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Ruchik Randhap

Food & Memories of Mangalore

You are here: Home / All Posts / Kerala Plum Cake | Kerala Christmas Cake | The Ultimate Winner + Video!

December 28, 2010

Kerala Plum Cake | Kerala Christmas Cake | The Ultimate Winner + Video!

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A couple of weeks ago I baked the first Christmas cake in ages that turned out alright. Infact it was quite good as people who tasted it said so. But since I didnt get the desired colour (I prefer my Christmas cake in a deep brown colour) I hunted like crazy for the perfect recipe & found one on Ria’s Collection. Made a few changes here & there as per my taste & the ingredients available and the outcome was a fabulously moist & delicious cake!! Everybody liked it in Mangalore where I spent my Christmas this year.
 
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This cake is worth the trouble you take to make it (gathering the ingredients, weighing them, blah blah). You dont need to soak the fruits for donkey’s years and the cake doesnt smell too heavily of the rum (last year’s cake was so drenched in rum that I got a little dizzy & so did my polite guests). I havent baked cakes for years, neither did my mom, so I decided to give myself another chance {and probably burn this one too – Marriages should be rock solid…not cakes 🙂 }with another recipe out of the million’s of recipes that I’ve gathered over the years. This one is the sure winner!
 
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Here’s the video of how to make Kerala Plum Cake ! I hope you enjoy it!

If you liked this video please do subscribe to my channel! Also, like, share & comment on it! It will really really motivate me to shoot more videos!

Kerala Plum Cake | Kerala Christmas Cake | Christmas Fruit Cake

 
 
 
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Kerala Plum Cake – Christmas Cake – The Ultimate Winner

Kerala Plum Cake is a rich, dark and intensely flavourful fruit cake with aromatic spices that makes it one of the best cakes you can make during Christmas
4 from 3 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Baking
Cuisine: Indian
Keyword: Cake, Fruit Cake, Kerala Recipe, Plum Cake
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Soaking time: 16 hours
Total Time: 17 hours 45 minutes
Calories: 260kcal
Author: Shireen Sequeira

Ingredients

Fruits to be soaked (for a minimum of 16-24 hours)

  • 500 grams mixed dry fruits * see note#1
  • 2 tbsp jam or fruit preserve/conserve of your choice
  • 1/2 cup orange juice freshly extracted preferably
  • 90 grams granulated white sugar (6 tablespoons)
  • 75 ml rum (to pour over the cakes) (5 tablespoons)
  • 15 ml vanilla extract (1 tablespoon)
  • 1/4 tsp ground clove (or 12 cloves powdered)
  • 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon (or 1 inch stick cinnamon powdered)
  • 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg (or 1/2 nutmeg powdered)

For the cake:

  • 250 grams unsalted butter (1-1/3rd cups)
  • 200 grams powdered or caster sugar (1cup+2 tbsp) *see note#2
  • 5 eggs separated (place all egg whites in one bowl & each yolk in a separate bowl)
  • 90 grams granulated sugar (6 tablespoons)
  • 200 grams all purpose flour /plain flour (1-2/3rd cups)
  • 1-1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 100 grams cashew nuts or walnuts (approx 1 cup), roughly chopped
  • 180 ml milk (3/4th cup) at room temperature
  • 50 grams semolina (1/3rd cup)
  • pinch of salt
  • For the Caramel which gives the dark colour to the cake:
  • 300 grams granulated sugar (1-1/2 cups)
  • 3/4 cup hot water freshly boiled

Instructions

Soak the fruits

  • Finely chop all the dry fruits and soak them in a wide bowl along with the rest of the ingredients mentioned under ‘Fruits to be soaked’. Fruits need to be soaked at least for 16-24 hours at room temperature or for as long as you wish (a month or two in advance – preferably in a very cool place or in the refrigerator)

Prepare the oven & cake tins

  • Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius for about 10 minutes. Grease two 9″ pans thoroughly with butter and line them with baking paper/ parchment. Do not skip this step as the long bake time can burn your cake.

Prepare the caramel (when you are almost ready with the batter)

  • Place the sugar in a heavy bottomed saucepan (or kadhai) over medium flame. The colour will slowly change from white to brown to deep brown (almost black). Simmer & stir continuously to keep the liquid from frothing over.
  • Add freshly boiled hot water a little at a time and stir it. Ensure to keep at a safe distance as the boiling liquid can splutter on your face. Watch out!

Prepare the batter

  • Beat the separated egg whites and granulated sugar (6 tbsps) till fluffy and set aside. Sift the flour, baking powder and salt a couple of times and keep aside. Roll the chopped nuts in a tablespoon of flour to prevent them from sinking to the bottom of the cake. Keep aside.
  • In a large bowl (suitable for batter for two cakes) cream together the butter and powdered sugar adding the yolks one at a time. Beat well for about a minute after each addition. Add the soaked fruits and mix well.
  • Add the sifted flour mixture & semolina and fold.
  • Add the milk and fold. Pour in the caramel and mix carefully. Add the beaten egg whites and the chopped nuts.

Bake the cake

  • Pour the batter into the prepared cake pans and bake for approx 1-1/2 hours or till the skewer comes out clean. The surface will be a deep brown. Baking time may vary depending on the oven size and type. Keep an eye on the cakes on the completion of 1 hour.
  • When done, remove and allow the cakes to cool in the tins for about 10-15 minutes before transferring onto a wire mesh/rack. Pour 2 tbsp of rum over the hot cake (continue to feed the cake with rum till it is ready to be cut – this is optional)
  • Sift icing sugar over the cakes if you wish to decorate it.

Notes

1. I used an assortment of raisins (golden), black currants (deseeded), apricots, cranberries, candied peel/tutti frutti, glace cherries, tropical dry fruits such as pineapple, papaya, mango, chikku, etc. Avoid using dates as it can make the cake too sweet. Figs can be used but the seeds can be crunchy (avoidable)
2. I have used regular granulated sugar – powdered after measuring, caster sugar and also dark muscovado sugar. The regular sugar makes the cake a tad too sweet while dark muscovado (use 1 packed cup) gives the cake a lovely flavour and a deeper colour.
Baking time may vary a little depending on the type of oven. I used a tiny OTG which is too small to place two tins side by side, so I had to juggle a bit by shifting them on the top & bottom racks which resulted in an almost burnt surface on one of the two cakes thanks to the heating rods being too close – this is when the parchment paper does its job of protecting the cake from getting burnt
3. Add the caramel to the batter when it is still hot..if you let it cool it will turn sticky and soon into a hard mess. Adding the caramel while it is still boiling hot wont scramble the eggs in the batter, don’t worry 🙂

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts
Kerala Plum Cake – Christmas Cake – The Ultimate Winner
Amount per Serving
Calories
260
% Daily Value*
Fat
 
9
g
14
%
Saturated Fat
 
5
g
31
%
Trans Fat
 
0.3
g
Polyunsaturated Fat
 
1
g
Monounsaturated Fat
 
3
g
Cholesterol
 
43
mg
14
%
Sodium
 
26
mg
1
%
Potassium
 
210
mg
6
%
Carbohydrates
 
43
g
14
%
Fiber
 
1
g
4
%
Sugar
 
24
g
27
%
Protein
 
3
g
6
%
Vitamin A
 
259
IU
5
%
Vitamin C
 
7
mg
8
%
Calcium
 
26
mg
3
%
Iron
 
1
mg
6
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Disclaimer

The nutritional values are only indicative.

Tried this recipe?Please leave a comment & rate the recipe below or share a photo on Instagram and tag me @ruchikrandhap
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Filed Under: All Posts, Bakes, Cakes, Cupcakes & Brownies, Christmas, Festive Cooking, Recipes With Video Tagged With: Best Christmas Cake Ever, Cakes, Christmas Cake, Christmas Cakes, Dark Coloured Christmas Cake, Plum Cake, Rich Fruit Cakes, Rich Fruit Plum Cake

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Comments

  1. Giggi says

    December 29, 2010 at 8:06 am

    Wow Shir! This cake looks yummy..
    Will try it some time.
    First I need to make the honeycomb cake. Have stocked things but just cant find time to make it. Check it out on Ria's.

    Reply
  2. Ria Mathew says

    September 27, 2011 at 2:12 pm

    Hey lady! I didn't know you tried this one out 🙂 Looks fabulously moist! I am always waiting for Christmas just so that I can bake a fruit cake and make some homemade wine 🙂

    So glad you liked it!

    Thanks Giggi, I hope you finally found sometime to make it 🙂

    Reply
    • Lida says

      October 10, 2020 at 7:13 am

      Hi Shirin, shoul I coat even the soaked fruits in flour? Won’t they sink to the bottom?

      Reply
      • Shireen Sequeira says

        October 10, 2020 at 9:59 pm

        Hi Lida,

        There is no need to coat the soaked fruits. The cake is meant to be dense with fruit so it won’t matter and they don’t really sink to the bottom as such

        Reply
  3. Anonymous says

    December 17, 2011 at 10:38 pm

    This looks so delicious. Have never made an xmas cake…..tempted to try one! My Jamaican walking partner gave me a big chunk of her xmas cake. I was feeling tipsy after I bite …..it was soo good but she eyeballs the whole thing so no recipe and am sure it was the Jamaican rum which really hit me.
    Donna

    Reply
  4. Anonymous says

    December 26, 2011 at 6:50 am

    Hi Shireen, I tried your cake and it came out really well. Everyone liked it a lot. Thanks a lot for the recipe. It tasted heavenly ….. Very Merry Christmas to you and your family and a wonderful New year….cheers… Reshma

    Reply
  5. Michelle Pinto says

    November 11, 2012 at 5:36 pm

    Hi Shireen. Once again many congratulations on the arrival of the rightly called Princess in your lives, she's truly gorgeous. I'm really lucky to be related to you, because there are so many blogs out there and somehow I discovered most of them through yours, but yours is extremely special to me, because I don't get personalised tips on any other ;-). There are people who walk in to our lives and introduce us to new passions or help us discover passions, as in my case- BAKING. I thought baking was rocket science, the most difficult activity, even more crazy than science experiments, but as I tried your recipes one after another, it just felt like I was born to bake. A big thanks to you for being there, guiding me and laughing through my few disasters, remember the baking soda fiasco ;-). The Christmas cake I baked following this recipe is a huge hit, thanks once again and revel in the joys of that little beauty. mwaaaah.

    Reply
  6. Shruti Nargundkar says

    December 16, 2012 at 8:22 am

    Wow! Shireen- just imagine prepping all this and then baking it in a small OTG!
    Now that's what I call a super chef! 🙂

    Reply
  7. Shireen Sequeira says

    December 16, 2012 at 4:59 pm

    Thank you Shruti!! U r too kind with your compliment 🙂

    Reply
  8. Shruti Nargundkar says

    December 19, 2012 at 2:40 pm

    http://desouzajoy.blogspot.com.au/2011/12/kokkisanroce-cookiesrose-cookies.html

    hey Shireen- do check this out – I thought I should alert you to this possible plagiarism!

    Reply
  9. Anonymous says

    January 4, 2013 at 12:25 am

    This came out really good. Thanks Shireen..
    How many days can I store this cake?

    Reply
  10. Shireen Sequeira says

    January 4, 2013 at 2:53 pm

    @ Anonymous: Thanks so much, you can store the cake in a cool place for about a week (if you have used rum at the soaking stage and splashed some more on the freshly baked cake) – it will keep longer when refrigerated

    Reply
  11. mw2988 says

    September 17, 2013 at 12:40 pm

    hey shireen- this cake looks heavenly!!! can't wait for christmas!

    Reply
  12. Shireen Sequeira says

    September 18, 2013 at 5:52 pm

    @mw2988 – thanks and pls let me know how you liked it!

    Reply
  13. Viju says

    December 5, 2013 at 1:06 pm

    Hey, the cake looks nice! 🙂 I am definitely going to try baking fruit cake this time. But I am curious to know if the cake rise, like normal cakes. Waiting for the reply!

    Reply
  14. Viju says

    December 5, 2013 at 1:09 pm

    Hey! The cake looks yumm! Just a small question. Will the cake rise like normal cakes?

    Reply
  15. Shireen Sequeira says

    December 6, 2013 at 3:58 pm

    Hi Viju, Well, since there is a leavening agent (baking powder), the cake will definitely rise, but since it is loaded with dry fruits it won't have a fluffy texture like a sponge cake but will be dense & thick

    Reply
  16. Viju says

    December 7, 2013 at 10:19 am

    Thank you, Shireen! Oh, the cake should be 'dense and thick' 😉 Was wondering if I could put the whole batter in a 9" cake pan, as the height of the pan is a little more than 2". Otherwise, I have to halve the recipe, as I can't put two cake pans into my oven. You know how cumbersome it can be! 😐

    Reply
  17. Shireen Sequeira says

    December 7, 2013 at 6:36 pm

    Hey Viju…don't be tempted to put the whole batter in one tin. I suggest you buy another tin of 9'' or just divide and bake it twice like I did once. I used to have a tiny oven (OTG) and one Christmas I just put the cake batter in whatever sized cake tins I had…the cumbersome part was to check on the cakes now & again as each cake baked differently owing to the pan size

    Reply
  18. Viju says

    December 9, 2013 at 10:00 am

    I do have another pan, but I can't put them both into my oven. Do you think I could prepare the batter once and keep half of it in the fridge for later(after the first one is baked?)

    Reply
  19. Shireen Sequeira says

    December 9, 2013 at 2:13 pm

    Yes, thats what I meant…u can bake it one after the other. Place the pan in the fridge till then…i have done it several times without even placing the pan in the fridge…the batter won't go bad that easily. Good luck!

    Reply
  20. Viju says

    December 10, 2013 at 9:07 am

    Oh ok! I thought it wouldn't rise, if I kept the batter out, for a long time! Thank you! Hope you have a great Christmas! 🙂

    Reply
  21. Al says

    February 24, 2014 at 5:02 am

    For big gingers like me you should not mislead by not giving full information. You never mentioned in what the dry fruits have to be soaked. I soaked them in water. If it has to be rum you have not mentioned the quantity. Please take care of this.

    Reply
  22. Shireen Sequeira says

    February 24, 2014 at 11:19 am

    @ Al: I doubt if you have read the recipe properly at all, because if you did, you would know what I have clearly mentioned above "Finely chop all the dry fruits and soak them in a wide bowl along with the rest of the ingredients mentioned under 'Fruits to be soaked' ". Please read again what the rest of the ingredients are –

    2 tbsp jam or fruit preserve/conserve of your choice
    1/2 cup orange juice (freshly extracted preferably)
    90gm /6 tbsp sugar
    75ml/5 tbsp rum + extra to pour over the cakes (optional)
    15ml/1 tbsp vanilla extract
    1/4 tsp ground clove (or 12 cloves powdered)
    1/2 tsp ground cinnamon (or 1 inch stick cinnamon powdered)
    1/4 tsp ground nutmeg (or 1/2 nutmeg powdered)

    Kindly do not falsely accuse me of misleading you when you have not taken care to even read the recipe. If you see I have even mentioned how much rum to be used!!!

    And by the way, I guess you meant beginner, not big ginger!!

    Reply
    • Yules says

      December 8, 2014 at 10:26 am

      Haha….u never mentioned water anywhere…guess the guy is in love….coz love makes someone blind…

      Reply
    • nupoor desai says

      December 26, 2015 at 9:06 pm

      Lol… The recipe has minutest detail mentioned..rather explained…I just made one batch n the next is in oven..waiting for the. First one to cool down.. Can't wait to taste 😀

      Reply
  23. Sheeba Nalini says

    December 16, 2014 at 11:14 am

    Hi Shireen. Thanks for the lovely recipe. Can you tell how should the temperature of the caramel be when adding to the batter-Sheeba

    Reply
  24. Sheeba Nalini says

    December 16, 2014 at 11:18 am

    Hi Shireen. Tks for the lovely recipe. How hot should the caramel be while adding to the batter. The other day when I cooled it a bit, it became sticky like a glue stick!!

    Reply
  25. Shireen Sequeira says

    December 17, 2014 at 4:25 am

    @ Sheeba Nalini: The caramel should be added immediately to the batter – when it is still hot and bubbly. Once it cools down it begins to turn sticky and hard and then you may have to discard it. So always add when it is still in its liquid state

    Reply
  26. Hazel says

    January 3, 2015 at 2:29 pm

    Hi Shireen, This is an awesome recipe, baked 3 batches this Christmas and all of then turned out super yum. Thanks for sharing your recipe.

    Reply
  27. Shireen Sequeira says

    January 7, 2015 at 2:46 pm

    @ Hazel: Thanks so much for your feedback! Glad you enjoyed it 🙂

    Reply
  28. Sheeba Nalini says

    January 27, 2015 at 10:11 am

    Hi Shireen, I baked this cake 10 days before Christmas and fed it with Rum every alernate days. It was simply superb!! Thank you.

    Reply
  29. Shireen Sequeira says

    January 29, 2015 at 3:45 am

    @ Sheeba: Thrilled to hear your feedback! The idea of feeding rum for a few days sounds great! 🙂

    Reply
  30. Sonu says

    April 30, 2015 at 10:23 am

    Hi dear can you please tell me if I can add red sweet wine instead of rum

    Reply
  31. Shireen Sequeira says

    June 3, 2015 at 4:09 pm

    @ Sonu: You can add red sweet wine, no probs!

    Reply
  32. Ace says

    December 5, 2015 at 9:51 pm

    hi there , its so close to christmas n hence a speedy response wud b really appreciated .
    can i use molasses instead of caramel, if yes..how much do u suggest?

    Reply
  33. Shireen Sequeira says

    December 6, 2015 at 9:08 am

    @ Ace: I have never used molasses but have seen recipes that call for it. I guess its a good substitute, so you could try substituting with the same amount called for in this recipe

    Reply
  34. Neha Gattani says

    December 15, 2015 at 6:02 pm

    I am planning to make the cake for Christmas. Please tell me if I can use bourbon instead of rum.

    Reply
  35. blossom says

    December 22, 2015 at 7:43 am

    Hi Shrireen. Do you have the recipe halved. I'm planning bake just one cake would appreciate if you could pass me link to the same. Speedy response appreciated.

    Reply
  36. Shireen Sequeira says

    December 22, 2015 at 8:08 am

    @ Blossom: Hi! I don't have the recipe halved, but you can exactly halve it. For the eggs (which are 5, just use 2 eggs+1 yolk) Hope it helps!

    Reply
  37. Unknown says

    December 26, 2015 at 6:44 pm

    Hi Ms. Sequeira, I religiously followed every step and got brilliant results.. thank you for the recipe. I missed being home this Christmas and did not want to bother mom during her vacation and also followed your Sannas recipe..results were quite good on that too! thanks again.

    Compliments of the season to you and your family.

    Reply
  38. Shireen Sequeira says

    December 29, 2015 at 5:50 am

    @ Unknown: Thanks a ton for the great feedback!! I am so glad that this cake and the sanna worked out well for you. Compliments of the season to you too!

    Reply
  39. Kavya Pinto says

    October 29, 2016 at 12:55 pm

    Hey shireen this cake looks absolutely gorgeous! Cant wait to try it. Do you also have a walnut christmas cake recipe. Thank you

    Reply
  40. Kavya Pinto says

    November 22, 2016 at 10:51 am

    Hi Shireen,

    Is this cake approximately 1kg?

    Thanks

    Reply
  41. Shireen says

    December 4, 2016 at 6:02 am

    @ Kavya: I do have a walnut cake recipe. Here's the link below. Pls copy and paste it on a new browser
    https://www.ruchikrandhap.com/2013/02/walnut-cake.html

    Also, date & walnut cake
    https://www.ruchikrandhap.com/2012/12/date-walnut-cake-celebrating-1-million.html

    Reply
    • Kavya Pinto says

      December 4, 2016 at 5:12 pm

      Thank you very much

      Reply
  42. Preeya Crasta says

    December 15, 2016 at 4:54 pm

    Hi Shereen, waiting to try this recepie.. but need answers to some queries..Can we mature this cake. If yes, how do we do it and for long can we preserve it at room temperature.

    Reply
  43. Unknown says

    December 23, 2016 at 6:20 am

    Hi Shireen,
    This recipe is a keeper!

    I religiously follow it every year 😀
    This xmas I made three cakes scaling the ratios.( Was pretty nervous abt that! )and was a huge success ! Thanks for sharing!
    Wish u a merry Christmas and Happy new year!!
    -Jancy

    Reply
  44. Jancy says

    December 23, 2016 at 6:20 am

    Hi Shireen,
    This recipe is a keeper!

    I religiously follow it every year 😀
    This xmas I made three cakes scaling the ratios.( Was pretty nervous abt that! )and was a huge success ! Thanks for sharing!
    Wish u a merry Christmas and Happy new year!!
    -Jancy

    Reply
  45. Kanika says

    December 26, 2016 at 12:10 pm

    Dear Shireen,
    The name of this cake does absolute justice!tried a Christmas cake for the first time ever! And God, this is heavenly!!!!
    Thanks a lot, this was a total super hit! And quite easy too, even though I almost gave up while making caramel, that took me a while. Well worth every step of it. Merry Christmas!!
    Kanika

    Reply
  46. Shireen says

    January 3, 2017 at 6:05 am

    @ Kanika: So happy to hear your positive feedback about this cake and glad that everything went well with the making of the caramel 🙂 Happy New Year to you and yours!

    Reply
  47. Shireen says

    January 3, 2017 at 6:09 am

    @ Jancy: Thanks so much!!

    Reply
  48. D Das says

    January 3, 2017 at 9:00 am

    Hi Shireen,

    I made this cake over the weekend and it came out heavenly if not perfect! So, I have certain questions:
    1) My cake did not have the dark brown colour like yours – but more like a dark but golden brown – what could be the reason for this? Did you use brown sugar? Does the level of Rum decide this?
    2) My batter became liquid like after adding Caramel Syrup – I added 1.5 cups of sugar +3/4 cup water. I think I understood this point incorrectly -please clarify the volume of caramel syrup.
    Also what was the consistency of your batter since fruit cake batters are generally heavy.Please do reply as I plan to make this cake again after rectifying the above errors.

    Thanks again for the wonderful recipe!

    Reply
  49. Shireen says

    January 4, 2017 at 10:01 am

    @ D Das: Glad to know that you liked the cake. Here are my responses:

    1. The caramel needs to be dark. Almost deep brown-black when you burn it. The colour of the cake is determined by the colour of the caramel. Yes I did use brown sugar in the cake. For the caramel I used regular white granulated sugar. Rum is for the flavour and not so much for the colour

    2. Yes, the batter is very runny after the addition of the caramel syrup hence the baking time is long (1-1/2 hours) and also results in a super moist and non crumbly cake. Yes you have used 1-1/2 cups sugar (should be 300 grams if you are using standard cup size) and 3/4th cup (180ml) freshly boiled water). I have never measured the volume of the caramel syrup as it is always scorching hot. If you have followed the proper method to make the caramel you cannot go wrong.

    Consistency as I mentioned was very loose and not thick like regular fruit cake batters. I guess you are on the right path! Just make sure you arrive at a darker colour of caramel so that you get a darker coloured cake.

    All the best and do let me know how it turns out!

    Reply
    • TJ says

      April 23, 2020 at 2:22 am

      Hi, this “ Almost deep brown-black” caramelised sugar taste a bit bitter right? Whenever I try to get the deep shade, I feel it tastes bitter!

      Reply
      • Shireen Sequeira says

        April 25, 2020 at 8:43 pm

        Hi TJ,

        Yes, the deep brown caramel does taste a tad bitter but for this cake it is required as it cuts down the sweetness of the cake. You could however take the caramel off the heat when it reaches a golden/amber colour and add the boiling water to arrest further caramelization

        Reply
  50. D Das says

    January 5, 2017 at 9:26 am

    Hi Shireen,

    The Reply button wont work!! Thanks for the detailed response – cleared my doubts ,but I do have one last questions.Won't the dry fruits all sink in a runny batter?

    Reply
  51. Shireen says

    January 5, 2017 at 7:18 pm

    D Das: Thanks for raising a very valid point. I need to update my post about the same. Yes, the fruits do sink in the batter because of which you need to scoop them out and divide them equally between the baking pans or else if you simply pour from the mixing bowl into the pans one of them will get too many fruits and the other will get more of the liquid. Since I always double or triple the recipe and bake in several loaf pans instead of two round pans I have always made it a point to equally divide the batter – the liquidy portion and the fruits.

    Reply
  52. Shefali says

    November 4, 2017 at 7:17 am

    Hallo , please help to elaborate on the fruits . Is it peels and fruits only or includes nuts as well . Can the ratio of nuts to dry peels etc be increased ? The total to remain same at 500gm.
    Thanks shefali

    Reply
    • Shireen Sequeira says

      November 28, 2017 at 11:53 am

      Hi Shefali,

      The nuts (cashewnuts) proportion is given separately. For the fruit, you can use a mix of dry fruits or dried peels – it can be any ratio as long as the total weight of the dry fruits is 500gm

      Reply
  53. Sylvester says

    November 7, 2017 at 1:28 am

    Hello Shireen,

    The cake looks irresistible!

    few questions:

    -isn’t the Sugar quantity too much? 300gms + 90gms+200gms+sweetness of jam?
    – so if the caramel should goes deep brown – will it not have burnt bitter taste?
    – can plam jaggery be used instead of caramel? I read somewhere that this a good substitute for black treacle or molasses..
    – why is rava used here?

    Reply
    • Shireen Sequeira says

      November 28, 2017 at 11:51 am

      Hi Sylvester,

      I have responded to your queries in another comment. Regarding the rava it is just to add texture to the cake. You may replace the quantity with all purpose flour (maida)

      Reply
  54. Sylvester says

    November 11, 2017 at 11:15 pm

    Hello Shireen,

    The cake looks great and irresistible.

    few questions

    1. isn’t the Sugar too much 300 + 90gms+200gm + jam ?
    2. so if the caramel is deep brown will not taste bitter?
    3. I read molasses or black treacle can be used for colour and flavour, since this is expensive can palm jaggery (karupatti) be used? just a thought what’s your take?

    4. When oil is used the cake is more moist compared to butter, can a combination of butter+oil be used?

    Will be baking for this Christmas just wanted to clarify?

    Do let me know.

    Reply
    • Shireen Sequeira says

      November 28, 2017 at 11:40 am

      Hi Sylvester,

      My apologies for the delay in responding to your queries:
      1. The cake is slightly on the sweeter side. You may reduce it if you wish, but I find the taste perfect.
      2. Caramel is deep brown for the colour but do take care not to let it turn black as it will give out a burnt taste
      3. This recipe doesn’t require molasses or black treacle. You can use karupatti, melted and strained to remove any dust particles instead of the sugar caramel, I am sure the taste will be good but it will have a strong taste of jaggery for sure, but the idea is not bad! 🙂
      4. Yes, you can use a combination of oil and butter but this cake is incredibly moist anyways and plus if you use oil in the place of butter the batter may turn more liquidy than you want and you may need an extra few minutes to bake the cake – again, this is something that I haven’t tried so it is totally your call!

      Reply
  55. Liz says

    December 4, 2017 at 3:49 am

    Hi Shireeen,

    Christmas greetings to you. Thank you for uploading a lovely Christmas cake recipe. I made it for the first time and the end result looked different to your picture. The cake was bottom heavy, it was dense and not airy like a cake. Could you tell me what would be the reason for this? I did scoop the mixture as mentioned in an earlier comment. Thank you.

    Reply
    • Shireen Sequeira says

      December 4, 2017 at 8:35 pm

      Hi Liz,

      Christmas greetings to you too! Well, this cake is meant to be dense and not airy at all. This kind of plum cake (as we call it) is pretty famous down South India and when sliced results in non-crumbly, compact pieces of cake that is dark, intensely sweet cake. This is one of my favourite cakes. I hope I can take a picture of the cake when I make it again this time and upload it here!

      Reply
  56. Macqueen Coelho says

    December 7, 2017 at 6:52 pm

    Hi Shireen.
    This recipe looks lovely. I would want to try this over the weekend. However I have a doubt regarding sugar for preparing the cake. Note 2 reads “I have used regular granulated sugar – powdered after measuring, caster sugar and also dark muscovado sugar. The regular sugar makes the cake a tad too sweet while dark muscovado (use 1 packed cup) gives the cake a lovely flavour and a deeper colour

    1. Can I substitute powdered sugar with Brown sugar? If Yes, do I use 200 grams/1cup +2 tbsp as mentioned here or should I change the quantity?
    2. In your note, did you mean to say you have used combination of powdered and brown sugar both to make it 200 gms? Also, did you powder the granulated sugar yourself? (Sorry didn’t get your note clearly ;-)) So want to clarify.

    Thanks so much.

    Reply
    • Shireen Sequeira says

      December 11, 2017 at 10:28 am

      Hi Macqueen,

      Apologies for the delay! Your queries are answered below:
      1. Yes you can uses powdered sugar which is regular granulated sugar which you measure first & then powder. Don’t use icing sugar (confectioner’s sugar which is also called as powdered sugar in some countries)
      2. Yes, I used a combination of regular white granulated sugar & brown sugar.

      Reply
  57. Greta Miranda says

    December 12, 2017 at 7:09 am

    Hi Shireen,

    I have soaked all the fruits as mentioned and have placed the glass bowl in the fridge. Are there any chances that the fruits will spoil due to the orange juice? We have almost two weeks left for Christmas and I plan to make and bake the cake on the 23rd of this month.

    Reply
    • Shireen Sequeira says

      January 15, 2018 at 10:11 am

      Hi Greta,

      Sorry for the delayed response. Depending on your weather you can either place it outside in a cool place of your kitchen or refrigerate it if you live in hot/humid weather

      Reply
  58. Sharal says

    December 22, 2017 at 8:32 pm

    Hi Shireen,

    Thanks for posting this recipe, one question, should I pour 3/4th cup of water while preparing caramel or just a little ? What should be the consistency of the Caramel at the end?

    Reply
    • Shireen Sequeira says

      January 15, 2018 at 10:06 am

      Hi Sharal,

      Sorry for the late response. You should pour the water a little at a time. The caramel will be light and not very thick

      Reply
  59. Nal says

    December 22, 2017 at 8:51 pm

    After a string of dry Christmas cakes, decided to try your recipe this year. Came out moist and delicious. Thank you and Merry Christmas!

    Reply
    • Shireen Sequeira says

      January 3, 2018 at 11:40 am

      So glad to hear that!! Thanks for the feedback!

      Reply
  60. smita says

    January 2, 2018 at 9:39 am

    Hi Shireen,

    love your recipe and love the cake,,, i have been baking it for past 2 years… sorry for the late reply….. Infact this cake is a hit with all….Compliments of the Season to you…

    Regards,
    Smita

    Reply
    • Shireen Sequeira says

      January 3, 2018 at 11:22 am

      Hi Smita,

      Thank you so much for your feedback! Glad to know that this recipe has worked wonderfully for you 🙂 Happy New Year to you and yours!

      Reply
  61. Esther D'Souza says

    January 5, 2018 at 9:10 pm

    I tried out this recipe yesterday. All the fruit sank to the bottom of the baked cake. What did I do wrong? I had soaked the fruit in a ziploc baggie and as per the directions I added the fruit to the butter, sugar and egg yolk mixture.
    I used 1/2 cup of molasses instead of the caramel.
    I halved the ingredients, as I wanted only one cake. I used three eggs instead of five. Just saw your note 2 eggs and 1 yolk.
    I really want to get it right. Will definitely try it again.
    Love the moist texture of the cake.

    Reply
  62. Esther D'Souza says

    January 8, 2018 at 5:20 am

    Hi Shireen,
    I baked the Rich Plum cake last week. I halved the quantity of the ingredients, as I only wanted one cake. I used 3 eggs instead of 5 and 1/2 a cup of molasses instead of preparing the caramel. The texture of the cake is moist and the taste is really good. But alas all the fruit sank to the bottom. I followed the method exactly as per your very detailed and precise instructions. Could you please tell me where I might have gone wrong. I really want to try to make it again, to get it right.

    Reply
    • Shireen Sequeira says

      January 15, 2018 at 9:58 am

      Hi Esther,

      Sorry for the delayed response. When you scoop out the batte, which is going to be pretty liquidy,you need to scoop out the dry fruits as well. A trick to prevent them from sinking is to roll them in a little flour before adding them to the batter. Hope this works for you the next time you try it!

      Reply
  63. Mauras Anthony says

    January 23, 2018 at 7:16 pm

    Hi Shireen,
    Looks like a good recipe from the feedback of the folks…you have mentioned 180 deg C for preheat @ 10 min.What should be the baking temperature? Also will the recipe work in a convection Microwave as well…or anyone in this blog prepare in the Microwave.
    Thanks

    Reply
    • Shireen Sequeira says

      January 23, 2018 at 8:05 pm

      Hi Mauras Anthony,

      The bake time will be the same – 180 degrees C. I had baked it in an OTG. If you are using a larger oven and depending on whether it is fan forced or not, you can reduce the bake time by 5 or 10 degrees. If you are baking it in a convection Microwave you may want to reduce the baking time by say 10-15 mins. I have never tried baking it in a MW with convection but baking gets done slightly faster in that so do keep an eye out.

      Reply
  64. Navya says

    May 12, 2018 at 2:39 am

    Hi Shireen,
    I read you recipe and this cake looks amazing I am planning to bake it. The recipe says 500 gms dry fruits for soaking.How much will that be in cups? Wont the raising swell on absorbing water? Also, what should be the height of cake pan to be used.I have a 9 x 13 x 2 inch rectangular cake pan.Can i use this pan?

    Regards,
    Navya.

    Reply
    • Shireen Sequeira says

      May 16, 2018 at 2:17 pm

      Hi Navya,

      So sorry for the delayed response! Sorry I haven’t measured the dry fruits in cups! Yes, they will swell when soaked in the alcohol – not water as you have written. I use a regular round or loaf pan to make this cake. Actually, this recipe yields two 9″ cakes of about 2″ high. This is not a fluffy, airy cake but a very dense one. It has the texture of say, rye bread if you’ve tasted it. I have not used a rectangular cake pan for this recipe so I am not sure. I would recommend you to keep an eye out about 45 mins into the baking and do a skewer test to check the doneness of the cake. I don’t think it should be a problem because during Christmas time, I make double the quantity of this recipe and pour the batter into different sizes of loaf pans and take them out as and how they are done. Good luck!!

      Reply
  65. Navya Shetty says

    May 18, 2018 at 8:45 pm

    Hi Shireen,

    Thanks for the response.Can i skip rum in this recipe and make this cake alcohol free? Will it taste good or should i substitute rum with anything non alcoholic? How much brown sugar should be used and when should be it used since sugar is used in multiple places in this reciepe.Should brown sugar and white sugar be mixed together?

    Regards,
    Navya.

    Reply
    • Shireen Sequeira says

      May 18, 2018 at 9:22 pm

      Hi Navya,

      Yes, you can use orange juice instead of rum but if you intend to keep the dry fruits soaked for longer then please refrigerate the mixture. Apple juice is also a good substitute but I guess orange juice is the best.

      I have used muscovado sugar for the cake and regular white granulated sugar everywhere else.

      Reply
  66. Navya Shetty says

    May 19, 2018 at 3:35 am

    Hi Shireen,
    Thanks for the response. Can i skip rum from this recipe make it alcohol free? If yes, do i need to substitute it with something else non alcoholic.How much brown sugar should be used and what should be the proportion of brown sugar and white sugar.Can you please specify, when exactly should the brown sugar be used.

    Regards,
    Navya

    Reply
    • Shireen Sequeira says

      May 19, 2018 at 10:17 am

      Just responded to your queries above Navya!

      Reply
      • Navya says

        May 21, 2018 at 7:15 pm

        Ok. So in cake ingredients, the place where it says
        200 gms/ 1cup+2 tbsp powdered or caster sugar *see note#2 and
        90gm / 6 tbsp granulated sugar , you used same amount of muscovado sugar ?

        Regards,
        Navya

        Reply
        • Shireen Sequeira says

          May 22, 2018 at 8:58 am

          Just the 200 grams of granulated sugar can be replaced with 200 gms muscovado sugar. The 90gm (6T) granulated sugar is to be used while beating the egg whites

          Reply
          • Navya says

            May 22, 2018 at 7:56 pm

            Ok. So i soaked the dry fruits 🙂 .I used red wine. Planing to bake this long weekend and I swear here comes my last question. :D. You said “The 90gm (6T) granulated sugar is to be used while beating the egg whites”. I have regular powdered cane sugar.Can i substitute 6T granulated sugar by 6T powdered sugar.

            Regards,
            Navya.

          • Shireen Sequeira says

            May 22, 2018 at 7:59 pm

            Sure! As long as it is 90 grams 🙂 Good luck with the cake! Can’t wait for your feedback!! 🙂

  67. Navya says

    May 30, 2018 at 8:20 pm

    The cake turned out great though i didn’t get the dark black color.Preparing the caramel syrup is the most tricky part.By the time it turned brown it started getting hard.I was not sure if it would have turned black so i poured it when it reached brown color.Also, even with the parchment paper, it did burn slightly.Was wondering if there is any way to avoid that.

    Reply
    • Shireen Sequeira says

      May 31, 2018 at 9:20 am

      Good to hear that the cake was good Navya! Yes, the caramel is the tricky part, however you can reduce the heat and add a little extra water to keep the consistency. How big is your oven? Are you using an OTG?

      Reply
  68. Navya says

    June 5, 2018 at 3:23 am

    Hi,
    Mine is gas oven.

    Regards,
    Navya.

    Reply
    • Shireen Sequeira says

      June 5, 2018 at 9:46 am

      Hi Navya,

      Then maybe you can try reducing the temperature by 5-10 degrees next time and see how it works

      Reply
  69. Abinaya says

    October 31, 2018 at 9:06 pm

    Hello mam, I have a 52 litres OTG oven, which also has a fan. Can you please tell me in which rack I should place my cake and in which setting. The last time I baked the cake it turned out the centre was unbaked and battery whereas the circumference was alone baked.

    Reply
    • Shireen Sequeira says

      November 12, 2018 at 3:55 pm

      Hi Abhinaya,

      You can place the cake tin on the middle rack. There should be a ‘bake’ mode (both top and bottom elements get heated) – try this one and also check what your manual says. Sometimes settings vary from brand to brand.

      Reply
  70. Diana Benito says

    November 12, 2018 at 5:57 pm

    Hi, The cake looks lovely. I would like to try this recipe for Christmas. But I do have a few clarifications. Since I had already soaked the fruits in rum, can I add the other ingredients (spices, jam) while preparing the batter? And can I substitute caramel syrup with molasses syrup? If yes, could you please specify the quantity? Thanks in advance

    Reply
    • Shireen Sequeira says

      November 13, 2018 at 10:38 am

      Hi Diana,

      It would be better to add the jam and spices to the fruits that are already soaking. It will help the fruits to pull the extra flavours. I have never used molasses syrup so I can’t really answer that. If you know what the texture and thickness is like you should be able to substitute it safely.

      Reply
  71. Anchal says

    November 20, 2018 at 9:11 am

    Hi! The cake looks lovely and moist! I tried this recipe last year and it tasted yum.
    However, it got burnt from the bottom. Why do you think that might have happened? And any tip on how to avoid it?

    Reply
    • Shireen Sequeira says

      November 21, 2018 at 9:39 pm

      Hi Anchal,

      Glad to note that you enjoyed the recipe so much! Well, since the baking time is long you could try using a double layer of baking parchment to line the tin or reduce the temperature by 10 degrees. Your rack could also have been too close to the lower heating elements. Hope these tips help!

      Reply
  72. Christina says

    December 5, 2018 at 10:24 am

    Hello, thanks for being so kind and sharing your valuable wealth of recipes. By any chance would you know the weight of this cake or how many people it would serve?
    Thanks,
    Christina.

    Reply
    • Shireen Sequeira says

      December 26, 2018 at 11:17 pm

      Hi Christina,
      This recipe makes two 9 inch round cakes of approx 1 kg each

      Reply
  73. Sheeba Leo says

    December 18, 2018 at 8:56 am

    Hi Shireen. Advance Merry Christmas to you and your family!!
    A quick question on this cake:
    1. Egg whites separated from yolks. It becomes very cumbersome when you do 8 cakes. Can we mix it together like you say in Irish Christmas cake. Is there a vast difference when you separate and whip it.
    2, secondly, the caramel- Can we add Dates syrup instead. When the batter is thick, then is the baking time longer or shorter.
    3. Difference between this cake and Irish Christmas cake. Which is more authentic. Need to ask you before I bake one of that??
    This cake recipe is for keeps, thanks for posting it. Now would like anything simpler if the taste and texture is as good as this one!! Let me know plz!!

    Reply
    • Shireen Sequeira says

      December 26, 2018 at 11:06 pm

      Hi Sheeba,

      Sorry for the delayed response as I was travelling and had no access to my computer.
      1. You can beat all the eggs and add them if you wish. I follow the original method though. There isn’t much of a difference.
      2. I have never added dates syrup. It will make the cake very sweet. Caramel on the other hand is burnt sugar and it not just adds to the colour of the cake but also gives it a slightly bitter tinge which helps balance the sweetness. When the batter is thick, the baking time will be shorter or you will risk burning the cake or making it dry.
      3. I can;t say which cake is more authentic. Both are tasty and different i their own way.

      Reply
  74. T A says

    December 23, 2018 at 5:18 am

    When i added the caramel to the batter it hardened, and there were lumps of caramel in the batter. Is this supposed to happen and how can i avoid it?

    Reply
    • Shireen Sequeira says

      December 26, 2018 at 10:57 pm

      Unless you use cold milk or your batter was very cold there is no reason why the caramel would harden. You need to add the caramel immediately after preparing it. The batter will look slightly curdled but not lumpy and will turn out fine when you mix it with a spatula

      Reply
  75. Harshada says

    December 25, 2018 at 10:07 pm

    This really is an amazing cake. Followed the instructions and what I have before me beats the best bakery in town. Thank you Shireen!

    Reply
    • Shireen Sequeira says

      December 26, 2018 at 10:54 pm

      I am so glad that you liked this recipe Harshada! Yes, it is a favourite at our place too and I make it every Christmas without fail!

      Reply
  76. Anitha D'Souza says

    December 26, 2018 at 11:25 pm

    Hi Shireen,
    I’ve been following your website for some time now. Your recipes are easy to follow and yield lovely, delicious results. Really glad that I came across your website, particularly this Christmas cake recipe 🙂
    I tried my hand at this Christmas cake recipe this year; my first ever venture into baking a plum cake, and it turned out so well that I got all praises from my hubby and friends. It was just perfect, so yummy and moist with lovely dense texture and so deserves the name ‘The Ultimate Winner’!
    I used regular/white granulated sugar everywhere (powdered it wherever the recipe called for powdered sugar). I reduced the quantity of sugar by 5tbsp overall, and for nuts I used a mix of cashew-nuts and almonds. The cake was fabulously amazing!! and very well worth the effort taken in gathering all ingredients (which was quite a hassle).
    Thank you for sharing this wonderful wonderful recipe. Kudos to you.
    Merry Christmas and Happy New Year 2019!

    Reply
    • Shireen Sequeira says

      December 27, 2018 at 9:35 pm

      Hi Anitha,

      Your comment made my day! Thank you so much for your wonderful feedback! I am so glad that you liked this recipe so much!! It is a favourite in my home too and I make it every year! To make it less sweet, I skipped the sugar added while beating the eggs and the taste was just fine! Wishing you and your family a wonderful season of love and joy! Happy New Year 2019!

      Reply
  77. Stephanie says

    December 9, 2019 at 11:13 pm

    Hi I wanted to know if I can bake this cake on a stovetop in a pan cause at present our oven is not working.?Kindly email me back soon.Thank you Shireen

    Reply
    • Shireen Sequeira says

      December 10, 2019 at 10:08 am

      Hi Stephanie!

      I have never baked a cake on the stovetop but I have seen people doing it. You could try baking it in a kadai, with the cake tin placed over a wire mesh/rack placed over a bed of sand. Then cover the kadai with a well fitting lid and cook on a very low heat for at least 1 hour. I am not sure if it will work 100% like a cake baked in an oven but you can give it a try. Make sure to cover the cake pan as the steam droplets may ruin it. Do check a few YouTube videos before starting so that you are more confident. Good luck & I’d love to know how it turned out.

      Reply
      • Stephanie says

        December 12, 2019 at 10:26 am

        Thank you Shireen,Now for the egg white while beating I normally can’t get it to stiff peaks and by fluffy what do you really mean?..If I just beat the egg whites normally with sugar will that be okay? Or you have to get it like whipped cream consistency and secondly can I add rum and port wine for soaking the dry fruits? Kindly reply soon thank you

        Reply
        • Shireen Sequeira says

          December 12, 2019 at 4:36 pm

          The eggs need to be beaten till they turn frothy and increase in volume. By when do you want to make this cake? I will try to share a video on the same. Also, you can skip the sugar while beating the eggs – I prefer a cake that is a tad less sweet.

          Yes, you can add rum and port wine to soak the fruits.

          Reply
          • Stephanie says

            December 12, 2019 at 9:15 pm

            Yes please share a video on this and I might make it this week or the next but before the 21st.But if you skip this step what would happen?

          • Shireen Sequeira says

            December 13, 2019 at 8:07 am

            I have never skipped this step Stephanie. Perhaps that’s the reason why the cake turns out soft. You can watch the video and then decide. It isn’t a very difficult step so don’t worry 🙂 The video will hopefully resolve all your doubts. Do stay tuned!

  78. Stephanie says

    December 16, 2019 at 10:43 pm

    Hi Shireen,I have just soaked my dry fruits in Rum and Port Wine and I wanted to know while preparing the cake should I add the dry fruits along with the Liquid in the Cake Batter?

    Reply
    • Shireen Sequeira says

      December 17, 2019 at 7:56 am

      Hi Stephanie,

      Yes you have to add everything – the liquid also. Hope you have seen my video

      Reply
  79. Tracy says

    December 19, 2019 at 7:43 pm

    Hi Shireen,
    Every year I try out different cake reeipes for my Christmas cake, This time I tried this out and I must say this is really a ‘Ultimate Winner’. It came out so moist, rich and tasty. this cake is one of the best ever cakes I had prepared for the last 35 years.. I marinated the fruits for about a week and followed your reeipe and guidelines. It required simple ingredients and was easy to prepare. Thanks so much Shireen for this great receipe. Stay blessed! I also tried this time the German cookies, they too have come out awesome!

    Reply
    • Shireen Sequeira says

      December 20, 2019 at 9:31 am

      Hi Tracy,

      Thank you so much for your wonderful message!! I am so happy to hear that this recipe turned out good and you found it easy and simple to make. Glad to hear abt the outcome of the German cookies too! Thank you for taking the time to write this feedback!

      Reply
  80. Maria says

    December 19, 2019 at 8:29 pm

    Hi Shireen! I tried Ria’s recipe for fruit cake (which is very similar to yours) and wasn’t very happy with how it turned out -both colour (very light) and texture. For some reason, the cake still looked and tasted underbaked all through the central layer despite baking for 1.5 hours.

    Now, I tried making caramel syrup as per your instructions and ended up with quite a watery syrup- was it supposed to be so? Do let me know what I should look for in the consistency of the caramel syrup. I yearn for a fruit cake with same the deep colour and texture as yours. And not underbaked in the centre. Excited to try your recipe! Thanks in advance!

    Reply
    • Shireen Sequeira says

      December 20, 2019 at 7:17 am

      Hi Maria,

      My recipe is adapted from Ria’s recipe itself but it has been tweaked over the years. I have now made a recipe video last week which I have linked in this recipe. Do take a look and I really hope it helps you. I make this cake in bulk every year for the purpose of gifting and it turns out good.

      Reply
  81. Ann says

    December 20, 2019 at 8:09 pm

    Hi Shireen,

    Thanks for the detailed recipe.
    The cake color turned out great. However it turned out a little hard. I think the reason could be because:
    -I am not sure how much caramel to use (i used caramel i had made previously, 3/4cup)
    -and the cooking time.

    I really like everything else about the cake and want to try it again and want it to come out better this time.
    Can you please advice.

    Reply
    • Shireen Sequeira says

      December 26, 2019 at 6:01 am

      Hi Ann,

      I think I have responded to the same query on Facebook as well 🙂 Just to answer them again:

      Please follow the recipe in its entirety. Make caramel as per my recipe. If you add your own caramel, the consistency and quantity would differ thus resulting in a cake with a different texture.

      I hope you are able to try it out soon again!

      Reply
  82. Stephanie says

    December 22, 2019 at 10:21 pm

    Hi Shireen how your doing? Your Recipe turned out beautiful and I thought I would go wrong with the egg white but everything was good So now I know I will have this recipe back of my mind every Christmas.Thank you Shireen

    Reply
    • Shireen Sequeira says

      December 26, 2019 at 5:54 am

      Hi Stephanie,

      Thank you very much for your wonderful feedback! I am so happy to hear that the cake turned out well!!

      Reply
  83. Chaithanya says

    December 23, 2019 at 7:18 am

    Hi Shireen.. If i want to bake the same quantity of batter in a single 13×9×2in tray instead of 2 9in trays, does the temp and time of baking has to be changed? If so could you please suggest.. Thanks

    Reply
    • Shireen Sequeira says

      December 24, 2019 at 3:52 pm

      Hi Chaithanya,

      Yes, the temperature will need to be adjusted accordingly. You can check after 1 hour of bake time and test with a skewer. If the cake is not done, do continue to bake it for another 10-15 mins till it is ready

      Reply
  84. Stephanie says

    December 24, 2019 at 1:38 pm

    Hi Shireen,I tried out this recipe and it turned out fantastic and moist too and even the egg white turned out nice.Thank you

    Reply
    • Shireen Sequeira says

      December 24, 2019 at 3:49 pm

      Hi Stephanie!

      I am so glad to hear that! Thanks for the feedback!

      Reply
  85. Bhanu says

    December 29, 2019 at 12:26 am

    I followed this recipe and this is the first time I tried baking a Christmas cake. It came out absolutely delicious. The cake is moist and has the nice dark color from caramel. I used orange juice to soak the cake instead of rum. Thank you, Shireen for this foolproof recipe.

    Reply
    • Shireen Sequeira says

      December 30, 2019 at 6:33 am

      Hi Bhanu,

      Thank you so much for the great feedback!! Happy to know that you enjoyed it so much! Thank you for taking the time to write your feedback!

      Reply
  86. Florin Wilma Dsouza says

    September 30, 2020 at 2:06 pm

    Hi shireen,

    I am a beginner, can I have some clear idea on note # 2 .
    And what about baking without a oven.
    Please guide.
    Thanks

    Reply
    • Shireen Sequeira says

      October 2, 2020 at 10:46 pm

      Hi Florin,

      In note# 2 I meant that over the past few years I have used all kinds of sugar for to make the cake and shared my experience about it. Baking without oven – sorry I have never done it with this particular recipe. You could try using a kadai but you may need to bake this for over 90 minutes and keep checking after 1 hour.

      Reply
  87. neeta says

    November 21, 2020 at 9:34 am

    hi..i need the temp and time for the christmas cake
    thanks

    Reply
    • Shireen Sequeira says

      November 21, 2020 at 11:01 am

      Hi,

      180 degrees for 1-1/2 hours. It is mentioned in the recipe already 🙂

      Reply
  88. neeta says

    November 24, 2020 at 9:06 pm

    Hi Shireen..baked this cake today..taste was very good but the cake was not porous…more on the softer side unlike plum cakes which are dense..could it be the caramel which made the batter watery..disappointed

    Reply
    • Shireen Sequeira says

      November 24, 2020 at 10:18 pm

      Hi Neeta,

      Sorry to hear about your experience. This cake is meant to be dense and not fluffy like many other cakes. The batter will be runny as you can see in my video. Not sure where you went wrong unless you baked it for less than the required time. Pls let me know

      Reply
  89. Vishnupriya says

    November 24, 2020 at 10:44 pm

    The cake was simply to die for!!! Such a yummy rich Christmas cake.
    If I had to half the recipe and use a square mould what size is preferred and how much should be the baking time

    Reply
    • Shireen Sequeira says

      November 25, 2020 at 7:38 am

      Thank you so much for the great feedback!! Well, for half the recipe you can use 1 round tin of 8 or 9″ or a square tin of 8″. Baking time will be the same as the original recipe if you are using a 9″ round tin (if you note, the original recipe is for double the quantity of batter divided into 2 tins, now you are halving the recipe and using just 1 tin). Either ways, pls keep an eye out after 1 hr 15 mins and check if the cake is done and remove it when the skewer inserted comes out clean. Good luck!

      Reply
  90. neeta says

    November 25, 2020 at 5:03 am

    Hi..I baked it for one and a half hours….the texture was like a pudding..hope I am able to explain it well..Anyways..will try again
    Thanks dear

    Reply
    • Shireen Sequeira says

      November 25, 2020 at 7:40 am

      Hi Neeta,

      I am guessing either your batter was way thinner than required or your oven is not heated at the right temperature. Also, the type of oven matters. Was it an OTG or a regular oven without fan or is it a fan forced oven? I hope you have better results next time as this recipe has yielded good results for many of my readers so I’ll be happy to help you get it right!

      Reply
  91. Shampa Mukherjee says

    December 12, 2020 at 12:58 am

    Hi, can I replace the rum with any nonalcoholic beverage?

    Reply
    • Shireen Sequeira says

      December 12, 2020 at 6:42 pm

      Yes, you can simply replace it with orange juice..

      Reply
  92. Sunita Noronha says

    December 12, 2020 at 4:28 am

    Hey Shireen, I am a friend of Susie Farias who got me to check your website. Made this recipe and it’s a winner! Thanks again! I think Susie sent you a picture I sent her. Merry Christmas!

    Reply
    • Shireen Sequeira says

      December 12, 2020 at 6:40 pm

      Thank you for the great review and for the pictures as well! Glad you liked the cake Sunita! Merry Christmas to you and yours!

      Reply
  93. Zena says

    December 12, 2020 at 5:49 am

    Hi Shireen,

    i began making this cake but I realize now that the video and the recipe have different measures. Your recipe says 5 eggs and 250 gm butter whereas the video says 10 eggs and 500 gm butter. Must I double the ingredients for the cake (from the recipe), all else staying the same? Your help is much appreciated. Thanks.

    Reply
    • Shireen Sequeira says

      December 12, 2020 at 6:40 pm

      Hi Zena,

      Yes, the recipe on my website is for two 9″ round cakes. The video was shot when I doubled the ingredients as I usually make it in bulk for distribution and decided to shoot the video anyways. If you want to make just 2 cakes, please follow the recipe on this website

      Reply
  94. Suvasanamayee Viswanatha says

    December 14, 2020 at 6:58 am

    Shireen, thank you for helping me learn and cook the taste of mangalore during COVID 19!!
    Do you have a recipe for boozy Christmas cake? (Please tell me yes)

    Thank you and wishing you and your family a very happy and safe Christmas!

    Reply
    • Shireen Sequeira says

      December 16, 2020 at 11:36 am

      Thanks a lot Suvasanamayee! Yes, I do..please check these links
      https://www.ruchikrandhap.com/traditional-irish-christmas-cake/
      https://www.ruchikrandhap.com/rich-cake-christmas-cake/

      Thank you and wish you a happy Christmas and a safe and healthy new year too!

      Reply
  95. Pri A says

    December 18, 2020 at 12:47 pm

    Hi, Your cake recipe looks like a genuinely well-appreciated one by everyone who has tried it, and I’m so excited to try it too, but I have a few questions before I begin: 1) I’ve already soaked the fruits based on your recipe (with rum, orange juice and spice mix (including allspice)). I used Captain Morgan Sliced Rum. Do I need to add any more spice powders to the cake once again? I thought I saw a mention of some spice at the time of making the batter. 2) I also need some clarification about the kind of sugar to be used. At what point are we using white granulated sugar, white powdered sugar & brown sugar? I live in the US and we get to buy packaged brown sugar (it’s not fine like the white granulated sugar though). 3) Since in the US, we use Fahrenheit, I understand than the oven is heated to 350 F (180 C), but what about the baking time? Is it still 1 hr 15 mins? I have two 8-inch round pans. Ideally I’d like to put both pans in the oven simultaneously. Will that change the baking time. Would you happen to know? Or should I just bake one after another? Thanks so much.

    Reply
    • Shireen Sequeira says

      December 19, 2020 at 9:28 pm

      Hi Pri,

      Well, you can just add the jam the previous night before baking the cake. If you could watch the video I have given the processes. The recipe on the blog calls for caster sugar to be mixed in with the fruits, then some of it to be beaten with the egg whites and some to be added to the butter while beating it. Then there is also some sugar that needs to be burnt for the caramel. All steps are explained in the recipe. If you don’t get brown sugar you can use the regular white one. Yes..since you are only converting the temperature into Fahrenheit the baking time will remain the same – 1 hr 15 mins – again, you’ll need to keep an eye out. Depending on the type of oven used you will need to do the skewer test and remove the pans out when you feel that the cake is done. If your oven is big enough to accommodate two pans at the same time, go ahead. There is no change to the baking time as this recipe is meant for 2 cakes only. Please watch the video recipe as well once before you start to get the idea

      Reply
  96. Kishori says

    December 19, 2020 at 10:15 am

    Hi Shireen,
    Thank you very much for this recipe. The cake turned out ammaaaazzziiing.
    Whoever had a slice of the cake couldn’t limit themselves to a single slice. Am I glad.
    This is the first time I tried out a plum cake and I was really apprehensive. But thanks to your perfect recipe, I had no problem making it. And I am not scared to try it again.

    A special thank you for the caution regarding the caramel sputtering. I could warn my kids ( who always hover in the kitchen, close to the stove), to stay away from the stove while preparing the caramel.

    Cheers

    Reply
    • Shireen Sequeira says

      December 19, 2020 at 9:20 pm

      Hi Kishori,

      Thank you so much for the great feedback! Happy to hear that the cake turned out good and everyone liked it!! If possible, please do leave a comment on the channel as well! Thanks a lot!

      Reply
  97. Naina Bhagat says

    December 22, 2020 at 5:27 am

    We’re going make this one

    Reply
    • Shireen Sequeira says

      December 23, 2020 at 8:26 am

      Great! I hope you enjoy it!

      Reply
  98. Eliz says

    December 23, 2020 at 2:25 am

    how much would 180C be in F? Thanks in advance!

    Reply
    • Shireen Sequeira says

      December 23, 2020 at 8:26 am

      That would be 356F 🙂

      Reply
  99. Jessica says

    December 24, 2020 at 4:02 pm

    Hey dear, the cake came out delicious ♥️, just one question tho how to store it? In thr refrigerator or outside??

    Reply
    • Shireen Sequeira says

      December 24, 2020 at 10:33 pm

      Hi Jessica,

      That’s fantastic!! Happy to hear that! Well, if you have added alcohol, the cake will stay good at room temperature. Just wrap it well in clingfilm and then store it in an airtight box

      Reply
  100. Jocel says

    December 27, 2020 at 2:10 am

    Hi Shireen,

    One week before Christmas, I thought I have not soaked any fruits but felt like making a Christmas plum cake & after a few hours of searching the internet came across this recipe and tried it.

    The cake is so so good, in fact the taste was a cross between the rum cake my Mum makes (fruits soaked 2 months in advance) & the Plum cake from my childhood years, some 30-35 years ago growing up in Qatar, that my father would drive 20 minutes into the desert to a bakery, in the at that time remote outskirts to get if we spent Christmas in Qatar.

    Now I know that it is a Kerala plum cake. The tips on rolling the nuts in flour & feeding the cake are priceless. Never again will I be able to now eat the mass produced store bought cakes after eating this.

    If you do remember the OTG baking temp & time, it would be much appreciated.

    Reply
    • Shireen Sequeira says

      January 22, 2021 at 7:31 pm

      Hi Jocel,

      Many apologies for the delayed response. Happy to know that you loved the cake so much!! I have mentioned the time and temperature in the recipe. It should work for the OTG as well. My first attempt at making this cake was in the OTG itself

      Reply
  101. Vin says

    December 28, 2020 at 7:07 am

    I tried this fruit cake and family & friends loved it. Thank you Shireen.

    Reply
    • Shireen Sequeira says

      December 28, 2020 at 2:33 pm

      Thanks for the wonderful feedback Vin!!

      Reply
  102. Anita Dsilva says

    January 17, 2021 at 9:34 am

    I am ZERO at baking. I did not know the difference between baking and grilling that bad I am and have been grilling cakes since 3 years *silly laugh*. I was sumhow mesmerized by this recipe, it wasn’t easy for me but I was all confident of trying it and by God’s grace it really turned out EXTREMELY well (I ain’t bragging) The cake texture was moist, taste was delicious and the colour…WOW nice rich Christmas cakes should be…Do give this recipe a try, its worth it

    Thanks Shireen…..This is going to be my go to Christmas cake recipe every year henceforth. I am so excited that I have already soaked the fruits now…LOL

    Reply
    • Shireen Sequeira says

      February 9, 2021 at 2:54 pm

      Thank you so much for the amazing feedback!! Happy to know that the cake turned out well! Yes, it is my go to Christmas cake recipe too!

      Reply
  103. Shri says

    January 21, 2021 at 2:38 am

    Can you please share how divide this recipe into halves.

    Reply
    • Shireen Sequeira says

      February 9, 2021 at 2:53 pm

      Just halve the recipe to make one 9″ round cake 🙂

      Reply
  104. Sarah Shakeer says

    May 10, 2021 at 7:18 am

    Hello
    What can I soak cake with if not using rum ?

    Reply
    • Shireen Sequeira says

      May 10, 2021 at 9:43 am

      Hi, you can use orange or pineapple juice

      Reply
  105. Anne says

    August 19, 2021 at 10:14 am

    Hi , I liked the complete process of this cake ,it is amazing.If I have to bake in a sqaure tin what would be the measurement for 5 kgs. Thanks in advance

    Reply
    • Shireen Sequeira says

      August 19, 2021 at 7:57 pm

      Thanks a lot! Sorry I have not baked one single cake of 5kg weight. This recipe makes 2 cakes of 9″ round each, approx weighing 1kg per cake.

      Reply
  106. Rosita says

    November 19, 2021 at 10:38 am

    Hi Shireen,
    First of all, I must tell you that I have tried many of your recipes and they have turned out yummy….my first place to go for recipes is ruchikrandhap.

    This Christmas I was planning to try out your Kerala Plum Cake. I noticed the recipe mentions rum. I stay in Kuwait and obviously no rum available. So is it okay to skip rum?

    Any other options/ ideas?

    Reply
    • Shireen Sequeira says

      November 23, 2021 at 5:43 pm

      Hi Rosita,

      Thank you so much for the lovely words! Glad to know that you reach out to my blog for recipes. Well, yes you can definitely skip the rum. Use orange juice instead. Apple juice or pineapple juice are also good substitutes. However, you may need to refrigerate the fruit mix if no alcohol is used. Bring the mixture to room temperature before adding to the cake batter

      Reply
  107. Estrelina Dias says

    December 6, 2021 at 2:15 pm

    Mam I tried your Christmas cake recipe it was very good, but too sweet can I reduce the sugar.

    Reply
    • Shireen Sequeira says

      January 5, 2022 at 9:21 am

      Thanks! Yes, you can reduce the sugar in the cake by 20 grams or so. Altering the recipe too much may not give you accurate results

      Reply
  108. Bhakti says

    December 25, 2021 at 4:57 pm

    Hey Shireen,
    Firstly Thank You for the perfect recipe! My dad never eats cake….Like never! But he went crazy for this one 😀 Its perfectly moist and boozy and the spices are just right…warm and not overpowering.
    Just had one question though.. Instead of making the hot caramel every time, will it be ok to use your Treacle/Dark Caramel Sauce in this recipe? If yes, then what quantity may we use?

    Reply
    • Shireen Sequeira says

      January 5, 2022 at 9:00 am

      Hi Bhakti, thank you so much for your wonderful comment! So happy to hear that your dad enjoyed it – especially since he never eats cake. Yes, you can use readymade dark caramel. It should be about 1 cup (250ml) (which is what I got when I measured the hot caramel last time)

      Reply
  109. Anne says

    March 21, 2022 at 9:43 pm

    I read in your recipe that you will try to getthe dark rich fruit cake of Mrs.Omana Paul..I would appreciate if you could kindly send me the recipe if you have found.
    Thanks

    Reply
    • Shireen Sequeira says

      March 25, 2022 at 8:22 am

      Unfortunately I have not yet found the recipe. Will be sure to share it if I do find it.

      Reply
  110. Neha Sharma says

    July 12, 2022 at 9:42 am

    Hi loved your recipe, can you tell me how long does this cake last.
    Thank you

    Reply
    • Shireen Sequeira says

      July 13, 2022 at 7:18 pm

      Thanks a lot Neha! Glad you liked it! The cake lasts for a few weeks if it was made with alcohol. Honestly, it is so tasty that it won’t last even a few hours 🙂

      Reply
  111. Odette Vaz says

    October 16, 2022 at 3:11 pm

    Hi Shireen
    I have always tried this recipe for Christmas and it’s a super hit Apologies for the late accolades

    A friend has requested me to prepare an Eggless version of this Can you please assist

    Thanks
    Odette

    Reply
    • Shireen Sequeira says

      November 18, 2022 at 6:58 pm

      Hi Odette,

      Thanks for the lovely feedback! Happy to know that you liked it. I haven’t yet tried an eggless version of this cake. I will be sure to update this recipe whenever I do

      Reply
  112. Anitha says

    October 18, 2022 at 2:05 am

    Hi Shireen, hope you’re well! Could you please let me know the bake time for this recipe if using two loaf pans or six inch round pans. Thank you.

    Reply
    • Shireen Sequeira says

      November 18, 2022 at 6:58 pm

      Hi Anitha,

      I’m good, thanks for asking. Trust the same with you! The bake time for 6 inch round cakes will be approximately 1 hour. What size of loaf pans will you be using?

      Reply
      • Anitha says

        November 25, 2022 at 2:27 am

        Thank you..
        I am planning to use two loaf pans of 8’ x 2.25’ size.

        Reply
        • Anitha says

          November 26, 2022 at 2:17 am

          Sorry, there was a typo in my previous comment. I meant to say two loaf pans of 8″ x 4.25″ x 2.5″ size

          Reply
  113. Ushq says

    December 11, 2022 at 3:33 pm

    Hello Shireen,

    I have tried most of your cake recipes for years and all of them turn out very good.
    But I really struggle with the Christmas cake and more because I am not able to execute it properly. I soak a lot of fruits togather for multiple cakes. Can you tell roughly how much soaked fruits per cake? 1cup, 2 cup??

    Also is there an alternate to the caramel. I can never get the temperature correct. Can I skip the step all together? Will i have to increase sugar quantity of I do that.

    Thankyou
    Usha

    Reply
    • Shireen Sequeira says

      January 30, 2023 at 10:27 am

      Hi Usha, sorry for the delayed response. Glad to know that you like my cake recipes. Well, for this recipe, I have never used pre soaked fruit so I can’t say. It is better to soak as per the recipe. Also, regarding the caramel, you may not get the same result if you skip the caramel. Skipping will affect the consistency of the batter and hence the baking time as well. However, you could try skipping it and keep an eye out on the cake as it bakes and remove it a few minutes prior. The sugar need not be increased I feel as the cake turns out quite sweet as it is and the caramel only takes it a notch higher in terms of sweetness but is added more for the purpose of giving it a nice colour and also to balance the sweetness – burnt caramel brings in an element of bitterness that helps give Christmas cakes the classic bitter-sweet flavour. Hope this helps!

      Reply
  114. Merlyn says

    December 12, 2022 at 9:08 pm

    Hi Shireen,
    Thank you so much for this wonderful recipe. I made this cake twice and both times I ended up over baking it. But it was still very good. A quick question for you – how much time do I need to bake and at what temperature if I use a smaller cake pan (about 4”) to make 4 cakes instead of 2? Also, is it ok to add more rum while soaking the fruits?
    Thanks again for all the good work. I am a regular visitor of your website 🙂

    Reply
    • Shireen Sequeira says

      March 17, 2023 at 10:09 am

      Hi Merlyn,

      Sorry for the delayed response. A quick question: Did you use smaller pans and hence overbake them? The batter is for 2 cakes of 9″ each (1 kg per cake). So to make 4 cakes, I use 5″ round tins and bake for approx 1 hr 15 mins or so. You can add more rum to soak the fruit but don’t drown the fruit (unless you are soaking for over 6 months). If soaking fruit overnight and is too watery, it may affect the consistency of the batter and hence the bake timings. Hope this helps!

      Reply
  115. Hema says

    December 22, 2022 at 4:29 pm

    I just baked this cake and followed your recipe to the t. However the cake didnt come out well. Its much too soft and spongy for a christmas cake and the caramel kinda spoilt the taste of the cake.

    Reply
    • Shireen Sequeira says

      January 24, 2023 at 4:11 pm

      This is how a Kerala Christmas cake is made and I have been making it for years, sorry that the recipe didn’t work for you

      Reply

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Hi, I am Shireen Sequeira, a food blogger with a passion for exploring different cuisines and cultures. Having lived in several cities across the world, including Mangalore, Bangalore, Mumbai and Dubai, I have developed a deep appreciation for the unique flavours and ingredients that each place has to offer.

My blog Ruchik Randhap is a reflection of my love for food, travel, photography and storytelling. Through my posts, I take my readers on a culinary journey, sharing my experiences of discovering new dishes, meeting home cooks, local chefs and food artisans, and uncovering the rich history and traditions behind Mangalorean recipes and the diverse world of international cuisine.

Whether you're a seasoned foodie or just starting to explore the world of gastronomy, I hope that my blog offers something for everyone. So why not join me on my culinary adventures and discover the world one recipe at a time!

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