Caramel fruit cake/ Butterscotch cake – Christmas special!!!

The most anticipated and joyous season of the year is right at our door steps. As Thanksgiving holidays slowly stretches into the merry days of Christmas and new year, spirit of this season slowly permeates into our kitchens too. Befitting the tradition, here is a simple and wonderful "Caramel fruit cake" which vaguely resembles " plum cake", the omnipresent star of bakeries in Kerala, during the Christmas season. While growing up, there was seldom a day in December  that passed without munching a piece of plum cake, either at or home or at our friend's or relatives. Though the cake we are presenting, is not a plum cake, it sure will bring back  memories of those delicious bites. We wish our wonderful readers and friends a great holiday season and pray for the spirit of love to gently fill all our hearts and homes. May you find many reasons for happiness....

All-purpose flour 1 cup
Granulated sugar ½ cup
Powdered sugar ½ cup
Condensed milk ¼ cup
Whole eggs 5 nos
Baking powder 1 tsp
Baking soda 1 tsp
Butter ½ cup, room temperature
Rum extracts 1 tsp
Water ½ cup, warm
Tutti fruity ½ - ¾ cup I used the sunripe fruit mix

Preparation

Sift together All-purpose flour, baking soda and baking powder. Set aside.
Grease the bottom and sides of an 8’ cake pan with  butter and dust with all purpose flour. Dump out excess flour and set aside.

For the Caramel syrup

In a heavy bottomed pan, add the ½ cup granulated sugar and switch on the flame at medium heat. Allow the sugar to caramelize. DO NOT STIR until the sugar completely dissolves. When the sugar syrup gets a dark brown color (after about15-20 minutes at medium heat), add ½ cup of warm water. Mix well and remove from fire. Allow the caramel syrup to cool down to room temperature. Notes: Is is the color of caramel syrup that decides the color of your cake, so lighter the caramel color, lighter will be the cake.

For the cake

In a mixing bowl, cream the butter and powdered sugar using a whisk or wooden ladle.

In another clean, dry bowl, crack the eggs and beat them using a hand mixer until foamy.

Now add condensed milk to the butter-sugar mixture and mix well. Slowly add the flour and mix well to combine without any lumps. Next fold in half of the eggs and mix gently followed by the rest of the eggs and mix slowly until no white streaks are visible.

Lastly add the room temperature caramel syrup and rum extract, fold in well and add the tutti fruity. Mix well and pour into prepared cake pan (8’ size) and bake in a preheated oven at 350 F for 30-40 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean. Allow the cake to cool slightly before taking off the pan and enjoy!!!

Cheers & Merry X’mas!!!
Suji