Making of a Perfect Christmas Cake

Should a perfect Christmas cake be dark and rich or lighter and zestier? Crumbly-moist or sticky-wet, spongy or heavy? Armed with more such questions, I ventured into the buzzing kitchen of The Orchid at Vile Parle, Mumbai where the effervescent Chef Sunil had graciously accepted to conduct a master class.

As I walked down to the kitchen, the aroma of assorted dry fruits soaked in rum and brandy tickled my nostrils. Chef Sunil handed me a Chef’s hat and we were ready to embark on our cake-making adventure.

The Ingredients required are-

Butter – 750 Gms
Sugar- 500 Gms
Flour- 500 Gms
Eggs- 18 nos
Apple- 200 Gms, grated
Assorted Dry Fruit- 2 kg, pre soaked in rum, brandy and spices
Baking Powder- 50 Gms
Cake Crumbs- 200 Gms

Perfect Ingredients for a Perfect Cake

Method-
Beat the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Take care to not over beat the butter or it will curdle and will loose its texture. Gradually add the eggs one by one and continue beating well. Mix the flour, cake crumbs, nuts and baking powder together, adjust the speed of the beater if required and add the mix to the beater.

Crafting the cake with Chef Sunil

Add grated apple and beat some more to a smooth consistency. At this point the mix should look like this

The Divine Cake Mix

Grease and line a round cake tin with two layers of butter paper and pour the cake mix in it and smooth the surface.

At this point the Chef gave me a little tip to actually drop the cake tin (take care not to spill the contents, though) on your working station to remove air bubbles. I did it for a couple of times along with Chef Sunil and the loud clang of the tin held a promise of a great cake. Put it in a pre-heated oven for 140 degrees C for about an hour. Check for doneness and let it cool completely in the tin before removing it. Decorate with cute Christmas decorations, sit back, close your eyes and bite into your fruit of labor.

Ah, can’t wait to taste my cake

I left the master class armed with the recipe for a perfect Christmas cake and a few expert tips.

As I thanked Chef Sunil for the master class me smiled and shared his secret for the cake. “A Christmas cake should be rich and spicy, bursting with boozy fruit but never, ever heavy.

The perfect cake, Chef Sunil and I

Now go and make a cake to impress! ☺ Tastes Simply About Trying Everything!