Christmas cake/ fruit cake

• All purpose flour – 2 Cups
• Sugar – ½ cups
• Butter, room temperature – 1 cup – 226gms
• Eggs – 4 – medium
• Baking soda – 1 tsp – 3 gms
• Baking powder – 1 ¼ tsp – 5gms
• Cocoa powder – 2-3 tbsp
• Mixed fruits and nuts– 3 cups
• Rum/wine – 1 ½ Cups
• Vanilla extract/ essence – 1 tsp
• Orange zest – 1
• Spices – ¼ tsp each of powdered cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, and dried ginger
• Salt – a pinch

For caramel

• Sugar – ½ cup
• Hot water – ¾ cup

For baking

• 9-inch springform pan
• Wax paper

Pre-preparation:

• Soak chopped nuts (walnuts, pecans, cashews, almonds) and dried fruits (raisins, glazed ginger, glazed pine apple, tutty fruity, fried cranberries, strawberries) in rum or wine for at least 2-3 weeks. Stir them every other day so that all the fruits and nuts are equally soaked.

Preparation:

• Separate the fruits and nuts from the alcohol and keep aside. Store the remaining alcohol for further use in the recipe.
• To a pan, add ½ cup of sugar to a pan, followed by 1-2 tbsp of water with constant stirring.
• Wait till the syrup turns light brown. Turn off fire and let it cool down to lukewarm temperature.
• To 2 bowls, separate egg whites and egg yolks. Return the egg whites back to the refrigerator and whip it using a hand blender till it forms stiff peaks.
• To another bowl, sieve all the dry ingredients (all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, spice powders, cocoa powder).
• To the bowl with the egg yolks, add the sugar and blend till it turns light and fluffy, followed by butter. Beat the mixture till it turns very light.
• Blend in, the vanilla extract/essence and orange zest and mix well.
• Using the folding method, fold in the sieved dry ingredients alternated by the caramel syrup.
• Fold in the egg whites, in portions and them add the soaked nuts and fruits.
• Check on for the consistency of the batter. If it looks dry and thick, adjust the consistency using the saved alcohol from soaking the dried fruits and nuts.
• The consistency of the batter should neither be too thick not too runny.
• Pre-heat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius.
• Meanwhile, prepare the 9-inch springform pan by buttering the pan and lining it with a wax paper.
• Equally spread the batter into the baking pan and bake for 40-45 minutes, till a skewer or a pointed knife inserted comes out clean.A

• Preheating the oven takes heating the oven for 10 minutes at the required temperature before moving the batter to the oven.