Kerala Christmas Cake, Xmas Plum Cake

Recipe for Kerala Christmas Fruit Cake, Xmas Plum cake made with dry fruits soaked in brandy, caramel syrup and spices. Recipe with step by step pictures.

Here are the other Christmas fruit cake / Plum cake on the site. Rich Plum Cake – Christmas fruit cake with brown sugar and spices Whole Wheat Christmas Plum Cake

I have got a lot of requests for Kerala style Christmas cake. Kerala style plum cake is a simple pound cake (equal weight of flour, sugar and butter) with the addition of caramel syrup, dry fruits and spices. The caramel syrup is called as black jack and is also referred to as black jack Christmas cake. The spices that are traditionally used are nutmeg, cinnamon, cardamom and cloves. Some use dry ginger and some don’t. It is totally up to you. Here is how to do Kerala style plum cake.

Here is the video of how to make Kerala Christmas Cake, Xmas Plum Cake

Here are the things you can buy for making this recipe Real Vanilla Extract https://amzn.to/34Vuu1a Glass Jar https://amzn.to/3sDdIw9 Silicone Spatula Set https://amzn.to/34V5g3g Pyrex Glass Bowl Set https://amzn.to/363cu5C Ceylon Cinnamon https://amzn.to/34YYtpf

For detailed recipe and measurements, scroll to the bottom of the page. Soaking the fruits in rum / brandy This fruit cake has currants, golden raisins (called as Kishmish locally), cranberries, candied pineapple and candied papaya. The fruits you use are more of a personal choice. Use whatever you like. Candied fruits can be bought from dry fruit store or online. Candied papaya is nothing but tutti frutti without the color. Clean the dry fruits and get rid of any stems. The trick with fruit cakes is to chop the dried fruits. I cut the raisins in half and the candied fruits into small bits. Yes its time consuming work but its rewarding. I find that the fruits absorb more flavor if chopped and the end cake is even more tastier. Chop the dry fruits and mix them with brandy or rum . I have used brandy for this recipe. Use whatever alcohol you can get hold of. Soak the fruits in brandy for at-least a week. I soaked the fruits in brandy for a month. Shake the jar once in a couple of days. Also store them in a glass or ceramic container. The brandy would have been completely absorbed by the fruits after a week and there would be no need to strain the brandy.

Prep Work Making the caramel Caramel syrup is an important ingredient in Kerala style fruit cakes. Add sugar to a small sauce pan. Add two tablespoon of water from the sides. Combine the water and sugar. Gently stir to moisten the sugar thoroughly. Bring the mixture to a boil until the sugar is completely dissolved and the liquid is clear. ( Do not stir at this stage. Stirring will cause the sugar to crystallize)

Cook until the color of the caramel becomes dark amber. Switch off the flame and add in half a cup of water to the caramel. Be very careful as it may splutter. Watch the pan and gently stir to dissolve. If the caramel has become solid, gently heat the pan for a minute to dissolve. Remove the syrup from heat and set aside to cool.

Spiced Sugar Take a mixie and add in the spices and the sugar. Grind till the sugar is well powdered and the spices are also powdered. Set aside.

Separating the egg whites and yolks and beating the egg whites Separate the egg whites and egg yolks. Do one egg at a time into a small bowl and add the bowl to a bigger bowl with the egg whites. If the yolks get mixed with the egg whites by mistake, discard and start with another egg. If yolks or any fat gets mixed, the egg whites wont fluff up when beaten. Make sure the whisk is clean and the bowl is clean too. Fat will hinder when beating egg whites.

Beat the egg whites until fluffy and soft peaks form. Add couple of tablespoons of the powdered sugar we made before while beating egg whites, so the egg whites whip well. Set aside.

Make the cake batter

Preheat the oven to 180C before starting to bake. Cream the butter and sugar for 3-4 minutes until lite and fluffy.

Add in the egg yolks and the vanilla extract. Beat for a minute.

Measure the flour and to the flour, add in the baking powder, baking soda and the salt. Whisk well and set aside.

Add in the caramel syrup and the flour mixture and beat well until combined.

Add two tablespoon of flour to the dry fruits and mix well. Add in the dry fruit mixture to the cake batter. Mix well to combine.

Add in the egg whites and fold everything well.

Grease and flour the cake pans with butter. Line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper. This recipe makes two 6 inch by 3 inch cakes. Irrespective of the size of the pans, just make sure to fill no more than 3/4th of the pan with batter. Transfer the batter to the cake tins. Make sure the top is smooth and even. Level the batter with the back of a spatula. Make sure that the batter is not more than 3/4th of the height of the pan. Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour on a 180 degree Celcius oven. If using a small pan, check after 30 minutes. The baking time depends on the size of the pan.

After 45 minutes, insert a tooth pick in the middle of the cake. If it comes out clean, the cake is done. If the tooth pick has a little batter sticking, bake for 10-15 minutes more and check again. Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool in the pan until room temperature.

Run a knife on the sides of the pan to release the cake sticking to the sides of the pan. Gently invert the pan and remove the cake from the pan and store it in an air tight container. The flavor of the cake improves the next day. The cake can be stored for up-to two weeks at room temperature and upto a month in the fridge.

Have the cake with your friends and count your little blessings.

Soaking the fruits in rum / brandy

• 250 grams dry fruits
• 90 grams brandy ( I used Mansion house brandy)

Making the caramel

• 50 grams sugar
• 2 tablespoon water
• 1/2 cup water

Spiced Sugar

• 200 grams sugar
• 1/2 inch piece cinnamon
• a small piece of nutmeg
• 2 cloves
• 2 cardamom

Other ingredients

• 4 Eggs at room temperature, (whites and yolks, separated)
• 200 grams unsalted butter at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon real vanilla extract
• 200 grams maida / all purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoon maida / all purpose flour for mixing the dry fruits

1. Preheat the oven to 180C before starting to bake.
2. Chop and soak the fruits in brandy for a month.
3. Combine the 2 tablespoon water and 50 grams of sugar. Bring the mixture to a boil until the sugar is completely dissolved and the liquid is clear. Cook until the color of the caramel becomes dark amber. Switch off the flame and add in half a cup of water to the caramel. Set aside to cool.
4. Take a mixie and add in the spices and the sugar. Grind till the sugar is well powdered and the spices are also powdered. Set aside.
5. Separate the egg whites and egg yolks. Beat the egg whites until fluffy and soft peaks form. Add couple of tablespoons of the powdered sugar we made before while beating egg whites, so the egg whites whip well.Set aside.
6. Cream the butter and sugar for 3-4 minutes until lite and fluffy.
7. Add in the egg yolks and the vanilla extract. Beat for a minute.
8. Measure the flour and to the flour, add in the baking powder, baking soda and the salt. Whisk well and set aside.
9. Add in the caramel syrup and the flour mixture and beat well until combined.
10. Add two tablespoon of flour to the dry fruits and mix well. Add in the dry fruit mixture to the cake batter. Mix well to combine.
11. Add in the egg whites and fold everything well.
12. Grease and flour the cake pans with butter. Line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper. This recipe makes two 6 inch cakes. Transfer the batter to the cake tins. Make sure the top is smooth and even. Level the batter with the back of a spatula. Make sure that the batter is not more than 3/4th of the height of the pan. Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour on a 180 degree Celcius oven. If using a small pan, check after 30 minutes. The baking time depends on the size of the pan.
13. After 45 minutes, insert a tooth pick in the middle of the cake. If it comes out clean, the cake is done. If the tooth pick has a little batter sticking, bake for 10-15 minutes more and check again. Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool in the pan until room temperature.
14. Run a knife on the sides of the pan to release the cake sticking to the sides of the pan. Gently invert the pan and remove the cake from the pan and store it in an air tight container. The flavor of the cake improves the next day.

• Author: Kannamma - Suguna Vinodh
• Prep Time: 20 mins
• Cook Time: 45 mins
• Category: baking
• Cuisine: Kerala

Soaking the fruits in rum / brandy

• 250 grams dry fruits
• 90 grams brandy ( I used Mansion house brandy)

Making the caramel

• 50 grams sugar
• 2 tablespoon water
• 1/2 cup water

Spiced Sugar

• 200 grams sugar
• 1/2 inch piece cinnamon
• a small piece of nutmeg
• 2 cloves
• 2 cardamom

Other ingredients

• 4 Eggs at room temperature, (whites and yolks, separated)
• 200 grams unsalted butter at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon real vanilla extract
• 200 grams maida / all purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoon maida / all purpose flour for mixing the dry fruits

1. Preheat the oven to 180C before starting to bake.
2. Chop and soak the fruits in brandy for a month.
3. Combine the 2 tablespoon water and 50 grams of sugar. Bring the mixture to a boil until the sugar is completely dissolved and the liquid is clear. Cook until the color of the caramel becomes dark amber. Switch off the flame and add in half a cup of water to the caramel. Set aside to cool.
4. Take a mixie and add in the spices and the sugar. Grind till the sugar is well powdered and the spices are also powdered. Set aside.
5. Separate the egg whites and egg yolks. Beat the egg whites until fluffy and soft peaks form. Add couple of tablespoons of the powdered sugar we made before while beating egg whites, so the egg whites whip well.Set aside.
6. Cream the butter and sugar for 3-4 minutes until lite and fluffy.
7. Add in the egg yolks and the vanilla extract. Beat for a minute.
8. Measure the flour and to the flour, add in the baking powder, baking soda and the salt. Whisk well and set aside.
9. Add in the caramel syrup and the flour mixture and beat well until combined.
10. Add two tablespoon of flour to the dry fruits and mix well. Add in the dry fruit mixture to the cake batter. Mix well to combine.
11. Add in the egg whites and fold everything well.
12. Grease and flour the cake pans with butter. Line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper. This recipe makes two 6 inch cakes. Transfer the batter to the cake tins. Make sure the top is smooth and even. Level the batter with the back of a spatula. Make sure that the batter is not more than 3/4th of the height of the pan. Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour on a 180 degree Celcius oven. If using a small pan, check after 30 minutes. The baking time depends on the size of the pan.
13. After 45 minutes, insert a tooth pick in the middle of the cake. If it comes out clean, the cake is done. If the tooth pick has a little batter sticking, bake for 10-15 minutes more and check again. Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool in the pan until room temperature.
14. Run a knife on the sides of the pan to release the cake sticking to the sides of the pan. Gently invert the pan and remove the cake from the pan and store it in an air tight container. The flavor of the cake improves the next day.

• Author: Kannamma - Suguna Vinodh
• Prep Time: 20 mins
• Cook Time: 45 mins
• Category: baking
• Cuisine: Kerala

Find it online : https://www.kannammacooks.com/kerala-christmas-cake-xmas-plum-cake/

Recipe for Kalani Rasam, கழனி ரசம். Recipe made with arisi mandi / kalani thanni. Recipe with step by step pictures.

Kalani is nothing but the starchy water that comes from washing rice. In the Chettinad region, this starchy water is also called as mandi or arisi mandi. The starchy water is used in some recipes to add a slight thickness to the gravy / curry. It also adds a nice flavour. This rasam recipe uses kalani thanni and it adds a nice flavour to the recipe. Here is the recipe for Kalani Rasam.

Update: Many people have asked about the stoneware pot. Please check the site – Essential traditions by Kayal.

Prep Work Grind the tomatoes in a mixie. Do not grind the tomatoes to a fine puree. Just pulse for a few times. The tomatoes should remain in bits. Set aside.

In a mortar and pestle, grind the pepper and cumin seeds to a coarse powder.

Once the pepper and cumin is coarse, add in the garlic cloves. No need to peel the garlic. Crush the garlic and set aside.

Heat sesame oil in a pan and add in the mustard seeds. Let the mustard seeds crackle. Add in the ground pepper-cumin-garlic mixture. Saute for a few seconds.

Add in the curry leaves and the dried red chillies.

Add in the roughly pureed tomatoes. Also add in the turmeric powder, asafoetida and salt. Saute for a minute.

Soak a small gooseberry size tamarind in a cup of water for 15 minutes. Squeeze the tamarind well to extract the pulp. Discard the seeds and the pith. Add in the tamarind pulp to the pan.

While making lunch or dinner, soak the rice in water for 20 minutes. Just rub the rice in the palm for a few times. Strain the water that comes from soaking rice. Strain and use the starchy water in the recipe.

Add in the rice water (kalani) to the pan.

Let the rasam come to a boil. Do not allow the rasam to boil for a long time. When the rasam becomes frothy and the sides starts to bubble up, remove the rasam from heat. Add in the coriander leaves and green chillies. The green chillies is optional. I add it as it add a really nice aroma to the rasam.

Rasam is ready.

Serve hot with rice.

• 3 Tomatoes
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 5 cloves garlic
• 2 teaspoon sesame oil
• 1/4 teaspoon mustard seeds
• 1 sprig curry leaves
• 2 dried red chillies
• 1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1/4 teaspoon asafoetida
• 1 teaspoon salt
• gooseberry size tamarind
• 1 cup Kalani (starchy water from washing rice)
• 2 sprigs coriander leaves
• 2 green chillies

1. Grind the tomatoes in a mixie. Do not grind the tomatoes to a fine puree. Just pulse for a few times. The tomatoes should remain in bits. Set aside.
2. In a mortar and pestle, grind the pepper and cumin seeds to a coarse powder. Once the pepper and cumin is coarse, add in the garlic cloves. No need to peel the garlic. Crush the garlic ans set aside.
3. Heat sesame oil in a pan and add in the mustard seeds. Let the mustard seeds splutter. Add in the ground pepper-cumin-garlic mixture. Saute for a few seconds.
4. Add in the curry leaves and the dried red chillies.
5. Add in the roughly pureed tomatoes. Also add in the turmeric powder, asafoetida and salt. Saute for a minute.
6. Soak a small gooseberry size tamarind in a cup of water for 15 minutes. Squeeze the tamarind well to extract the pulp. Discard the seeds and the pith. Add in the tamarind pulp to the pan.
7. Add in the rice water (kalani) to the pan.
8. Let the rasam come to a boil. Do not allow the rasam to boil for a long time. When the rasam becomes frothy and the sides starts to bubble up, remove the rasam from heat. Add in the coriander leaves and green chillies. The green chillies is optional. I add it as it add a really nice aroma to the rasam.
9. Rasam is ready.

• Author: Kannamma - Suguna Vinodh
• Prep Time: 5 mins
• Cook Time: 10 mins
• Category: Side Dish
• Cuisine: Tamilnadu