Eggless Alcohol-Free Plum Cake

Eggless Wheat Plum Cake with soaked mixed fruits. This plum cake tastes exactly like the cake we used to eat as children from our favourite bakery, Rich and fruity. Soaked in orange juice and filled with chopped dry fruits. Have used wheat and almond for flours.

RECIPE

Serves : 8-10 people

Prep time : Soaking takes 24 hours time

Bake time: 45-60 minutes 

Tools: 6 inch round cake tin, wire rack, sieve, oven, mixing bowl, hand blender, chopping board.

INGREDIENTS 

Soaked fruits 110 g

Butter 1/2 cup

Brown sugar 3/4 cup

Molasses/ Jaggery syrup 2 tbsp

Vanilla essence 1 tsp

Milk 4 tbsp ( or more as needed)

Wheat flour 1 1/4 cup

Almond flour 1/4 cup

Baking soda 1 tsp

Salt 1/4 tsp

Cinnamon powder 1 tsp

Nutmeg powder 1/2 tsp 

Dry ginger powder 1 tsp

Clove powder 1/2 tsp

Almonds 2 tbsp

Cashew 2 tbsp

Walnut 2 tbsp

Hazelnuts tbspn

METHOD

Finely chop all dry fruits of your choice, add to glass jar. Add fruit preserve and orange or apple juice.

Mix and store in refrigerator to soak for atleast 15 hours or 2 days.

Dry roast almond, cashew, walnuts and hazelnuts.
Cool and chop them coarsely.

(If molases is not available)
Heat a sauce pan with water and jaggery and reduce till its sticky and thick.

Preheat oven at 170 degrees centigrade.
Line a baking pan with parchment paper and keep prepared.

Cream Butter and brown sugar for 2-3 minutes.

Add vanilla extract, molases and cream again.

Place a sifter on top of the bowl.
Add flour, baking soda, salt and spice powders. Mix gently.

Add almond flour. Cut and fold. 

Add chopped nuts and mix a little.

Finally add the soaked fruits mixture. Mix gently.

Pour the batter in prepared pan.
Place in preheated oven at 170 degrees C for 40-50 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean.

Remove from oven and keep to cool for 5 minutes.

Invert the cake over wire rack. Let it cool a little. Decorate the cake as you like.

Slice and serve.

Tips
Soak the dry fruits in orange or apple juice for 48 hours. Keep the jar refrigerated while doing so.
As alcohol is a preservative, dry fruits are soaked for many months or even a year.

Whereas orange juice will become stale and get bitter after 2-3 days.

Hence this method works best for people who doesn't soak prior and also for those who avoid using alcohol.

Dried Apricot, candied kiwi, pineapple, papaya  can be added, dried figs can be added too.

Jaggery syrup works fine if you don't have molasses.

Milk requirement may wary as per the quality of flour, and its absorption level, so add more of the batter looks dry. But it must not become runny or loose.

Thanks for visiting 🌼😊

Rose kalakand

Kalakand is a famous Indian sweet that has milk as its main ingredient. It is commonly made during festivals and celebrations. I have made it little healthy by adding powdered organic jaggery. They can be garnished in many variations, Rose flavoured is one such variation. 

In a large kadai add milk. Keep flame on low. Keep stirring and reduce milk until quarter of total quantity is left.

Keep scraping sides and mixing. Once milk has reduced enough add jaggery and cardamom powder.

Switch off flame and cool the content until warm. Add crushed rose petals, pistachios, almonds and rose water.

Add food colour and mix.

Pour in a cake tray or a plate. Even out the surface.

Sprinkle remaining almonds, pistachios and rose petals. Slightly press them with a spoon. Refrigerate for 2-3 hours or until firm.

Slice in equal sized squares and relish.

Tips: Keep an eye on milk the whole time. Keep stirring in between in every 10 minutes. Scrape sides and push the residue inside milk.

Thanks for visiting 🌼😊