Monday, November 19, 2012

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.

IMG_9091This 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.

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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.

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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

IMG_9067Start by sieving the all-purpose flour and the baking powder twice. This will remove any lumps, etc.

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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.

IMG_9071Now beat together the flour, powdered sugar, eggs, oil, and vanilla extract till you get a smooth batter. (I use my blender.)

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IMG_9072Scrape 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.

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

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

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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.

6 comments:

sulagna said...

ohh and this looks absolutely yummy...something reminds me of Flury's :)

My Unfinished Life said...

this is something I can definitely try.... :)

http://sushmita-smile.blogspot.in/

Priya Suresh said...

Looks super rich and fabulous.Prefect for xmas.

Rwitabhadra Chatterjee Dasgupta (RITZ) said...

Birthday Wishes for your hubby !! This cake reminded me so much of my mum's fruit cake(as we called it). Somehow I have not made such a fruit and nut cake in years. And your post is a such an inspiration to bake it again for the Holidays. Simply yummm and uber nostalgic ! Thanks !!!

team ecoSycle said...

My toddler would definitely see this and go for it immediately! I cannot wait to try making this cake. And the coloured currant is perfect to top it off.

PreeOccupied said...

@Neel, those are not "colored currants", those are glazed cherries and tutti-frutti. :-)