Jai Shree Krishna! Today, we’re making a delicious Eggless Fruit Plum Cake that’s wholesome, moist, and full of dried fruits and nuts — all without using refined flour (maida) or an oven. Traditionally, fruit cakes involve soaking dry fruits for days, but we’ll simplify the process by cooking the fruits in fresh orange juice to bring out their natural sweetness and flavor.
This cake is perfect for Christmas, birthdays, or any special occasion when you want something rich, fruity, and irresistibly aromatic. The combination of caramelized sugar, warm spices, and mixed nuts gives it a beautiful golden-brown color and a melt-in-the-mouth texture.
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Ingredients
Dry Ingredients:
- Wheat flour – 2 cups
- Baking powder – 1 tsp
- Baking soda – ¼ tsp
- Cinnamon powder – ¼ tsp
- Dry ginger powder – ¼ tsp
- Salt – ¼ tsp
- Custard powder – 1 tbsp
Dried Fruits & Nuts:
- Raisins – 1 tbsp
- Black raisins – 2 tbsp
- Cranberries – 2 tbsp
- Dates – 3, chopped
- Figs – 2, chopped
- Tutti frutti – 2 tbsp
- Chopped almonds, cashews, walnuts – 2 tbsp
Wet Ingredients:
- Orange juice – 1 cup (fresh, or substitute with apple or mango juice)
- Sugar – 1 cup
- Water – ¼ cup
- Oil – ½ cup
- Curd (yogurt) – ½ cup
- Milk – ¼ cup
- Vanilla essence – 1 tsp
Method
Step 1: Prepare the Fruits
- In a pan over medium heat, combine raisins, black raisins, cranberries, chopped dates, chopped figs, and tutti frutti.
- Pour in 1 cup of orange juice and cook until the mixture thickens slightly. This step softens the dried fruits and infuses them with a fresh, tangy flavor.
- You can soak the fruits in juice overnight for an even richer taste, but cooking them gives you a quicker result.
Step 2: Make Caramel Sauce
- In another pan, add 1 cup sugar with ¼ cup water over low-medium flame.
- Stir continuously until the sugar melts completely and turns golden brown. Continue stirring gently until it reaches a slightly darker shade.
- If the syrup thickens too much, add a teaspoon of warm water to keep it pourable.
- Caramelizing sugar slowly prevents burning and gives a deep, rich flavor to the cake.
Step 3: Prepare Dry Mixture
- In a bowl, mix 2 cups wheat flour, 1 tsp baking powder, ¼ tsp baking soda, ¼ tsp cinnamon, ¼ tsp salt, and 1 tbsp custard powder.
- Sift thoroughly and set aside. You can substitute wheat flour with ragi flour or a combination of flours for a different texture.
Step 4: Combine Wet Ingredients
- In a large mixing bowl, combine ½ cup oil and ½ cup curd. Mix well.
- Add the prepared caramel syrup (slightly cooled). Stir to combine.
- Mix in 1 tsp vanilla essence.
Step 5: Make the Batter
- Gradually fold in the dry flour mixture into the wet ingredients. Mix evenly to avoid lumps.
- Add the cooked fruit mixture and ¼ cup milk.
- Adjust milk if the batter feels too thick. Do not overmix to ensure the cake stays soft.
Step 6: Prepare Cake Tin
- Grease a cake tin with butter or oil and line with parchment paper.
- Pour the batter into the tin and smooth the top.
- Sprinkle chopped nuts, cranberries, and raisins on top for garnish.
Step 7: Cook the Cake (Stovetop Method)
- Preheat a thick-bottomed kadhai (or pan) for 10 minutes.
- Place the cake tin inside the kadhai without the lid. Cover the kadhai with a lid and cook on medium flame for 20 minutes, then reduce to low flame for 15–20 minutes.
- Check with a knife: it should come out clean when the cake is done. If not, cook for an additional 10–15 minutes.
- Avoid opening the lid too frequently; this ensures even cooking.
Step 8: Cool and Serve
- Let the cake cool to room temperature before removing it from the tin.
- Slice and enjoy your soft, moist, and fruity eggless cake!
This quick, eggless fruit plum cake is perfect for festive occasions, giving you all the flavors of a traditional plum cake in a simplified, time-saving way.
Tips & Tricks
- Use fresh juice instead of water for cooking fruits to enhance flavor.
- Caramel sauce adds both sweetness and color. Don’t rush this step.
- For a richer taste, lightly toast the nuts before adding them on top.
- Avoid overmixing the batter to keep the cake light and fluffy.
- This cake keeps well in an airtight container for up to a week and can also be refrigerated.
