Luxury Eggless Plum Cake for Christmas

This luxurious eggless vegetarian Xmas cake is packed with delights. You can add some cherries and cranberries to it as well if you like. Replace alcohol with apple and orange juice. If you have cranberry juice use that as well. You can use one large 10 inch cake pan or two 6 inch ones. A loaf pan works well also. I eliminate the traditional soaking process by using a pressure cooker and replace the eggs with apples. Video on Instagram @deshpandetara.

Ingredients for approximately 1.35 kg cake

250 grams golden raisins seedless pips removed

100 gram black currants seedless pips removed

2 red apples peeled and grated

50 gram dried cherries or cranberries (optional)

1. 25 cups apple juice

1 cup dark rum

1 teaspoon orange zest

1 tsp cinnamon powder

1.5 tsp allspice powder

1 teaspoon nutmeg powder

1.5 tablespoons cocoa powder1 teaspoon filter coffee extract

200 grams cold but soft butter

1.75 cups brown sugar

185 grams maida or all purpose flour sifted

1 tsp baking powder

Pinch salt

1 tsp lime juice

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 cup toasted skinned walnut pieces or pecans or almonds

Optional 3/4 cup brandy for feeding the cake Fondant or marzipan to decorate

Method

Preheat oven to 325F.

Prepare lower rung of oven. Grease and line cakes pans with parchment.

In a pressure cook pan combine golden and black raisins, cherries or cranberries if you are using them with grated apple, orange zest, rum, apple juice powdered spices.

Stir well and pressure cooker 3 whistles on a low flame. If you are concerned about burning the bottom of the pressure pan open it in the middle of the cooking process and give it a good stir. You are looking for the fruit to turn plump and absorb all the liquid, just short of a jammy consistency.

Cool completely.

Beat butter and sugar with a hand or in a stand whisk until fluffy.

Add filter coffee, dried fruits and whisk to combine evenly.

Add baking soda to lime juice and when it froths beat into batter until well combined.

Now add flour mixture cup by cup on a slow speed until evenly combined with dried fruits. Scrape bottom of the mixing bowl to ensure batter mixes evenly.

Add walnuts and beat on low speed until combined. Do not over beat this cake after flour has been added. Batter will be dark and thick.

Spread and smoothen batter into two greased and lined 6 inch pans or one single deep 10 inch cake pan and cover with foil.

Use a fork to make a few small Holes in the foil to allow steam to escape while cake bakes.

Bake in lower rung of oven for 50-60 minutes. Remove foil and move to middle rung and bake until a cake tester comes out clean.

Cool in pan completely then unmold and brush with 2 – 3 tbsp brandy.

Place in an airtight container and refrigerate till you are ready to decorate it.

Feeding the Cake

After 3-4 days make four small holes in the cake using toothpicks and pour 2-3 tbsp brandy over the cake again. This can be done 3-4 times over a 3 week period if you wish. If you plan not to feed the cake wrap in plastic wrap to prevent it from drying out in the fridge.

Luxury Eggless Plum Cake for Christmas

PRESSURE COOKER BUTTER CHICKEN

This is an easier recipe that you can make at home when you don’t have the time for too many steps. This recipe is low on time and high on flavour. Choose a tandoori chicken paste that is aromatic and has a deep red hue. if you want to make this vegetarian don’t use the chicken stock. Just use water.

Ingredients for 8 persons

Butter Chicken or Chicken Makhani

1 kg tandoori chicken on the bone

500 grams chopped tomatoes (plum, roma)

150 grams chopped white onions

75 grams cashew pieces unsalted, unroasted

75 grams mawa or khoya (solidified milk fats)

100 grams chicken tandoori paste masala (not powder)

1 tsp white butter (plus more for garnishing)

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1/2 tsp dried fenugreek leaves or kasuri methi

sat, sugar and red chilli powder to taste

2 tablespoons heavy cream plus a little more to drizzle as a garnish

coriander sprigs to garnish (optional)

Method

Separate the meat from the bones of the Tandoori chicken.

Dice meat coarsely in 3/4 inch pieces and reserve.

Add 4 cups of water to the bones and heat in a large pressure cooker pan on high heat until water has reduced to approximately 2 cups.
Drain, reserve stock and discard bones.

Rinse and wipe the same pressure cooker pan. Heat on a medium flame and add white butter and oil. Add onions, tomatoes, cashews, mawa and the Tandoori chicken paste. Add the stock and 2 additional cups of water.

Cover with a lid but do not put on the whistle. Cook 40-45 minutes until pulpy and reduced. Stir once or twice to ensure it doesn’t burn at the base.

Now put on the whistle and cook for an additional 2 whistles. The mixture should have reduce in volume, should be extremely soft and the oil should be floating in the top.

Cool 10 minutes then using a hand blender of food mill puree to a smooth paste. Reheat in the same pressure cooker pan. Add chicken. kasuri methi, salt sugar nd cayenne pepper to taste. Cook 10-15 minutes on a low heat.

Turn of flame and stir in 2 tbspns cream. Garnish with a drizzle of cream and some coriander sprigs. Serve hot with Naan, roti or chapatis.

Pressure Cooker Chicken Makhani or Butter chicken


Butter Chicken