Garam Masala Christmas Fruit Cake … warm, spicy, festive!
The quintessential Garam Masala Christmas Fruit Cake, one I bake every year. Here’s this years version inspired by different recipes from @bbcgoodfood and a bit of my own. Fruit mince from scratch soaked in a gentle mix of orange zest, orange juice, garam masala, whiskey, brandy and rum. Not very potent yet pleasing enough.
Some folk are surprised at garam masala in cake. This was what my mother always used when we were young. Ground cinnamon, nutmeg etc. were unavailable in the local market at the time. Garam masala or warm winter spices made up a heady bouquet, available in all our homes. A new year fruit cake was customary to bake in the armed forces then. I try to keep that tradition going!
Each year I promise I’ll get the cake done in time, each year promising my self that I won’t procrastinate. Each year I fall back. This year too. Well, to my credit, I soaked the fruit in November and was walking on the moon! Aaaaaaand slowly, the clock ticked away, and soon it was December! Time to panic, yet I did only get the tins lined after Cocoka nudged me. Big time!
So, three days ago I quickly got into baking mode, or rather Christmas Fruit Cake baking mode. Dug into recipes, ideas for last minute cakes, inspiration for here and there. Finally came up with this, inspired largely from a recipe on BBC Good Food, then a bit of my own.
The hero of the cake is of course garam masala, my secret ingredient which makes the cake what it is. Strong warm spices that marry the cut fruit, languish in heady spirits, sweet fresh orange juice, some zest too. The end result is flavourful and so good!
Look how beautiful the Garam Masala Christmas Fruit Cake looks! And I did have some soaked fruit leftover too. Watch this space to see what I used it for. Until then, here’s the recipe for the Garam Masala Fruit Cake. Maybe make it for New Year like my mother always did?
Garam Masala Christmas Fruit Cake
Ingredients
Fruit Mince
- 800 g fruit {currants, raisins, candied ginger, candied orange peel, dried cranberries, dried blueberries}
- 2 tbsp garam masala
- 150 ml brandy, whiskey, rum
- Zest of 1 orange
- Juice of 1 orange
Fruit Cake Batter
- 225 g butter room temperature
- 200 g brown sugar
- 4 tbsp caramel {made from 4 tbsp sugar then 1 tbsp water added later}
- 5 eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla bean paste
- 200 g all purpose flour
- 100 g whole almonds
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 150 g walnuts finely chopped
- 180 g cashews finely chopped
Instructions
Fruit Mince
- Chop candied ginger and orange peel in food processor. Place in a large bowl and stir in remaining ingredients for mincemeat.
- Mix to coat well. Clingwrap tightly and sit in a cool place for about a week. If it is warm, you can place the sealed bowl in the fridge {Remove a few hours before you plan to bake the cake}
Fruit Cake
- Line one large 8" deep tin or 1 7" round tin + 1 mini loaf pan + 1 3" small round tin with parchment paper.
- Preheat the oven to 150C.
- Place the flour, almonds and baking powder in the jar of a processor. Process until the almonds are ground fine. Reserve.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, whisk the butter and brown sugar on medium speed till smooth, 5-6 minutes.
- Whisk in the eggs one by one, followed by the caramel and vanilla bean paste.
- Once well blended, stir in the flour mix and chopped nuts.
- Transfer batter to prepared tins, and bake for about 2.5-3 hours, until done.
- As soon as they come out of the oven, pour oven about a cup of mixed red wine, brandy and rum {optional}
- Allow to cool completely, then cover with clingwrap and leave in a cool place. Slice only once cool.
- You could feed the cake a couple more times if you like.
Deeba @ PAB
About me: I am a freelance food writer, recipe developer and photographer. Food is my passion - baking, cooking, developing recipes, making recipes healthier, using fresh seasonal produce and local products, keeping a check on my carbon footprint and being a responsible foodie! I enjoy food styling, food photography, recipe development and product reviews. I express this through my food photographs which I style and the recipes I blog. My strength lies in 'Doing Food From Scratch'; it must taste as good as it looks, and be healthy too. Baking in India, often my biggest challenge is the non-availability of baking ingredients, and this has now become a platform to get creative on. I enjoy cooking immensely as well.
11 Comments
NITI
Hi Deeba, could you use only almond flour for this recipe? If yes, then what would the quantity be?
Deeba @ PAB
Hi Niti, I think you could but maybe try half the recipe.The quantity would be the same as the plain flour plus almond meal, though since there isn’t any gluten, I’m not a 100% sure of how it might turn out. Would be delicious though. Let me know if you try. Thank you
Tuttu
Can u pls share the garam masala receipe which is used here
Deeba @ PAB
Will do. ASAP.
Sonal
Hey Deena, is there an eggless version of this cake? Thanks
Deeba @ PAB
Hey Sonal, None as yet. If I have some time, I’ll try one.
Aarti
Hi Deeba, what if we dont have a week to soak the mince meat in rum? Is there any way to quickly infuse the same?
Deeba @ PAB
Hi Aarti, Yes of course. Soak them overnight, then microwave for a minute the next morning. Should work.
Satchid
Just a note: on point 6 in the recipe I believe you meant to state add reserved dry ingredients and fruit mix. May be worth a correction? Baking this amazing recipe. Will be posting on Instagram soon 🙂
Sushma
Hi Deeba, Can I use veggie oil instead of butter
Deeba @ PAB
Hey Sushma,
Yes, I think you could though it might not taste so good.