My Mum's Fruit and Nut Cake

This is the only cake we knew growing up in Patna. Fancy cakes with icing and frosting were only meant for birthdays. And were mostly pre-ordered from Channa Uncle’s Cake Palace and later his brother’s Polson’s in Dak Bungalow Road.

This is one cake which seldom goes wrong. Perhaps your Mum made it too. That trademark treat to have with your glass of milk, or chai for grownups.

When we did not have an oven, my Mum used to make this cake in the gas tandoor. Some Mums from the ‘80s even made it in the pressure cooker.

I have made this cake after years. Just because its the husband’s birthday tomorrow, and I wanted to treat him with something I have learnt from my Mum.

Ingredients for My Mum's Fruit and Nut Cake are:

1.5 cups all-purpose flour/maida
1 cup sugar, powdered in the grinder
1 cup canola/vegetable oil
1 teaspoon baking powder
3 large eggs
Quarter teaspoon vanilla extract
Raisins, walnuts, cashews, glazed cherries and tutti-frutti mixed together to form about half a cup
1 heaped tablespoon all-purpose flour (to dust the fruits and nuts)
1 tablespoon butter for the cake pan

Start by sieving the all-purpose flour and the baking powder twice. This will remove any lumps, etc.

Pre-heat oven to 350° F. Butter a round cake pan (today I used a Bundt pan). Line bottom with parchment paper, and butter the parchment.

Now beat together the flour, powdered sugar, eggs, oil, and vanilla extract till you get a smooth batter. (I use my blender.)

Scrape the batter into the prepared pan, and sprinkle the flour-dusted fruit and nuts on the batter. Shake off all the extra flour before you add them.

Bake for 45 minutes. Check by inserting a bamboo skewer in the cake. If the skewer comes out clean, your cake is done!

Slice and serve warm with tea, coffee or a glass of milk.

Between the four of us, a cake this size used to be over within minutes of my Mum baking it. This cake is great to bake during Christmas too. Gives you that old, world charm of eating a rustic, homemade cake and the house smells awesome too! Try it.