Growing up, cake for any occasion meant a creamy cake. Just a basic sponge or tea cake were extremely boring to be had only in case of dire sugar emergencies. It was in Mumbai I first had a Christmas fruitcake. I loved the texture and caramelised flavour of it. Then I found out that there’s a boozy version of it—perfect!

It is easy to make it at home as well. I’ve slightly modified the original recipe by Hebbar’s Kitchen. I soak the fruit fillings for up to a month. The raisins soak up the alcohol and give you a hit of booze when you eat them.

The cake is best had warm. I have even warmed it on a pan for a nice toasty slice.

Ingredients:

For the boozy fruits

• 1 ½ cup of chopped mixed dry fruits such as dates, raisins, dried berries, apricot, and orange zest (Avoid adding walnuts, almonds, and cashews. I feel they don’t go well together. Moreover, walnuts tend to get rancid pretty soon.)
• 1 ¼ cup dark rum 

Method:

• Soak these together in an airtight container for at least a week.
• If you’re looking for a non-alcoholic version, then replace the rum with orange or grape juice and soak for a day.
• The liquids should be more or less fully absorbed by the fruits.

Ingredients

For the cake

• 1 ¼ cup softened butter
• 2 ½ cups brown sugar
• ⅓ cup vegetable oil
• ¾ cup yogurt
• 4 cups flour
• ½ tsp baking soda
• 1 ½ tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp cinnamon powder
• Pinch of ground cloves
• Pinch of nutmeg powder
• Pinch of salt

Method:

• Whisk the butter and sugar together till it gets creamy.
• Add the oil and yogurt and continue to mix.
• Add the rest of the dry ingredients to the bowl and fold it in gently.
• Mix in the soaked fruits.
• Pour the batter into a 7-8 inch greased cake tin and bake at 160 deg C for about 80 minutes.
• Check to see the top browning
• Once it’s done, remove and rest for at least 30 minutes before devouring.

Note: Contrary to popular belief, the alcohol content doesn’t fully evaporate upon cooking. The alcohol version of this cake would not be suitable for kids or anyone avoiding alcohol.