Another must-have Hari Raya delicacy for many houses is Steamed Fruit Cake. There are a few versions of the recipe but I'm using the one by Chef Hamidah Rusdi, another weekend baking teacher whose classes I attended a few times even though I had to travel all the way to Chua Chu Kang! Well...when there's a will, there's always a way......no need to give excuses..haha...
I don't think I have to tell you how delicious this cake is. But I must say this recipe produces a very moist and dark cake.....just the way I like it! There's no need to add colouring & it keeps very well too! Mixing it is easy too...no need any mixer. But wrapping the pan is a bit tedious but is an important step so that the cake is not soaked in water. Chef Hamidah did teach us a simpler method, i.e. using the transparent plastic container. But I'm not comfortable with the idea of steaming a plastic container for 4 hours.....yes, this cake needs to be steamed for 4 hours! Are you game to go for a long steam.....?
Update: Please refer to my updated post for tips to prepare this cake.
Steamed Fruit Cake
A250g butter (softened)
100 fine sugar
1 tsp ( I used 1/2 tsp) ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp (I used 1/2 tsp) orange essence
1/2 tsp vanilla essence
2 large eggs
B(combined & sifted)
250g plain flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cream of tartar
C(combined)
100g mixed dried mixed fruits
200g dried black currants
50g walnuts (chopped into small pieces) - I added
20g plain flour
D
200g castor sugar (for burnt sugar)
Method:
- Heat a steamer over medium heat.
- Combine A, except eggs, mix with a wooden spoon.
- Add eggs, one at a time, & blend well. Do not overmix.
- Add B &mix well.
- Add C & mix well. Do not overmix.
- Prepare burnt sugar by placing D into a heavy skillet over medium high heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon as sugar melts. When it becomes very dark brown, remove from heat and carefully add to the fruit cake mixture. (NB: the burnt sugar will harden almost immediately, the hardened ones can still be added to the batter in the baking pan.)
- Pour mixture into a lined & greased baking pan (8x8x4").
Cover the pan with a grease paper & tie the pan with a string ( I used rafia string).Then cover thegrease paperpan with aluminium foil & tie the pan with a stringagain. Make sure the pan is water-proof. - Steam the cake for 4 hours. Then remove pan from steamer. Leave pan aside for 10 minutes. Then remove cake from pan. Leave to cool.
wahhh!!!..one of my father favourite ni..npk basah fruit cake tu...sedappnye..
ReplyDeleteMemang basah & sedap...Orang2 lama memang suka kek ni. Cubalah buat utk your father. Mudah2an dia suka!
ReplyDeleteAwesome...my friend buys this cake for $35 .....drooling:p
ReplyDeleteAnonymous,
ReplyDeleteThank you. It's quite easy to buy this though it doesn't come cheap but I like to make it myself...
Hi Faeez,
ReplyDeleteI have made steamed fruit cake before and that recipe was given by a malay ex colleague. I would like to give your recipe a try but still a hesitation there because of the long 4 hours of steaming....scary... but I know this cake is really super delicious, isn't it?
Mel, I know... it can be scary if we think of the 4 hrs... but it's really worth it! i suggest you start early morning. By lunchtime, it's ready!:)
ReplyDelete