Plum Cake
A rich and dense historical cake featuring a tender crumb loaded with sweet currants. This recipe utilizes a traditional mixing method where butter is incorporated directly into the flour, followed by the addition of eight eggs separated into yolks and stiffly beaten whites for lift. The result is a golden, buttery celebration cake perfect for slicing and serving with tea.
Ingredients
- 1 pound Wheat flour (All-purpose flour) (Originally '1 ratal' (1 lb).)
- 1 pound Butter (Originally '1 ratal' hard butter or clarified fat. Use unsalted butter.)
- 1 pound Sugar (Originally '1 ratal' sifted maida sugar (fine sugar).)
- 1 pound Currants (dried) (Originally '1 ratal'. Adjust quantity to taste if preferred.)
- 1 cup Milk (Originally '1 pasher' (approx 1 cup).)
- 8 whole Eggs (Separated into yolks and whites.)
- 1 tablespoon Baking powder (Originally '2 heaping spoons Berwick's baking powder'. Modernized to 1 tablespoon.)
- 1 teaspoon Salt (Originally '1 flat spoon'.)
- 1 tablespoon Butter (for greasing) (Quantity estimated for greasing the pan.)
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Plum Cake Rich No. 2
This decadent, historical fruit cake combines the richness of sixteen eggs with a generous blend of currants, raisins, and candied citrus peels for a dense, buttery texture. Flavored with aromatic nutmeg, mace, and a splash of brandy, the batter is lightened by separately beaten egg whites to create a tender crumb despite the heavy fruit content. A classic celebration cake from the Parsi repertoire, it offers a complex, sweet, and spicy flavor profile perfect for festive occasions.
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Instructions
- 1Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Clean, wash, and thoroughly dry the currants. Toss them with a small amount of the flour to coat them (this prevents sinking).
- 2Separate the eggs. In a saucer or small bowl, beat the yolks thoroughly with a fork. In a separate clean bowl, beat the egg whites until they form a stiff, hard froth (stiff peaks).
- 3Sift the flour. In a large mixing bowl, thoroughly mix the butter into the flour until well incorporated (similar to a pastry method or rubbing in).
- 4Add the sugar, prepared currants, baking powder, and salt to the flour-butter mixture. Mix well. Combine the beaten egg yolks with the milk, then pour this liquid into the flour mixture and blend.
- 5Gently fold the stiff egg whites into the batter until just combined. Grease a round cake tin ('gol dabda') generously with butter. Pour the batter into the tin, filling it about three-quarters full. Bake in the preheated moderate oven (350°F/175°C) for 60-75 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.
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A luxurious, yeast-leavened fruit cake that bridges the gap between bread and cake, characteristic of turn-of-the-century Parsi baking. This rich batter is enriched with ten eggs, heavy cream, and butter, then infused with the floral notes of orange flower water and sherry. Studded with almonds, currants, and candied orange peel, it offers a tender, airy texture unlike dense modern fruitcakes.
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