Eggless Christmas Plum Cake (Chocolate Fruit and Nut Cake) loaded with Berries & Dry fruits that were soaked in Dark Rum for many days. I soaked mine for two months last year and baked the cake in the month of February. You just need to soak it just a few days or a week if you have time. The longer you soak them, the better the flavor, the moister the cake will be. Because of alcohol the cake lasts for several months.
Even though this is an eggless cake, the texture of this Chocolate Fruit Cake is so soft and moist. The crumb is delicate and has a melt in mouth texture.
If you do not have the time to soak the fruits for a long time, then check out this recipes for an instant plum cake Last Minute Eggless Rum Plum Cake and Last Minute Christmas Rum Plum Cake using Eggs
For an Egg version of this recipe, check out this recipe Chocolate Plum Cake using Rum
If you need a no alcohol plum cake recipe, then check this recipe of a fruit cake made using homemade grape juice Christmas Plum Cake Recipe or Fruit Cake with Orange Juice
If you do not want a chocolate flavor and need only a traditional plum cake recipe then check out this recipe Christmas Plum Cake with Rum
Eggless Chocolate Plum Cake
Ingredients
CARAMEL SYRUP
- 1/4 Cup Sugar
- 1 Tbsp Water
- 1/2 Cup Hot Water
- 1 Tsp Lemon juice
DRY FRUITS
- 1/2 Cup | 60gms Dried Cranberries
- 1/2 Cup | 75gms Black Raisins
- 1/4 Cup | 40gms Golden Raisins/Sultanas
- Mixed Dry Fruits ( I used 2 Dried Kiwis, 3 Prunes, 1 Apricot, 6 cherries, 1 Tbsp Dried Blueberries, 1 Candied Ginger)
- 1/2 Tsp Freshly grated Orange Zest
- Mixed Berry Jam 1 Tbsp
- Honey 1 Tbsp
- Dark Rum (about 1 Cup)
CAKE BATTER
- 1 1/2 Cup | 180gms All Purpose Flour
- 2 Tablespoon | 15g Dark Cocoa powder
- 1 Teaspoon Baking powder
- 1/2 Teaspoon Baking Soda
- 1/4 Teaspoon Salt
- 1/2 Teaspoon Cinnamon powder
- 1/4th Teaspoon each of dry ginger, cardamom, nutmeg, clove powder
- 6 Tbsp | 85gms Unsalted Butter melted
- 1 Tbsp Vegetable Oil
- 3/4 Cup packed plus 2 Tbsp | 176gm Dark Muscovado/Brown Sugar
- 3/4 Cup Milk, full fat room temp
- 1 Tsp Vanilla Essence
- Prepared Caramel Syrup
- 1 1/4 Cup Soaked Dry Fruits
- 1/4 Cup chopped Nuts
- 1 1/2 Tsp Vinegar
Instructions
- Soak the Dry Fruits in Rum for atleast 2-3 days or a week. I soaked mine for two months. The longer you soak, the better the flavor. Do Check out how to soak dry fruits in rum Click here on How to soak dry fruitsStrain 1 1/4 Cup of the soaked dry Fruits, reserve the juices for later.
- Sieve together the flour, cocoa, baking powder, soda, salt & spices
- Prepare the Caramel Syrup by heating Sugar & a Tablespoon of Water till dark Golden. Do not use spoon just twirl the pan around. Do this on Low Heat else it might get burnt. Once Dark Golden, Add Hot water to it slowly (Be Careful of Hot Splashes), add lemon juice & cook for 10 mins on Lowest Heat till reduced.Β Do not cook more than 10 Mins. Let it cool down before adding to the batter. It should be like a Honey Consistency after it cools down. If it gets too much Hard like stone later after cooling down, add some water and heat it again to melt it.
- Melt butter. Add Oil, dark muscovado sugar, mix well. Add vanilla essence, caramel syrup. Whisk it.
- Fold the dry ingredients in three batches alternating with the milk.
- Add the dry Fruits, chopped nuts and Vinegar at the end.Β
- Transfer to a greased 6 inch pan. Bake @180C for 1hr 10-15 mins. Cover with an Aluminum foil after 60mins. Baking time will reduce if baked in a 7/8 inch tin.Β
- Brush with the strained juices while still Hot.
- Store Airtight at room temp, tastes best next day.Β
- Weight of the Cake was around 870gm. This depends on what dry fruits you have used and if all measurements are made by weighing.
- Slice and Serve either next day or feed with alcohol once a week. Due to feeding with alcohol the cake has a long shelf life.
