What exactly is a plum cake and why it is linked with Christmas

The vibrant and colourful festival of Christmas is here and no Christmas celebration is complete without a table full of Plum Cake. For the unversed, it is a rich, dark fruit-cake traditionally made with dried fruits, nuts, warm spices, and alcohol. And the most interesting thing is, despite its name, it usually contains no fresh plums. Sounds exciting? Well, there is more to the story of plum cake, scroll down to explore. What is a Plum Cake?As per food historians, the term plum refers to an old English word that once referred to raisins and dried fruits. And here the dried fruits include raisins, currants, dates, prunes, cherries, citrus peel, butter, eggs, sugar, and spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. And it is said that to make this cake, these fruits are traditionally n soaked in rum, brandy, or wine for days or weeks, giving the cake its deep flavour, moist texture, and also the long shelf life. Plum cake and Christmas As per food historians, the connection between plum cake and Christmas date back to medieval England. It is said that back in time, there was a fasting tradition preceding Christmas. This practice aimed to prepare the body for the festive indulgence on Christmas Day. On Christmas Eve, a porridge-like dish, considered the precursor to plum cake, was prepared, This one featured dried fruits like plums or prunes, spices, and honey. In the 16th century, the dish evolved and the recipe saw the addition of eggs and butter. If experts are to be believed, the process involved tying the batter in a muslin cloth and boiling it for hours, resulting in a dense, fudge-like structure. The name "Plum Cake" is attributed to the common practice of referring to raisins and currants as plums in England. Over time it became a Christmas tradition in Britain and spread to countries like India, especially Kerala and Goa, through colonial influence. And today, it is an integral part of celebration reflecting festivity, warmth, and togetherness. Some theories also suggest the association with the original porridge dish, which featured dried plums as a key ingredient. How to make plum cake at homeIngredients required: 1½ cups all-purpose flour, 1 tsp baking powder, ½ tsp baking soda, 1 tsp cinnamon powder, 1/2 tsp mixed spice or nutmeg, a pinch of salt, ½ cup butter, ¾ cup brown sugar, 2 eggs, 1 tsp vanilla essence, 1 cup mixed dried fruits (raisins, dates, cherries, tutti frutti), ¼ cup chopped nuts (cashew/walnut/almond), ½ cup orange juice or rum/brandy if using alcohol Method: Step 1 First of all, warm the juice slightly and soak dried fruits for 15–20 minutes. Dust with 1 tbsp flour.Step 2In the meantime, preheat the oven at 170°C and grease and line a cake tin.Step 3Now, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs one by one. Mix in vanilla essence too. Step 4 Also, sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, spices, and salt in a deep mixing bowl. Step 5 Combine all the ingredients and also add the soaked fruits and nuts.Step 6 Pour the batter into the cake tin and bake the cake for 40–45 minutes. Step 7 Your homemade Plum Cake is ready. Enjoy with coffee or cocktails! Images Courtesy: istock