Christmas-Rum Cake

Slice the dried fruits and coat them with 2 tbsp of flour.

Mix the fruits with rum and keep this closed at room temperature for one day.

Chop cashews and smear them with almond essence and keep them also closed for one day.

Next day,sieve flour, baking powder, cinnamon powder, nutmeg powder, cloves powder and dry ginger powder together 2-3 times.

Add fruits, nuts, caraway seeds to the flour and mix well.

Caramalize sugar in a heavy bottom pan and allow it to cool.

Whisk the butter and add sugar and whisk well, until it is creamy.

Separate eggs to whites and yolk.

Add the yolks to 7 and whisk well.

Add flour ,a little a time,to the whisked batter and mix thoroughly.

Add caramalized sugar to this and mix thoroughly again.

Whisk whites of eggs with vanilla and salt.

Pour this to the batter.

Grease a pan and line with parchment paper.

Pour batter till half the pan and bake in a preheated oven at 350F for 1 - 11/2 hours. (please check for doneness after 40-45 minutes.cooking time depends on the oven used and the depth of the pan.)

Remove the cake from the oven and place it on a cooling rack.

When cool, smear with 2 tsp of rum.

Cover the cake completely first with wax paper and then with aluminum foil.

Keep in the refrigerator.

Use after one week.

:- Makes 1 loaf of cake.

Notes: ===== The original recipe belongs to some great grandmother who must have invented this yummy cake.I added my slight variations only. Please use only a little almond essence just to smear the cashews. I get very dark colour by caramelizing sugar.It has a dark coffee brown colour.You can also add brown sugar instead of ordinary sugar,but maybe you need to add a little more to get enough sweetness.Here is how to caramelize sugar: Use a heavy-bottom,white enameled/steel pot or saucepan with a handle. Place 1 cup sugar(distribute sugar in pan,not heaped) in the pot and add 2 tablespoon water. Turn the stove to high and place the pan on the stove and let it boil. Don¦t stir the contents at all. As sugar melts and caramelizes, you may swirl the pan a bit once or twice. Within 7 -10 minutes, a cherry wood colored caramel forms. See that all sugar is melted completely.Remove the pan from the stove and very carefully add 1 cup HOT water to the caramel. Carefully hold the pan above the sink, and slowly add the water to avoid splashing. Stir the contents well . Keep aside to cool. I use breadloaf pans which are deep but elongated,hence it takes time. When you use wide-surfaced shallow baking pans,the time may be short.Use a toothpick to insert and check for doneness after 45 minutes and then every 10-15 minutes so you don`t overcook it.

Rum,light fruit wine or brandy can be used.

The eggs and butter should be at room temperature.After greasing the tins with oil,line with parchment paper on all sides and the cake will come off very smoothly.To line,first keep the tin on the paper and draw a line with pencil,then cut it.cut out sides also. Thanks for reviews and comments.