Chocolate Plum Cake Recipe

Directions

Start by preparing the dried fruit mix. Combine raisins, dried apricots, soft dates, tutti frutti, dried cranberries, orange juice, water, and brandy in a bowl and mix well. Mix the walnuts, almonds, cashews, and refined flour in another bowl. Keep both the mixtures aside for 6-7 hours.

Take a mixing bowl and combine refined flour, coffee powder, cardamom powder, clove powder, cinnamon powder, baking powder, orange zest, Cadbury cocoa powder, and give them a good mix.

In a separate bowl, cream butter and sugar. Add eggs, vanilla essence, and mix well. Slowly add the soaked fruits, nuts, and dry ingredients to the egg mixture and mix well.

Transfer the batter to a lined baking tin and sprinkle some Cadbury gems on top.

Now add soaked fruits to egg mixture and mix well.

Now add dry ingredients and mix well.

Add dry fruits mixture and mix well.

Transfer this batter in a lined baking tin, Sprinkle cadbury gems on top.

Bake it at 180°C for 30 minutes in a preheated oven. Once the baking is over, allow it to cool completely before cutting and serving.

While cinnamon and clove are already there in the Chocolate Plum Cake Recipe, one may consider adding nutmeg and ginger spices for added festive flavor. To further enhance the richness of the holiday chocolate plum cake, add molasses or a dark caramel syrup.

Garnishing and decorations are a crucial part of bringing in a festive twist to a cake. To make the holiday chocolate plum cake look more Christmassy, opt for edible decorative toppings like an iced star or Christmas tree, a snowman, or a peppermint cane on top of it. Sprinkle some icing sugar on top to create the ultimate snowy look.

For Chocolate plum cakes, the ideal storage method is to store them at room temperature in an airtight container for 4-5 days. Make sure, once the cake is completely cool after baking, it is tightly covered with a plastic wrap. If refrigeration is required, as it often increases the shelf life of cakes, similar methods are required to be followed in terms of airtight containers and plastic wraps. They prevent the cake from absorbing fridge odors and drying out.

• The most popular variation of the chocolate plum cake recipe is the non-alcoholic version of the cake. Here, everything else remains the same except the fact that the dried fruits are soaked in citrusy orange juice in place of brandy.
• The other variation is a rum plum cake or a wine plum cake, where the dried fruits are soaked in either rum or wine. Once baked, the cakes are fed with some more alcohol through the holes on their surface for better absorption of the flavor.

• Not using ingredients at room temperature: To achieve the signature taste, flavor, and texture, it is key to use all ingredients at room temperature. This particularly applies to butter and eggs to ensure they cream together properly. This step incorporates air into the batter and results in a better texture.
• Not using fresh ingredients: Using stale, suboptimal-quality ingredients can potentially alter the outcome. Instead, always opt for fresh ingredients to achieve the desired texture and consistency.
• Say no to overmixing the batter: Overmixing the cake batter after adding the flour is not recommended, as it often develops the gluten. It is a protein that can lead to a hard or rubbery-textured cake. Mix the dry ingredients well into the wet mixture until just combined.

• Soaking dry fruits: Soaking the dried fruits in brandy for an extended period ensures they are plump and moist within the cake. Besides soaking, sometimes they can be boiled in brandy and orange juice for a few minutes for better flavor retention.
• Preheating the oven: Preheating the oven is non-negotiable for baking any kind of dessert. This method ensures that the oven reaches the correct temperature before the actual baking starts. It also ensures even cooking and proper rising to achieve the desired texture. Baking the cake before the oven reaches the correct temperature often leads to uneven baking and a poor texture with soggy bottoms.
• Baking at a high temperature/longer time: Baking the chocolate plum cake at an extremely high temperature often burns the edges and leaves them undercooked in the centre. Similarly, a longer baking time also ruins the recipe. For a perfect texture, the secret is baking it at a lower power level for just an adequate amount of time to cook the dense batter without the fear of burning. Make sure to follow the recipe's instructions for temperature.

A Chocolate plum cake is considered a calorie-dense Christmas dessert, with a typical 100g serving of chocolate plum cake containing around 400 calories. It is a high-carb, medium-fat, low-protein sweet delight. However, the nutritional value may vary based on the exact recipe and ingredients. However, plum here serves as a good source of dietary fiber, antioxidants, vitamin C, and potassium.

A chocolate plum cake is usually served warm as a snack with tea, coffee, milk or hot cocoa. Often they are with a dollop of whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Conclusion: While it is a cold winter night outside, who wouldn’t love the warmth and comfort that comes from a Chocolate Plum Cake with a slight boozy undertone? This Christmas, try this fruit-studded, boozy, rich Chocolate plum cake recipe to make sure the guests find cozy comfort through every single bite.