Grease and line an 6 inch round pan with parchment paper. I used a 6 inch tin with height 2.2 inches. You can use either a 7/8 inch tin as well. Dust the sides with flour or place parchment paper on the sides as well. Always prepare your baking tin ahead of making the batter. That way the batter does not sit idle for a long time and will have a perfect soft texture.
Β Mix the Berries with Orange Juice and Rum. Warm the mixture for a min or two in a microwave safe glass bowl. Cover immediately & keep Airtight at room temperature overnight in a warm place. I kept it inside oven to keep it warm. Next day, Strain the soaked dry Fruits, reserve the juices for feeding the cake later.
Sieve together the flour, baking powder, soda, salt & spices. Sifting the dry ingredients helps to get a softer crumb in the cake texture.
Prepare the Caramel Syrup by heating sugar, water till amber colored on LOW Heat. Once color changes to deep amber, SWITCH Off the Heat and immediately Add Hot water to it slowly from the sides. Be careful of Spashes. Add lemon juice to prevent further crystallization.Β
Let the syrup cook for 9-10mins on LOW flame till it gets bit thick. Do not let it become too thick though. Let it cool down a bit before adding to the cake batter. If it becomes too hard, then add some hot water and heat it again.
Melt butter. Remove any lumps in the dark muscovado sugar and add it to the butter and mix well. Add milk, vanilla essence, caramel syrup. Whisk it well.
Add the dry ingredients slowly in three batches. Add the soaked dry Fruits, chopped nuts. Β
Add the Vinegar at the end. After adding vinegar, pour it immediately to the baking tin and bake it as vinegar will react with the baking soda but if delayed the effect will not be the same. Cake turns out softer and rises well.
Transfer the cake batter into the greased tin and level it out with a flat spatula or back of a spoon. BAKE @180C for 1hr 10-15 MINS Or Till a Toothpick inserted Comes Clean. After 30mins of baking, I decorated with the reserved dry fruits or nuts at the top as they tend to sink if added earlier. Also the fruits look fresh and stunning that way. Cover with an Aluminum foil after 60mins of baking to prevent burning at the top surface. Due to the caramel syrup, the top browns faster in a plum cake.Β Once baked well, Brush the top with the juice from the soaked fruits while the cake is still Hot.Β This ensures that the cake absorbs it well. Cover with a cloth and Allow the cake to cool down completely.
Demould the cake, brush the sides as well with the leftover juice and wrap it in a parchment paper first, then wrap it tight with a Cling Wrap. Finally Wrap it with an Aluminum foil and keep it stored at room temperature till next day. Be careful while wrapping the cake should not come into direct contact with the aluminum foil directly as alcohol doesn't react well with aluminum.Β This process of packing ensures the fruit cake stays moist for a long time and does not dry out.
A Fruit cake always tastes better either the next day or few days later after the spices get some time to marry with the crumbs of the cake.