Soaked in rum,not really

The Christmas countdown has begun in many homes, and the traditional rum-soaked cake already made at least two weeks in advance. But what if you’re late for this year’s ritual? A slight variation can do the trick

If you are like me, you forgot to soak the dry fruits ahead of time, which in turn delays the preparation of the cake, but fret not! There are a variety of alternatives – whether to prepare the famous plum cake, or a fruitcake without alcohol, or if you catch yourself right in time (at least a week prior to Christmas if not more), then you can still achieve a scrumptious result by soaking the dry fruits in grape wine.

The traditional rum cake is typically made some months to weeks in advance, with two to one week being minimum required time. The process involves soaking the dry fruits such as raisins, dates and tutti frutti in rum. After soaking for a few weeks, they are mixed in the cake batter and baked. The cake batter includes a plain cake mix plus caramel syrup to attain the desired rich, dark colour and taste, as well as orange juice and sometimes orange rind. After baking, the cake is then wrapped in two layers of butter paper for a month or 2 weeks, during which time, it is brushed with rum every week so that it keeps moist and adds a distinct flavour.

The most important thing about Christmas cakes is to achieve those earthy flavours – the zesty, spicy, and slightly bitter with enough sweetness, dancing on the palette and whose amazing smell wafts across the home while baking.

Although the rum cake can still be prepared no matter how late, and you could always save the cake to cut a few days after the 25th! Here is another alternative recipe, made in the Kerala style.