Christmas Fruit & Rum Cake/Christmas Fruit & Nut Cake with Rum

Christmas is around the corner and am getting ready with many christmas themed special bakes for this season. One of my H's favourite cake is fruits loaded rum cake,this cake was in my to do list since a long and finally i ended up in baking this cake today. I soaked all the dry fruits and nuts with spice powders along with treacle syrup,orange zest and rum before a month, and kept in a safe place to see the result after a month, trust me it came out extremely flavourful and aromatic. My H always asks for this rum cake but for some reason i couldnt bake this cake earlier finally i couldnt resist after smelling this aromatic soaked fruits to bake this cake. Personally i didnt felt the alcohol in this cake, its just half a cup of rum along with treacle syrup added to dry fruits and nuts makes this excellent fruit mix. Traditionally caramel syrup is used in Indian style of Christmas fruit cakes, but for a change i replaced the caramel syrup with treacle syrup. This cake tastes extremely delicious.

If you dont have soaked fruits and nuts, dont worry you can still prepare the fruit mix just by adding the chopped nuts and fruits in rum and caramel just for a night, use it while preparing the batter of this cake.You can skip very well the alcohol part though the alcohol gives an excellent flavor to this cake. Its a old fashioned christmas fruit cake prepared during this festival time to bring the festive mood. You can omit nuts and go just for fruits, you have many options to make this traditional cake.

For Soaking:

1/2cup Apricots (chopped)

1cup Raisins

1/2cup Sultanas/Golden raisins

1/2cup Prunes (chopped)

1/2cup Cherries (chopped)

1/2cup Dated (chopped)

1cup Mixed Nuts (chopped)

1/2tsp Cinnamon powder

1/4tsp Nutmeg powder

3pinch Clove powder

1/2cup Run

1/2cup Caramel syrup or treacle syrup

2tbsp Orange zest

Take all these ingredients together in a air tightened box, give a mix and keep aside for a week in room temperature (if you live in a chilled place) or arrange in fridge.

For Cake:

2cups All purpose flour

3/4cup Sugar

1/4cup Honey

4nos Eggs

150grms Butter (room temperature)

1tsp Baking powder

1/4tsp Baking soda

1/4tsp Salt

1tsp Vanilla extract

Few almonds (for topping)

Preheat the oven to 350F, line a cake mould with a baking sheet and keep aside.I used 14inch cake pan, if you cake pan is small in size, divide the cake batter and make two cakes.

Beat the butter and sugar until they turns smooth, add the eggs one by one and beat until the mixture turns soft.

Now add the honey, beat for a while.

Meanwhile sieve the flour with salt, baking powder, baking soda and keep aside.

Add the soaked fruits (add as you desire), stir well.

Add the flour, soaked syrup and mix everything well without over beating.

Pour the batter into a already prepared cake mould, arrange the almonds on the top of the cake and bake for 40-45minutes or else until a skewer inserted comes out clean.

Let it cool completely on a wire rack.