The plum cake is a traditional English sponge cake with a candied fruit filling and optionally flavored with liquor. There are similar cakes in countless gastronomies and that is why it is very difficult to determine the exact origin of it, that is, if it was born autonomously or was copied from some previous cake from continental Europe.
In England it is consumed throughout the year, being usual to be served like dessert or accompanying the typical tea that is consumed at all hours.
INGREDIENTS :
250 grams (8.8 oz) of all purpose flour
200 grams (7 oz) of unsalted butter
200 grams (7 oz) of brown sugar
4 large eggs
Chemical yeast
50 grams (1.7 oz) of Corinthian raisins (without seeds)
50 grams (1.7 oz) of candied fruits
50 grams (1.7 oz) of chopped nuts
1 orange
1 lemon
Half a cup of rum (optional)
In a casserole or microwave, melt the butter. In the bowl where we melted the butter, add the brown sugar and beat well to dissolve.
Then we incorporate the eggs and beat again well. Squeeze the orange and grate the lemon peel and add both to the mixture. Then we pour the sifted flour while stirring and finally the chemical yeast envelope.
If we want we add the rum.
Flour the candied fruits, raisins and nuts to incorporate them into the dough. This serves to prevent them from going to the bottom (the flour retains them along the entire volume of the plum cake).
I recommend using a rectangular silicone mold because it will be easier to unmold. If you do not have silicone mold, use one greased with butter.
Preheat the oven to 180 degrees celsius (356 F) and bake for 45 minutes. Before extracting it, check that it is dry by sticking a toothpick in the center. If the toothpick leaves dry then the plum cake is completely made.
The result is a dark, dense and very aromatic cake, ideal for coffee, tea or as the end of a not very copious meal.
If you want you can decorate the top with candied fruit or nuts, almonds...
