Kerala Fruit Cake

Yum

Ingredients:

For soaking fruits:
Rum/brandy/wine  -      1 cup (can also use orange juice)
mixed fruit(Tutti frutti)   - 1 cup
Golden Raisins chopped   - ¼ cup
Cashew nut chopped         - ¼ cup 
Dates chopped                   - ¼ cup

For Caramel:
Granulated sugar  - ½ cup
water   - ½ cup + 1 tbsp.

For the cake:
All Purpose flour   -   1 cup + 1 tbsp.
baking powder       - 1 tsp.
Sugar  powdered   -       1cup
Butter    -      ¾c up
Vanilla extract -  1 tsp.
Egg                  - 2 nos.
Powdered cinnamon   -   ¼ tsp.
Powdered nutmeg       -   ¼ tsp.
Dry Ginger powder    -   ¼ tsp.
Powdered Cloves      -    ¼ tsp.


Method:

1. Soak all the chopped dry fruits, nuts and tutti frutti in Rum/brandy/wine at least 2 days before in a bottle in room temperature. Longer the soaking time better the flavor.
2. Combine  sugar and 1 tbsp. water in a sauce pan. Heat it & let the sugar melt. When the color of the melted sugar becomes dark brown, remove the pan from fire & add pour 1/2 cup of water very carefully to this and stir well. Set aside to cool.
3. Pre- heat oven to 350 F.Prepare the cake tins(grease the tins with butter and line with parchment paper use 3 sheets to prevent burning) and keep aside.
4. Sift the  flour with baking powder.Separate the eggs and whisk the yolks with vanilla essence in a bowl.
5. Cream butter and powdered sugar using a beater until its combined well. Add the egg yolks and the flour alternating between them and combine well.
6. Combine the spice powders(Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Dry Ginger powder, Cloves) and cooled caramel.Add the flour and fold it gently until combined well.
7. Drain the dry fruits and nuts and add half of it into the batter and fold gently. Coat the rest with 1 tbsp. of flour and set aside.
8. Beat the egg whites until soft peaks are formed and fold gently into the above batter.
9. Pour the batter into the prepared tins upto half level of the tins smooth the top and add the dry fruits and nuts tossed in flour into the batter.
10. Bake for 45 to 50 mins. Use the tooth pick to check if done.
11. Remove from oven and set aside to cool. 
12. When still warm prick the cake top with a fork and pour a tbsp. of wine on the cake top and set aside to cool completely.
13. Cut and serve.

Note:
The cake will be hard due to addition of caramel.
To soften, prepare the cake at least 2 days before and when completely cooled cover it with parchment paper and then with aluminium foil and leave it in room temperature until serving. 
Keep the cake tin on the top most rack of the oven to prevent burning.