Kerala Plum Cake

Kerala Plum Cake Recipe: The Spices and Soaked Fruits Behind a Real Christmas Cake

If you grew up in Kerala, Christmas smells of caramel, cinnamon, and clove long before the cake comes out of the oven. This Kerala plum cake recipe is dark, moist, packed with soaked fruit, and flavoured with spices you can get straight from the Munnar hills.

Quick facts

  • Makes: one 8-inch cake (about 12 slices)
  • Soaking: overnight (alcohol-free) or 2-4 weeks (traditional)
  • Bake time: about 60 minutes at 160°C

Why is it called plum cake if there are no plums?

Nobody is certain, and Kerala’s version contains no plums at all. It’s simply what fruit cake is called here. The tradition goes back to 1883, when a Scot named Murdock Brown, who ran the Anjarakandy cinnamon plantation, asked Mambally Bapu of the Royal Biscuit Factory to bake him a Christmas cake, and the result is considered India’s first. Local ingredients like ghee, clove, and nutmeg are what made it different from the European original.

The spices that make it taste like Kerala

The spices are what separate a Kerala plum cake from a generic fruit cake. Use freshly ground ones if you can.

  • Cinnamon: the warm backbone of the cake.
  • Cloves: sharp and aromatic, so use a light hand.
  • Nutmeg: a spice widely used in baked goods and confectionery. Grate it fresh.
  • Cardamom: Kumily, near Munnar, has the world’s largest cardamom market, and the pods are used in baking across Kerala.  
  • Dry ginger powder: adds a gentle heat that balances the sweetness.

Homemade plum cake spice mix (about 2¼ tsp): 1 tsp cinnamon, ½ tsp dry ginger, ¼ tsp each of nutmeg, clove and cardamom, all freshly ground. You can buy whole spices and grind them yourself, or pick up ready spice powders.

This is a cake spice mix, not garam masala. If you want the savoury blend instead, see our homemade Kerala garam masala recipe.

Ingredients

Soaked fruits

  • 1½ cups mixed dried fruits (black raisins, golden raisins, chopped dates, candied orange peel, tutti frutti)
  • ¼ cup chopped cashews
  • About ¾ cup orange juice (alcohol-free) or rum/brandy (traditional)

Not sure which fruits to buy? Our dry fruits guide explains how to choose good ones. You can browse the full dry fruits collection too. 

  • ½ cup sugar + 3 tbsp water
  • ½ cup hot water (add carefully; it splatters)

Batter

  • 1¼ cups (150 g) all-purpose flour (maida)
  • 1 tsp baking powder, ¼ tsp salt
  • 2¼ tsp plum cake spice mix (above)
  • ½ cup (115 g) softened butter
  • ½ cup powdered or brown sugar
  • 3 eggs, 1 tsp vanilla

Method

  1. Soak the fruits. The traditional method is to steep them in rum for about a month, stirring now and then. Short on time? An overnight soak in orange juice works well.  
  2. Make the caramel. Melt the sugar with water without stirring until deep amber. Carefully add the hot water, simmer briefly, and cool completely. This caramel gives the cake its dark colour and rich flavour.
  3. Prep the pan. Grease and line an 8-inch round pan. Preheat the oven to 160°C.
  4. Mix the dry ingredients. Whisk flour, baking powder, salt and spices. Set aside 2 tbsp.
  5. Toss the fruits in that reserved flour. This stops them sinking to the bottom while baking.  
  6. Cream butter and sugar until pale. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then the vanilla and cooled caramel.
  7. Fold in the dry mix, then the fruits and cashews, until just combined.
  8. Bake for about 60 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool completely in the pan.

Tips for a better cake

  • Cool the caramel fully before it goes into the batter.
  • Let the cake rest a day; the flavours deepen.
  • Wrap it well. At room temperature, it stays good for a few days, and in the fridge for up to about two weeks (alcohol-free version).
  • Serve it with a hot cup of Kerala masala chai or any tea and coffee from Munnar.

FAQs

Can I make Kerala plum cake without alcohol?

Yes. Soak the fruits in orange juice overnight. The flavour is lighter but still festive.

How long should I soak the fruits?

Overnight at minimum; 2-4 weeks for the traditional deep flavour.

Why does the cake use caramel?

It gives the signature dark colour and a slightly bittersweet depth without artificial colouring.

Which spices go into plum cake?

Cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, cardamom, and dry ginger.

Looking for a Christmas gift for a baker? Browse our festive spice hampers.

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