As the year-end festive season draws closer, bakers in Tiruchi are getting ready to prepare significant quantities of cakes that showcase a flavourful mixture of dried fruits, nuts, and candied ingredients macerated in alcohol or fruit juice.
Mixing the ingredients is often a ceremonial occasion for many bakeries where cakes are prepared in bulk.
“The gifting of fruit cakes is a popular tradition during Christmas and New Year. This year, we have received orders for 100 kg of authentic plum cake. Since we use butter, the cakes have a rich taste and must be consumed within three to four days,” S. Nandakumar, co-founder of the Choco Loca cafe in Tiruchi, told The Hindu.
Mr. Nandakumar, a food consultant, supplies festive cakes for wholesale buyers, and said that the plum cake had a fan base in the city. “Our recipe contains mixed spices, seedless black and yellow raisins, dried fruits, prunes, dates, and candied ginger and orange. Last week, we soaked the ingredients in rum and homemade wine, in a special ceremony. They will be ready for baking in a month’s time. We offer non-alcoholic versions of the fruit cake, where we substitute alcohol with the juice of apple, orange, and pineapple, and shorten the soaking period,” he said.
