Vivikam Cake/Vivikum Cake - Pondicherry Christmas Cake

Been born and brought up in Pondicherry, i finished my schooling in Catholic schools, obviously Christmas is one among my favourite festivals. Pondicherry is a city of Multiculture and you can see varieties of cuisines there,needless to say Pondicherry cuisine is quite a medley of different cuisines. Coming to today's post, Vivikam cake is one among the famous christmas cake prepared every year by the Pondicherry christians.Vivikam cake can be also called as Puducherry cake, puducherry means Pondicherry in Tamil. Every year, on 25th december, this cake will be distributed to neighbours and relatives.The speciality of this cake is, most of the ingredients are prepared bit earlier than usual christmas cake. Some bake this cake very much earlier as this cake can be preserved very well for many days.

My Paternal grandma makes excellent Vivikam/vivikum cake, but unfortunately i never had a chance to learn this cake from her, but i have heard a lot about my grandma's beautiful Puducherry cake through my mom. Actually i learned this cake from my neighbour aunty who never fail to make this cake every year for Christmas.This cake makes me nostalgic and seriously i miss those days . Here in Paris, we do celebrate Christmas but in a different way.Usually Vivikam cake is prepared with loads of eggs, rum and nuts, raisins, this cake is very rich but i followed my neighbour aunty's Vivikam cake as this recipe is completely Rum free but still very rich too.Am running my second week of blogging marathon with Festival recipes as this week's theme. Since we are in November, obviously Festival recipes goes for Christmas special recipes. This week's theme is very close to my heart as i'll be sharing Pondicherry Christmas recipes.Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM#46. 

1/2kg Semolina/Rava
1/2kg Sugar
150grms Butter (room temperature)
1tbsp Ghee
1/2cup Cashew nuts
1/2cup Raisins
1/4cup Candied fruits (orange, lemon etc)
1/4litre/1cup Thick Coconut Milk
5nos Eggs
2tsp Vanilla Essence
1tsp Caraway seeds
1/2tsp Baking powder

Beat the butter, eggs and sugar together.

Fry the semolina with ghee until a nice aroma comes from.

Add the egg mixture, semolina, cashew, caraway seeds,raisins, essence, coconut milk together in a bowl.

Add in the baking powder and keep aside in a fridge for two days in fridge or else in room temperature for a day (if the room temperature is not too humid).

Preheat the oven to 350F.

Pour the soaked semolina mixture in a greased round mould and bake for 40-45minutes until a skewer inserted comes out clean.

Let it cool completely.

Slice and enjoy.

Gâteau à la Semoule de Pondichéry:
1 / 2 kg de semoule / Rava
1 / 2 kg de sucre
150grms beurre ( température ambiante )
1 cuillère à soupe de Beurre clarifié
1 / 2cup noix de cajou
1 / 2cup Raisins
1 / 4TASSES fruits confits (orange , citron , etc.)
1 / 4litre ou 1 tasse de lait de coco
5nos oeufs
2 cuillères à café d'extrait de vanille
1 cuillère à café de cumin graines
1 / 2 cuillères à café levure chimique

Battre le beurre , les oeufs et le sucre ensemble .

Faire revenir la semoule avec du beurre clarifié pendant quelque minutes.

Ajouter le mélange d'œufs, semoule , noix de cajou , graines de carvi ,raisins secs , extrait de vanille , lait de noix de coco, tous sa dans un bol .

Ajouter la levure chimique et laisser dans un frigo pendant deux jours dans un endrroit ou la température est ambiante pendant un jour.

Préchauffer le four à 350F .

Verser l'appareil dans un moule rond beurré et cuire au four pendant 40-45minutes.

Laisser refroidir complètement.