Christmas Cake

             I made this cake for Christmas. This recipe makes a soft, moist and incredibly tasty plum cake. It is dense but still light.......The original recipe is of Nigella Lawson, but i have made many changes to the original recipe to suit my tastes. The cake tastes best when left to mature for at least 24 hours, it lets all the flavours infuse with one another and make it incredibly tasty!!!
This is by far the best Christmas cake that I have tasted or made!!! You should surely give it a try!!! You won't regret it !!!!
           You can use other dry fruits and nuts if you wish (like prunes and walnuts). Use what you like, You can add more quantity of some or less if you wish. It is all up to you!!!! If you wnat, you can add 1/3 cup of rum too.After all, in the end of the day it matters what you like!!! Do try it at home and let me know how it was!!!!!!!!!

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup Cashews, chopped
• 6-7 Dates, chopped
• 1/2 cup raisins, halved (black and golden raisins i.e. munakka and kishmish)
• 10-12 almonds, chopped
• 4 tbsp instant coffee powder mixed with 2 tbsp water
• 150 grams refined oil ( or equal quantity of unsalted butter)
• 1/2 tbsp garam masala (you can use mix spices instead)
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon powder
• 2 pinches nutmeg powder
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup honey
• 2 tangerines (zest as well as juice)
• 3 tbsp cocoa powder
• 3 eggs
• 1 cup all purpose flour (maida)
• 1 cup almond meal (finely ground almonds)
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• Separate all purpose flour for dusting the nuts and dry fruits.

Method:

1.  Dust all the dry fruits and nuts in flour.
2. In a large saucepan, add the chopped cashews, chopped dates, halved raisins, chopped almonds, coffee, butter/oil , garam masala, cinnamon powder, nutmeg powder, brown sugar, honey, zest of 2 tangerines, juice of two tangerines^*, cocoa powder and heat stirring continuously till all the sugar dissolved. Avoid the mixture from bubbling.
3. Remove the saucepan from heat and let it cool completely.
4.  Preheat the oven to 180 C.
5. Grease a cake tin (about 9 inch in diameter if using a round cake tin) and line it with butter paper.
6. Then add the eggs, 1 cup flour, almond meal, baking powder and baking soda to the liquid mixture.
7. Pour the batter into the pan and put it in the oven for 1-2 hours, till a skewer pricked in the cake comes out clean. Take care that the cake should still be a bit moist and take care to not overcook it or else it will not be moist. The cake will be soft and spongy to touch.
8. Let the cake cool and leave it at room temperature for atleast 24-30 hours.
9. Decorate with chocolate shards, chocolate chips and sprinkles and enjoy!!!!

 Note: This recipe makes about one 1kg cake.
           * approximately 300ml for two tangerines in total.

Happy baking  !!!!!!!!!