Indian Christmas Cake | Rich Fruit Cake | Indian Fruitcake Recipe

The Indian version of Christmas cake, or rich fruit cake, is a beloved Anglo-Indian treat from India. It's bursting with spices and rum-soaked fruits, setting it apart from the traditional British Christmas cake.

Debjani's Note

My fondest childhood memories revolve around celebrating colorful festivals with my large, loving family in Kolkata. Christmas morning stands out vividly. I remember the incredible aroma of freshly baked cake, made by our family's trusted, long-time baker in Kolkata. My uncle, Rangajethu, would buy it from the Ordnance Factory canteen where he worked. My aunt, Rangama, would then prepare the cake, and all us kids, including me, would eagerly watch the process. To me, Christmas, or "Borodin" as we called it, meant joyous chatter, trips to the zoo with freshly baked cake, sandwiches, and oranges.

Christmas Cake memories

Every year, we enjoyed a simple vanilla-flavored Christmas cake, subtly spiced with cinnamon and packed with dry fruits, but surprisingly, without a single drop of alcohol!

For years, Day Cake was my absolute favorite Christmas treat! To be honest, I didn't even know about the more traditional Christmas cake back then.

Fruit cake aka Rum cake

Making this cake requires a little advance work. You'll need to soak your fruits in rum or brandy for at least a month. I've explained that process in another post. While you can easily buy candied peel and candied ginger, I decided to use my own homemade versions this year. You can find the recipes by clicking on the links provided.

I just adore the entire process involved in making the Traditional Christmas Cake. It is not complicated but requires lots of patience and love. I still remember her uttering "it actually is the old utensil, aged liquor concoction, the love we put in while mixing and baking you know; that makes your Christmas cake different! It should not be perfect but rich; it can have a crack on the top but that makes the cake close to us!"

I learned to make traditional Indian Christmas cake from my ex-colleague's Granny, who was originally from Kerala, then settled in Kolkata. This Anglo-Indian version of the Christmas cake is a delightful departure from the typical Western recipe.

Rich Fruit Cake Recipe Tips

• The simple ratio of 1:1:1 for Sugar, butter, and All purpose flour works the best!
• Almond Flour is optional however it makes the cake dense.
• I used to add candid Peels separately; however, these days I prefer those to be added to the alcohol-soaked fruit mixture and I skipped adding those separately. This way, the bitterness can be controlled.

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5 from 2 votes

Indian Christmas Cake | Rich Fruit Cake

Christmas cake or rich fruit cake with the flavor of spices and Rum soaked fruits from the state of Kerala.

Course Cake

Cuisine Indian

Keyword christmas cake recipe, indian plum cake recipe, indian rum cake recipe, rum cake recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 1 hour hour 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 45 minutes minutes

Servings 8 pieces

Calories 636kcal

Author Debjani Chatterjee Alam

Cost Rs 500

Ingredients

• 200 g All Purpose flour
• 200 g Butter at Room Temperature
• 200 g Granulated Brown Sugar I prefer my cake moderately sweet
• 100 g Almond Flour
• 2 cups Rum Soaked Fruits and Dry Fruits
• 2 tablespoon Alcohol to be taken from the Rum soaked fruit for better flavor or Brandy/ Rum/ Whiskey
• 1 teaspoon Mixed spices Cinnamon and clove
• 1 teaspoon Nutmeg Powder
• 6 Egg
• 1 Orange zest to be used
• 25 g Cashew Nuts
• 25 g Raisins and Tutti Frutti

Other (you can skip these two)

• 2 tablespoon Candied Orange Peel
• 1 tablespoon Candied Ginger

Decoration

• 2 tablespoon Icing Sugar for decoration
• 5 Cherries
• 2 tablespoon Brandy/ Rum/ Whiskey

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Instructions

• Cake Batter
• Take  Butter in a bowl.
• The butter should be at room temperature.
• Using a hand blender blend the butter until it is smooth and airy. Instead of a hand blender, you can use a manual whisk as well.
• Now add the granulated brown sugar in 3 batches and mix.
• Do not add the sugar at once. Small batches are a must.
• Now add 6 eggs and blend till smooth.
• Now add  All-purpose Flour in small batches
• Upon adding each portion, mix with a manual whisk following cut and fold method.
• Now add 100g Almond Flour and mix. This is optional.
• Chop Cashew nuts.
• Be ready with 25g Raisin and Tutty frutty as well.
• Add 2 Cups of alcohol-soaked fruit mixture.
• Now add the chopped cashews, raisins, and tutty fruity.
• Add 1 Tsp. Mixed Spices and 1 Tsp.  Nutmeg Powder.
• Now add zest from one Orange.
• You can add candid peels separately as well. I have not added them as those are listed with the soaked fruit.
• Now mix again.
• Add 3 Tbsp. Liquid from the fruit jar or Brandy/ Rum/ Whiskey
• Mix again.
• The cake mix is ready!

Getting the cake tin ready

• Prepare the cake tin using butter paper as shown in the video
• You can use a non-stick cake tin or silicone cake mould and even aluminum foil; however, I prefer good old cake tin lined with butter paper.
• Apply some butter before putting it on the paper.
• Pour the cake mix.
• A 10-inches tin is ideal for the ingredients used.
• Tap 2-3 times to level the cake mix.

Baking the Rich Fruit Cake

• Preheat the oven to 140 degrees C for 10 minutes before baking the cake.
• The cake is to be baked for 1 hr 30 minutes ( 5/10 minutes plus minus).
• After 1 hr 10 minutes check with a toothpick and keep checking after every 5 minutes.
• Once done, the toothpick will come out clean.
• The baking time varies a bit from oven to oven.
• Cool the cake over a wire rack.
• Once cooled, brush the cake with brandy/rum/whiskey.
• Cover with paper and keep the cake for a minimum of 1 day to a maximum of 7-10 days before cutting.
• At the time of serving the rich fruit cake, remove the paper.
•  

Christmas Cake Decoration

• The decoration is optional; I decorate the Christmas cake with icing sugar and cherries.
• You can use fondant or brandy-based cream as well.

Video

Notes

• The eggs and butter must be at room temperature
• The Alcohol-soaked fruit mixture used in this cake is 3 years old I have jars full of this mixture from different years. If not available use freshly made mixture, However, season the mixture at least for 15 days (minimum).
• I use the old mixture in rich fruit cake and keep the new one for the coming years. Ideally, you should make this Christmas cake at least 7 days ahead and let it season with the alcohol.
• Sugar needs to be adjusted based on preference. I like moderately sweet cakes.
• Butter can be proportionately substituted with refined Oil.
• For this cake, baking at a low temperature is necessary, and hence I baked at 140 degrees C for more than an hour.

Nutrition

Serving: 200g | Calories: 636kcal | Carbohydrates: 65.1g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 36g | Saturated Fat: 19.3g | Cholesterol: 176mg | Sodium: 404mg | Fiber: 2.7g | Sugar: 31.7g

Have you tried the easy Christmas rum and fruitcake recipe from Debjanir Rannaghar!

I would love to see a picture if you are making it following my recipe. You can share here at [email protected]. You can use my hashtag #debjanirrannaghar and share it through Instagram as well. and in addition, you can tag me at @foodofdebjani.

Here's the plum cake Recipe Pin for your Pinterest Board!

About Debjani Chatterjee Alam

I am Debjani Chatterjee Alam. A CSR specialist by profession and a food writer, food blogger, and food photographer as well. I live in Kolkata along with my Husband Mehebub who is an architect by profession, my daughter Pasta, and also my dog daughters Coffee and Luchi.

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