It’s that time of the year when spiced dry fruits and nuts meet in dark rum in anticipation of Christmastime. Seasoned home chefs share tips from their family cookbooks so you can have the perfect fruitcake this year, and eat it too
Save the liquid strained from the mix for a heady topping
Christmas comes early every year for 88-year-old Clementine Coutinho D’Mello in Vasai. If you’re in or around Waliv Village, you’re better off asking for ‘Aunty Clementine’, or better yet, her famous ‘No Oven, No Sugar, No Butter’ Christmas Cake. She soaks her fruit mix for at least a month, though she’ll always say, “the longer, the better.” Read on, and you might find Aunty Clementine’s treasured recipe somewhere between tips from two city-based bakers.
Longer the better
Rum-Mixing was always a big day at home. Each ingredient had to come from a specific shop; no negotiations allowed. The candied fruits were always from Lobo’s in Crawford Market, and cinnamon from Prince Stores in Vasai. These little traditions mattered. Our real reward came much later though, when the cake was finally baked. We’d wait for those slightly charred sides, and the caramelised crust.
Whole walnuts and raisins make for the ideal garnish
Starting early makes all the difference. The longer the fruits soak, the softer and more flavourful they become. The alcohol also acts as a natural preservative, which is why these cakes last through the festive season, right until the Feast of the Three Kings in January, even without refrigeration.
Icing on the cake: Using two different kinds of rum adds beautiful depth to the flavour. Those who prefer non-alcoholic versions, can soak their fruits in fresh orange juice instead, which gives the cake a bright colour, as compared to the dark brown booze cake.
Natasha Almeida, East Indian culinary heritage conservationist, Vasai
Feed the cake
As a child, both my grandmothers, and my mother would gather in our kitchen and cut up fruit. The rum was brought by my grandfather from Goa. I remember being too young to participate in the activity, but I was allowed to stir with a big wooden spoon. I waited patiently for any scraps of the dry fruit that would be handed to me.
A traditional mix contains spices, candied fruit, and dark rum. The alcohol doubles as a preservative. REPRESENTATION PIC/ISTOCK
While rum remains the favourite pick, you can use brandy, whiskey or even wine. If you’re going the non-alcoholic route, use apple juice, orange juice or brewed black tea with a splash of essence. Icing on the cake: Before baking the cake, drain the excess liquid from the soak; this is liquid gold. ‘Feed’ the cake with it after baking every week until Christmas; this will intensify the aroma.
Carolyn Pereira, baker and founder, Treatfully Yours, Bandra
Aunty Clementine’s Christmas Cake
Ingredients
>> 150 gm walnuts and black raisins (chopped)
>> 100 gm mixed tutti-frutti
>> 500 ml Old Monk rum
>> 3 eggs
>> 250 gm maida
>> 350 gm dates
>> 350 gm oil
>> 1 tsp baking powder
>> 1/4 tsp baking soda
>> 1/2 tsp salt
>> 1 tbsp caramel sugar syrup
>> 1 tsp jeera
>> 1 tsp cinnamon powder
>> 1 tsp fresh orange rind
>> 1 tsp vanilla essence
>> Few drops of almond essence
>> Whole walnuts for garnish
Vasai resident Clementine Coutinho D’Mello joins the mixing ritual at the age of 88
Method
Pre-preparation
Soak the chopped raisins and tutti-frutti in Old Monk rum for at least a month or longer if you can. The more time they spend together, the richer the flavours. Drain the rum and keep the soaked fruits aside. Sieve maida with baking powder and baking soda, mix well; then fold in the soaked fruits, cinnamon, salt, shah jeera, orange rind, and caramel sugar syrup.
Chopped raisins and fruits must be soaked for at least a month. PICS COURTESY/CLEMENTINE Coutinho D’Mello
Grind the dates with the leftover rum into a smooth paste. In another bowl, blend oil and dates together, then add the dry mixture and mix. Add more caramel syrup if you’d like a darker colour. Beat the eggs for about three minutes, adding vanilla and almond essence while blending. Fold the eggs gently into the cake mixture.
Baking
Pick from a variety of dried, candied fruit to add to your cake
Grease your cake tray and line it with butter paper. Pour in the batter and garnish with whole walnuts and raisins. Place a large vessel on the gas stove with a lid and preheat it on high flame for five to 10 minutes. Set a metal ring or stand inside and place your cake tray over it. Cover and bake on a medium flame for 50 to 60 minutes. Check doneness by poking with a dry toothpick. If it comes out clean, it’s ready. Once done, pour two tablespoons of rum over the warm cake and cover it until it cools. Slice, and serve.
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