Photo: Suyash.dwivedi · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Kerala · Dessert

Christmas Plum Cake Kerala

Kerala's most beloved Christmas cake — a dense, dark, spiced fruit cake soaked in country wine and brandy for weeks before baking, made by Kerala's Syrian Christian families as their Christmas identity sweet since the 3rd century CE.

🧺 Ingredients

• Raisins: 100 g
• Dried dates (chopped): 80 g
• Dried figs (chopped): 60 g
• Candied orange peel: 50 g
• Glazed cherries: 50 g
• Mixed peel: 40 g
• Kerala palm wine (kallu) or red wine: 200 ml
• Brandy: 100 ml
• All-purpose flour: 250 g
• Butter (unsalted): 200 g
• Brown sugar (or powdered jaggery): 200 g
• Eggs: 4 large
• Baking powder: 1 tsp
• Salt: ¼ tsp
• Mixed spice: 1½ tsp (cinnamon ½ tsp, nutmeg ¼ tsp, cloves ¼ tsp, cardamom ¼ tsp, ginger ¼ tsp)
• Caramel colour: 3 tbsp (from 50 g sugar caramelised in 3 tbsp hot water)
• Cashew nuts: 50 g (roughly chopped)
• Vanilla extract: 1 tsp
• The longer the fruits soak, the richer and more complex the flavour — up to 3 months is not unusual
• Cover the top loosely with foil after 45 minutes if browning too fast
• The cake improves markedly over 3–5 days as it matures — bake early

👩‍🍳 How to make Christmas Plum Cake Kerala

1. Combine all dried fruits in a jar.
2. Pour wine and brandy over them.
3. Seal.
4. Store in a cool, dark place for minimum 3 days, ideally 1 week.
5. Shake daily.
6. Melt 50 g sugar in a small pan over medium-high heat without stirring until it turns dark brown.
7. Carefully add 3 tbsp hot water — it will splutter.
8. Stir to a smooth dark syrup.
9. Cool.
10. Beat 200 g softened butter and 200 g brown sugar with an electric mixer for 5–6 minutes until pale and fluffy.
11. Add 4 eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
12. Add vanilla extract and caramel syrup.
13. Beat until combined.
14. Sift flour, baking powder, salt, and mixed spice.
15. Fold gently into butter mixture.
16. Drain soaked fruits (reserve the liquid).
17. Fold fruits and cashews into batter.
18. Do not overmix.
19. Pour into a greased and lined 23 cm round tin.
20. Bake at 160°C (320°F) for 70–75 minutes.
21. Test with a skewer — it should come out clean.
22. Cool completely in tin.
23. Brush top with reserved wine/brandy.

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