Rich fruit cake/Plum cake

Plum cake is integral part of any Christmas celebration.My husband and myself decided to bake this scrumptious cake for our wedding anniversary.This delicious and moist cake goes really well with a hot cup of tea.

Ingredients:

• Raisins – 1 cup
• Chopped Dates – 1 cup
• Candied fruits– 1/2 cup
• Lemon/Orange peel-1/2cup
• Chopped Cashewnuts – 2 cups
• Orange juice – 1 cup
• Maida – 4 cups
• Baking powder – 3 tsp
• Butter – 4cups
• Sugar – 4 cups
• Sugar – 1 cup (to make caramel syrup)
• Eggs – 12
• Garam masala/all spice powder-3tsp
• Salt – /2tsp
• Vanilla essence – 4 tsp

Soak all the dry fruits in orange juice for atleast one day.
Preheat the oven to 350 degree F.
Place 1 cup of sugar in the saucepan and add 2 tbsp of water.Turn the stove to high and place the pan on the stove and let it boil.When a dark brown colored caramel forms,remove the pan from the stove and very carefully add 1 cup of water to the caramel for it may splash.
Stir the contents well to dissolve the caramel. Keep this aside.
Sift flour and baking powder, a couple of times and keep ready.
In a large container, whisk butter first and then add 4 cups of sugar and whisk again, until it is creamy.
Add eggs and whisk well.
Pour in the caramel syrup, the spice powder, salt and vanilla extract and mix everything together.

Add the flour-baking powder mix and fold this in with a wooden or plastic spatula or spoon.

When they are well mixed, add the candied fruits and nuts and mix again.
Spoon this into a greased baking tray
Bake for about 1 hour at 350 degree F.
Check by inserting a toothpick in the middle of the pan. If the toothpick comes out clean, the cake is done. If not, bake for another 10 – 15 mins and check again.
Remove the cake from the oven and cool.