It is long time yet for Christmas. But hotels and homes that believe in making the rich plum cake have started their cake mixing process now. Some hotels and institutions make it a convention to invite people and start the process as a celebration. This is because Christmas is incomplete without the plum cake.

At The Residency the countdown for Christmas has begun. Recently, the hotel celebrated its 19th ceremonial fruit and wine mixing event. “This year we used 500 kg of dry fruits along with a variety of nuts. Other ingredients such as black currant, red currant, dry apricot, dry fig, dry apple, dry pineapple, ginger chips, assorted candy peel, walnuts, cashew nuts, almonds, pistachios, and dates also were used,” Erin Louis, General Manager, The Residency says.

It was such a joy to watch the guests add 80 bottles of brandy and rum to the mixture of dry fruits and nuts. The mixture is left alone to ferment for about two months. “The fermentation of liquor enhances the flavour of the dry fruits. It will preserve the quality of dry fruits and it will add medicinal value to the fruits.” Executive Chef Ashok Kumar says.

The kitchen staff will start readying the plum cakes during the first week of November. From December first week onwards they would be available for sale. The plum cake takes about a month to mature after it is prepared. This is why the hotel is making it available one month after preparing it. This Christmas season The Residency has plans of also selling about 2,000 tins of transfat-free plum cake. This means you can enjoy a guilt-free Christmas this year.

“The process includes mixing of transfat free butter, sugar, egg, bread crumbs, maida, lemon rings, grated apple, grated carrot, spices, fermented dry fruits, brandies and rum, and black jack, and baking for four hours. After baking, the cake is juicy. For maturation and breathing, the cake is racked for 30 days for even better taste.” Mr. Louis says.

The hotel claims that their plum cakes have a shelf life of over six months. Post Christmas this plum cake can also double as a healthy and filling snack option.