Christmas 2023: Here's how you can make and enjoy plum cake this festive season

Yes rich plum cake is a marker of the season But let me ask you this where the hell are the plums Then again whatrsquos in a name when yoursquove got raisins seedless dates black currants cherries or karvanda disguising as such and finally mixed peel which we wonrsquot get into because thatrsquos another story of papayas swappedfor orangesCora SoaresPlum or no plum the cake remains the piegravecedereacutesistance when it comes to the festivalrsquos baked spread Cashing in on this trend nearly six years ago a South Indiabased grocery store Nilgiris known for its legacy plum cake built an entire December marketing campaign around the nostalgia of their storebought cake to cement itself as the festive synonym for the younger generation Tapping into core memories of parents and grandparents buying beautifully wrapped bakes the store promised a memoryevoking bite and punched customers right in the feels But ultimately without good cake you would have no good campaign and theirs is a heavenly bitePics CourtesyBonniersquos BakeryOver time gourmet offerings have sprung up across highscale city bakeries and by chefs But as with this leading grocery store the custody of the traditional recipe rests firmly in the hands of home chefs who have been making perfecting and selling plum cake to loyal customers for decades One of them is Maladbased culinary teacher Cora Soares whose tryst with the rich plum cake began over three decades ago when she decided that the spirit of the season lies in making onersquos own plum cake instead of purchasing it Soon she began extending this joy to students and has taught Christmas goodies breads pastries and other treats to over 100 students in the last 15 years She says ldquoWhen you make it at home you know the ingredients going in Substitutes like margarine and lard are a big nonordquo Along with quality ingredients skills technique and crafting according to traditional taste define the cake And you can bank on the fact that homemade plum cake with more fruit than flour is a rather wholesome and chunky bite as compared to the consistent texture of its bakerybought avatar ldquoAfter trying a few recipes I zeroed in on one of my recipes and have stuck with that For me cooking is a passion and a stressbuster When I feel like punching someone I decide to make a cake and cool downrdquo Soares reveals with a chuckleFinally before the wizard returns to her kitchen kingdom to bake magic we probe her to clear another doubt What is the difference between rich fruit cake and rich plum cake Donrsquot be ridiculous is the tone ldquoTheyrsquore the samerdquo is her answerGet your cake soonRich plum cake and light fruit cake from SimonersquosCOST Rs 1200 and Rs 1000kgCALL 9819626444Decorated rich plum cake from ZolarsquosCOST Rs 1300500 gms and Rs 2500kgCALL 9920312125Rum plum cake and East Indian Christmas cake from Krisrsquos DenCOST R600bar and Rs 1400kgCALL 9819667634Decorated plum cake from The Cake Palette by Zainab RampurawalaCOST Rs 400400 gmsCALL 8380090875 Delivering from Lonavala to Mumbai and PuneRum fruit cake with jaggery powder from Every Aroma by Reshma ManeCOST Rs 1400kgCALL 9819875010Traditional British fruit cake from Black Vanilla by SharonCOST Rs 1750750 gmsCALL 9820393328Classic plum cake by The Blue Mango by ShwetaCOST Rs 1499500 gmsCALL 9136256950Pic CourtesyScoop Shape BakePlum cake by Scoop Shape Bake egglessCOST Rs 1450500 gmsCALL 9820869312 delivery to Mumbai Pune and LonavalaRich fruit plum cake by Bonniersquos BakeryCOST Rs 1200kgCALL 9167202537Rich plum cakeIngredients 150 gms butter 3 eggs 12 tsp baking powder 12 tsp vanilla essence 14 tsp cake spice powder 130 gms powdered or castor sugar 150 gms maida 30 ml caramel syrup 1f tsp glycerin 12 tsp caramel colour 75 gms cherries and mixed peel not tutti frutti each 100 gms raisins 50 gms back currants and seedless dates each 4 tbsp rum optionalMethodChop all the fruits and mix them with the rum Set the mix aside for two days In a bowl mix maida baking powder chopped fruits and spice powder Grease and line a baking tray with parchment paper Separate the egg yolks from the whites Beat the whites with essence to a stiff froth Cream the butter sugar and egg yolks till light and creamy Add the beaten egg whites to this batter Add caramel syrup and glycerine and mix well Fold in the fruit and flour mixture until mixed well Pour the batter into the tray and bake at 180 degrees centigrade for 45 minutes or until doneTips recipe courtesy Cora SoaresBake it right1 Beat the eggs well for a light and fluffy cake2 No one likes the smell of eggs in sweet treats Add vanilla essence to the egg white when beating it in to avoid the eggy smell3 The fruits shouldnrsquot settle at the bottom They should rise with the batter and be evenly distributed Mix the batter well and when poured into the tray dab it gently donrsquot bang it while settling it This will turn the cake dense and the fruits will sink4 Donrsquot open the oven door within the first 30 minutes of baking or else the cake will fall flat Let it do its job to rise