Rich christmas fruit cake for a new beginning

Ingredients

• 2 cups all purpose flour (300 gms)
• 1 cup dry fruits (raisins, dates, sultanas, currants, prunes)
• 1/2 cup mix nuts (cashews, almonds, walnuts)
• 1/2 cup tuttu frutti
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon powder
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg powder
• 1/4 teaspoonclove powder
• 1/2 cup softened unsalted butter
• 1 cup light brown sugar
• 1 teaspoonvanilla essence
• 4 eggs
• 1 cup orange juice
• 3 tablespoons rum (optional)

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Preparation

• Soak the dry fruits, tutti frutti along with with cloves, cinnamon and nutmeg powder in orange juice and rum anywhere between 24 hours to 1 year. Soak dry fruits for 2 days. Do stir the jar once a day.
• On the day of making the cake, start by first making the caramel. In a heavy bottom pan, heat the sugar in a slow flame. The sugar will began to melt, stir this mixture slowly until all the sugar is melted and caramel is formed. When all the sugar crystals have been melted, add in boiling water and stir in to form smooth caramel syrup. Be very careful when adding boiling water as it will splutter a lot. Cool this mixture completely before using in the cake.
• Sift the flour along with baking powder and keep it aside.
• In a mixing bowl, beat together brown sugar and butter until light and fluffly. Slowly add in one egg at a time and beat well. Add in vanilla essence, dry fruits, flour and caramel mixture turn by turn. Mixing properly each time.
• Grease & line 2 loaf tins and bake the cake at 180 degrees C for 40 to 45 mins. Do a tooth pick test to confirm.
• Try storing the cake a week in the fridge wrapped in foil or cling film. This cake ages beautifully.