for the awesome recipe.....tried baking after ages with this rum cake and it turned out superb!! All liked it @home....gonna try your other cake recipes for sure now...wanted to bake few for Christmas....God bless you abundantly!
Anonymous
Thanks for the wonderful recipe. Everybody liked the cake at our home!!
anu
Hi Arathi ,can I use red wine for soaking the nuts and fruits will I get the same flavor if I soak it in red wine
Aarthi
yes you can soak in red wine too
Anonymous
Hi, is it alright to bake rum based cakes in aluminium cake tins? Will the alcohol react with the metal ?
Aarthi
yes u can bake it
Unknown
i have tried this recipe several times & its superrrrr yummm.My only query is my cake doesnt become as brown as your cake in the picture.Do i need to caramelise the sugar more to get the brown colour?
Aarthi
yes caramlizing it will give the colour
Joyline Mascarenhas
Hi Aarti,
I had tried this cake last year for Christmas. Everyone really enjoyed the cake. Thank you for sharing the recipe and spreading the joy of baking. Surely will be baking it again.
Gracy Indira
Hi aarthi, being benifeted by ur blog a lot. recipes r vry clr npicture perfect. For this cake, we must use white r brown sugar. Little confused in reading few comments
Aarthi
u can use any sugar as you wish
Sara Roshan
dear aarthy ur recipes are excellent,coz each step ur guiding with the correct measurements. Dear my plum cake gets very much darkened at the top.if i cover with aluminum foul will the cooking time will b affected?
Aarthi
if it gets too dark, just place a sheet of foil on top, dont over it completely. just place it on top.
Unknown
Thank u so much for the detailed recipe.. Tried my hands on plum cake for the first time.. Turned out yummy...only thing is the colour wasn't as dark as urs.. But thanks a million anyways!!!
Ramkumar s
hi aarthi,
could you please share the same recipe for a smaller cake. its very difficult to break this down and measure. The recipe seems really yummy. would love to try this but I only have a small microwave oven and it doesnt fit 2pans. please help
Aarthi
you can halve the recipe
Anonymous
Hi, going to make my first ever fruit cake with this recipe. I have couple of questions
Can I simply soak dried fruits in orange juice or do I need to boil the juice with fruits in it?
How many kg of cake would this recipe make?
How many grand of dried fruits would be needed?
Aarthi
You can soak the fruits in orange juice. this would make around 2 to 3 kgs
Sangeetha Sathyan
Hi Aarthi,
Been wanting to make a christmas cake every year and finally dared to bake one today and it was a grand success! Following a recipe to the tee is one thing but to expect the outcome to be perfect is a chance you take. Thank you for the detailed explanation with pictures, it helps a lot.
The only challenge I faced in this recipe was the caramel. As soon as I turned the heat off, it started to harden. So my understanding is to make it just before adding it to the batter. Please correct me if otherwise. I enjoyed making this cake as it is a favorite in the family and takes us back to wonderful memeories of Bangalore. Thanks once again and Happy Holidays!
Aarthi
if the caramel harden, add more water and boil it till it gets liquidy.
ekta
this is an awesome recipe.. i tried this cake today and it was yummmmmm !! thank you!!
Prachi
Thanks Aarthi. Delicious. Though it was not dark as yours, but yummy. Looking forward trying more recipes 🙂
Vandana
Hi why we are using two tins is this mixture for two cakes bake together
Aarthi
it makes two cakes. u can halve it
Unknown
Hi Arthi,
I have been a silent follower of your awesome site frequently. When i was trying to find a recipe for plum cake, i got urs and tried it. It was a super hit among the whole family and friends. Thank u so much for sharing.
Princy Antony
Hey Aarthi,
Thanks a ton for this yummy Christmas cake recipe. It was such a hit that I literally ate most of it:)
Just a couple of observations - my cake was not as dark as yours and the second thing it was not very soft. Any thoughts? I followed the recipe to the "t". This recipe is definitely a keeper. Thanks again.. it was pure nostalgia!
Princy
Anonymous
Hi Aarthi
I have tried plum cake recipe soaked with orange juice it came well... but again 3 rd time i baked 1kg and 1/2kg cake in 45 mins same times... after 3 days its became sticky in 1 kg cake and 1/2kg cake nothing happened... i cant identify the reason.. can u suggest plz. i use morphy richards otg 52 lt
Thanks in advance
Aarthi
Jane
Hi Arthi, Thank you for the wonderful recipe. It turned out too good. But my cake was too soft so when I cut into pieces I didn't get perfectly. Can u pls let me know where I went wrong.
Ruth Soundarya
hi Aarthi, how long can we store this cake at room temperature?
swathi
hi aarthi
could you please confirm the. size of the cake tins you used...the recipe on top says 15 cms and in one of the replies you have said 18 cms !!!
swathi
H aarthi
Could u pls confirm the size of the tins u used for this cake.The recipe says 15cms and in one of the replies you have said 18 cms!!!
swathi
hi aarthi
what is the size of the tin you used.The recipe says 15cms and in onle of the replies you have said 18 cms !!
Parvati
If we make cake using dry fruits soaked in wine,,will it taste same like the cake made using dry fruits soaked in rum? Pls reply
Aarthi
yes it will be same
Savitha
Hello Aarthi
I want to try your receipe for this Christmas. One query if I am using brown sugar what will be the quantity of sugar and butter. Thanks in advance.
Aarthi
Same quantity
Savitha
Hi Aarthi . I want to try plum cake recipe for this Christmas. Can I use Brown sugar instead of white. If yes what should be the quantity of Brown Sugar.
Aarthi
yes u can use. same amount
Malini
Hi aarthi...i have baked this cake ..for 45 mts ,,,but cake is still soft and looks as half baked ...any suggestions
Aarthi
you can cover the top loosely with foil and continue baking.
Ritz
Hello...
Can i use powdered sugar instead of granulated. If yes what about the measurements?
Aarthi
yes you can. same measurements
Raushan Gupta
Hi Aarthi,
I have been following your many recipes for a long time, thanks for sharing your amazing ideas and recipes with us.
Regards
https://yummycake.in/
Dafney
hi aarthi,
What's the shelf life in fridge, and will it be even
Soft after a week ?
Aarthi
you can store this for 3 to 4 days outside and over a week in fridge
Dafney
Thanks for ur reply, can I prepare caramel syrup one day before and how long should I bake for half a kg ?
Aarthi
yes u can. it depends. you can check after 30 mins
Anandhi
Hi aarti . I like all your receipes.
I had one doubt wen ever use d fruit and nut it vl always sink under the cake. I've tried this as you've shown above pic by adding little
Flour to it but it didn't work for me.
Aarthi
If the batter is too thin it might happen. dust little extra flour and mix
Priya
Hai Aarthi,
Making this cake right now can you please clarify when I measure 2 cups flour it weighs only 165g. Should I stick with just cup measurement.
Aarthi
My 1 cup measures 240 ml. And 2 cups of flour should weigh around 240 grams since 1 cup measures 120 grams
Dafney
Hi aarthi, I have trouble with caramel syrup. 1st thing when I kept the syrup to cool it got hard n thick, I tried heating up and it started melting. Again it was thick I dint get the running syrup, what was gone wrong ? And to make it more darker what should we do ?
Aarthi
Did you add water once the caramel colour is reached. You have cook the sugar till it reaches your preferred colour (dont take it too far else it will taste bitter).Then add in some water and mix well til it gets like a water. This way the caramel will not harden
N
Hi,
Visited this blog in search of Christmas plum cake.Last few years I have been using another recipe from joyofbaking.Must say this is an excellent recipe.The cake came out very well...flavourful with deep flavours of rum and fruit.....I suggest everyone not to make any changes like avoiding rum as rum gives an excellent flavour.
I made 2 cakes,one in loaf tin and another in 6" pan.i covered top after 30 min to avoid burning.this cake does take a long time to bake.i suggest avoid using loaf pan....it took 65 min to bake in loaf tin...this cake does take longer time to bake compared to other cakes.however worth the effort
Jaya
Can i use White rum . My husband bought it mistakenly and I saw the reciepe says dark rum? will it taste the same as expected?
Aarthi
yes u can
priya
Tried this cake recipe..it came out very well...Thank you so much for this wonderful recipe...
Grace
Hello, butter is improbable to find in my village.. I can only get oil.. please suggest what to do.. and if I can how much to replace
Aarthi
use oil
Rani Mathew
I baked it today and the cake came out real good. I have seen few of your other recipes too and today I came to know that you are Nameeta's friend.. So I decided to pay my comment. Thanks for the wonderful recipe
Jaya
Hello..
A quick doubt..at what temperature do we need to bake the same ?
Please respond
Aarthi
It is already mentioned in the recipe. bake at 180 degree C
Jaya
Hi
A quick question..at what temperature do we need to bake ?
Thanks in advance
Aarthi
it is mentioned in the recipe. it is 180 degree C
Niru
Hey Aarthi! Thanks for a lovely recipe. I halved it and used a loaf tin to bake. It took about 65 minutes in my oven. The results were fabulous! Such yumminess! 😍
T. Bharathi
Hi Aarthi,
Tried your recipe. It came out well. I baked at 180 degrees and my cake got burnt at the sides.
My question is if I reduce the temperature to 160 degrees and bake for 45 minutes, will the texture gets affected? And will it take even more time to cook than the mentioned time in recipe. If so kindly mention the timings at 160 degrees.
Thank you and awaiting for your reply.
Aarthi
bake at 180 degree C, if you see your cake getting too dark, you can place a sheet of foil on top, so it helps preventing the cake geting too dark. Dont cover completely, just place a sheet of foil or top.
Smitha
Thank you for this wonderful recipe. It is one of the best cakes I have made. Everyone loved it. Very detailed and easyy to follow instructions too. Loved it
Susan
Hi..tried this recipe and came out really well. Thanks for the detailed recipe.
Dhanya
Is this half kg plum cake?
Priya
Hi Aarthi,
Can I use brandy instead of rum in this recipe?
shalini
please can you advise the amount of dry fruits in gms
Vasanta
Followed exactly the same and cake turned out really very very well! Yummy!Much better than the well know bakery cakes in hyderabad. Received many compliments from everyone who tasted it.
My christmas was pretty well celebrated with this cake.
A big thank you for sharing such a secret recipe.
Vini
This is the best cake ever. Excellent recipe!! This is the second year that I m baking this cake and it comes out really well!! Thankyou so much for sharing the recipie
Thriptha
Hai mam, i Just wnat to konw abouts 2kg plum cake recipe.. in grams please help me ,
shraddha deepak shenoy
Hi aarthi, i am a great fan of all your bakes....but one question, in most of the plum cakes that i hv read, there is a mention of almond flour......so in your recipe can we substitute a small amt of apf with almond meal ?? Just wanted to know....
Thanks in advance
MB
Truly lovely recipe. Thank you. The cake came out awesome
Shalini Goveas
At what temperature do we bake you missed a crucial point
Aarthi
it is mentioned in written part. 180 degree c.
Kalyani
Hi ... in the US we get large eggs... Can I still use 5eggs or cut down one egg??
Thank you
Aarthi
u can try cut own one
Dharshini
I made the cake. It is one of the best I have made. I never left comment. Got married in 2012 started cooking with ur recipes. Never tried ur cake.
Replaced rum with orange juice.
Thought of sharing with friends, but husband said no need☺️what else do u need
Thank my secret chef 😁
Swaranatara
Good Recipe
Can i buy fruits online in chennai?
this recipe fruit
Renee nirdosh
Hello mam , I love all your recipies and I keep trying your recipies with ease. I want to use oil instead of butter can I mam? If yes how much should i use ? Please let me know mam i have started my preparation from soaking the dry fruits.
Deepaa
Hi,
Can i use readymade caramel syrup which are available in market? if yes how much?
Aarthi
actually they have added butter and cream. It is best to use homemade.
Kripa Shyam
Hi arthi
Unable to bake due to power shutdown. This happened after preparing batter. Can I refrigerate the batter?
How long before baking should I keep the batter out?
Aarthi
You can keep the batter covered upto 2 hours at room temp.
Aisha
Hello, what Is the pan size for your cake Aarthi?
Aarthi
it is basic round cake pan around 8 inch
K
Hey i tried this yesterday, the one i tried in the oven got burnt fom the side before it was fully baked so baked the next one in convection oven. Also my batter had split when i mixed butter sugar egg , say by the 2nd batch eggs but it all came together with the flour mixture. It looks good, little low on sugar and that could be because i used a mix of white and brown sugar.
Thanks for sharing the recipe in such detail. Merry christmas
Jessica
To make a smaller cake can I simply cut the recipe and ingredients into half?
Jessica
Hi Aarthi, To double or triple the recipe, could you share the list of ingredients and quantity required? When I click on '2x' or '3x', the recipe does not refresh and update. The page is not refreshing at all, for some reason. So could you please share the full recipe for doubling and tripling it? Thanks a lot.
I tried the recipe for '1x' and the cake came out absolutely tasty. Thanks for this recipe.
Aarthi
Now its been edited. Can you check now.
Belly Amy's
Amazing recipe! I'll definitely try this once.
Chocolaty
fruit cake is a delightful blend of vibrant flavors and moist goodness, perfect for any celebration!
Anjali
I made this pretty much as directed, except that I reduces the sugar to 1 cup, which was just right for us; and used molasses which I had, instead of caramelising the sugar. Soaked the fruit for three days. This was my first ever attempt at a Christmas cake, it came out absolutely perfect. I'd read somewhere that such cakes need long baking at lower temp., so did 55 min at 170. Fabulous. Am going to make this again and again! Thanks so much.
Akanksha Sharma
Wow, this plum cake recipe is a treat! It’s great to see traditional favorites shared in such a clear and approachable way.