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Friday 14 December 2012

Steamed Fruit Cake

My family and I loves to eat fruit cake;  (not the fresh fruit cake) but the type of fruit cake more on the dried mixed fruits and usually the mixed dried fruits we will soaked in brandy overnight and thereafter used it to baked.    This type of fruit cake is my mother's favourite!  Just last week my Sister S baked it and I wonder how many slices my mom had eaten!

And since Christmas is just around the corner, oh, times pass real fast, right, and still going for the festive mood, I have made this Steamed Fruit Cake.......... instead of baking it for a change!

Steamed Fruit Cake
Recipe source from BitterSweetSpicy with slight changes

Ingredients 

A
250g butter (softened)
80 fine sugar
1 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp orange essence (I didn't add this)
1 tsp vanilla extract

2 large eggs

B (combined & sifted)
250g plain flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cream of tartar

C (combined)
100g mixed dried mixed fruits
150g dried black currants 
50g dried cranberries 
50g walnuts (chopped into small pieces), this is optional but I added
20g plain flour

D
200g castor sugar (to caramelized sugar)
 

Method:

Heat a steamer over medium heat.

Combine A, except eggs, mix with a wooden spoon.

Add eggs, one at a time, & blend well. Do not overmix.

Add B & mix well.

Add C & mix well. Do not overmix.

Prepare the caramelized sugar by placing D into a heavy skillet over medium high heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon as sugar melts. When it becomes very dark brown, remove from heat and carefully add to the fruit cake mixture.

(NB: the caramelized sugar will harden almost immediately, the hardened ones can still be added to the batter in the baking pan.)

Pour mixture into a lined & greased baking pan (8x8x4"). Cover the pan with a grease paper & tie the pan with a string and cover with another aluminium foil & tie the pan with a string again. (This is to make sure the pan is water-proof)

Steam the cake for 4 hours. Remove pan from steamer and let stand aside for 10 minutes, remove cake from pan and leave to cool completely before slicing.



Would you want to make this cake that called for 4 long hours of steaming or prefer the bake type?

I know to those who stay in the country where LPG is expensive, I know you will skip this a go..... rightAnd rather do the bake one instead.  When I first gone thru the method making this recipe earlier, steaming for 4 hours really got my eye balls nearly drop out!  

Yes Faeez, I am game for it and I have made it!!


Do you know that Steamed Fruit Cake taste even more better after it has aged for a day or two and even better in a week!

The first time I made Steamed Fruit Cake  was last year, and that recipe only called for 2 hours and 45 minutes and that time I thought it was long steaming and I can't imagine myself that I would go for this recipe for 4 hours steaming!! 

I know 4 hours steaming might scare you off...... unless you have tasted the steamed fruit cake before, else you will die die want to make it too!   This is why it prompted me to make this as I have tasted one of the steamed fruit cake previously from a Malay ex-colleague that is soooooo delicious!


Next time, I will post the bake one...... I have to ask my mom or my sister for the recipe first.



 




 

30 comments:

  1. I was gonna say I'm so gonna make this, then I saw the FOUR hours of steaming, and i nearly fell off my chair :P now i am sure it tastes fabulous. the cake look so moist and inviting..great shots mel. Now if only i could muster up the patience to do a four hour marathon steaming heehee.

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    Replies
    1. You could try it over the weekend while you are doing other things... that is the best time to make it. You should give this cake a try. It is absolutely delicious. My mother makes her version and it is simply heavenly!

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  2. wow, 4 hours of steaming, this is too long, sorry, i will not make this, hahaha. Anyway, love this post, feel so festive and like the Christmas atmostphere in this post.

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  3. Mel, your steamed fruit cake looks good! I am like Sonia, I think 4 hours is too long lah! Heh..heh...will wait for your baked version :)

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  4. Mel,
    Yes, yes, yes some cakes will taste great after aged for a day or two. Like the fruit cake i ever make before, it need to be brush with brandy on the cake and wrap with plastic lining n foil, keep for a week or two.

    Your steamed version look moist n rich. I guess it taste a little fudgy but soft and nice...am I right?
    Heehee
    Between, I love your logo the red rosé with Lots Of Love Mel. That is sweet n pretty:)
    mui..^^

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  5. I really think this fruit cake worth 4 hours steaming time... It looks so moist and delicious! My sister n I were talking about this steam fruit cake the other day ...but I think every good bake needs a little effort and love.

    I like ur Xmas tree.

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    1. Hi Helena
      If you have tasted the steamed fruit cake, you will definitely would like to give this a try...this is why I have tried this version. Steamed fruit cake is really delicious because of its moist and soft texture. Those who appreciate it will definitely give this a try regardless how long hours of steaming.

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  6. Hi Mel, your steamed fruit cake look very moist. I love steam version too and find it softer and taste better after keeping it for few day. But I only make once a year due to the long hours of steaming time.

    Have a nice weekend.

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    Replies
    1. Hi Amelia
      All mixed dried fruit cakes taste so much better after it has aged for days! Steamed version is more on moist in texture and the baked one is a little drier.

      Delete
  7. Your steamed fruit cake looks so moist! We love steamed fruit cake too, especially with brandy, smell and taste heavenly! Yours are perfectly made!

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    Replies
    1. Oh yes, I loves the cakes with the brandy too. I will bake that one day.

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  8. I have never tried steamed fruit cake but yours definitely looks so rich, moist and delicious. Four hours is a long time to steam a cake but if it makes a distinct difference to baked (au baine marie) cake, then it should be worth it.

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    1. Hi Adora
      Yes, the steamed fruit cake is moist and delicious... this is why the 4 hours long steaming makes it so delicious.

      Delete
  9. your steamed fruit cake looks so moist and delish, mel ^^.. i'd really love to try a small slice as i've never had any before. though the recipe looks easy and straightforward, i'm not sure if i'm patient enough to wait 4 hours ^^|| guess i will just have to feast on your pics ^^

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    1. Hi Hui
      It is indeed delicious....as I have tasted steamed fruit cake before...this is why no matter how long the hours of steaming I will still want to make it.

      Delete
  10. Bravo Mel!!! You did it! Your cake looks very good. If I had not made this before, looking at your pictures would make me want to try.... even if I hv to steam for 4 hrs... haha. Anyway, I'm very happy you tried this recipe. Hope you & yr family like it. :))

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    Replies
    1. Faeez,
      Yes I have made it and I can't believe I made it too.....steaming 4 long hours with love !! My family always adore mixed fruit cake. Thank you for this recipe. I love it. I guess I will only make this once a year....

      Delete
  11. 4 hours?? i'm not sure if i like this idea..but sometimes we're crazy, we will do anything that we think we could not have possibly making it in the first place!

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  12. I have tasted also the steamed fruit cake before from a Malay colleague, and agreed with you, it tasted so good , probably from the caramelised taste, but I didnt know it got to take 4 hours to steam it...would love to try it but not sure can shorten the time.

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    1. Hi Sem,
      I never knew I can do this crazy attempt to steam for this 4 hours long fruit cake too. You can always try my other version which only took 2 hours 45 minutes but of course you can shorten the length of steaming (I cheated that by steaming just 2 1/2 hours!). This is the version http://melspantrykitchen.blogspot.com/2011/06/steamed-fruit-cake.html

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  13. I wonder what kind of steam equipment you have to fit this cake. Steaming fish was a little bit tough as I don't own a big cover (I have a big pot but not wide enough). I'm sure you just need to make it smaller to fit in the pan/pot. I love the texture of the steamed cake. Very moist and fluffy. I can totally see this is addicting. The entire cake won't last too long in my house... Great job Mel!

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  14. Hi Mel, any tips on how to gauge when the water in the steaming wok is running low?
    nasha

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    Replies
    1. Since Im using a big steaming wok, every 10-15 minutes, i peek in to see the water level.

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  15. Hi,can you tell me where I can order the dried mixed fruit?

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    Replies
    1. Hi Celina m, you can buy the dried mixed fruit at the shops that sell bakery ingredients or you can mix your own the dried fruits per your preference like currants, raisins, dried orange peel, cherries, etc. I usually chopped small to pieces the dried fruits.

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  16. Tried out your recipe.many got turned off by the long hours of baking .however I divided the portion into 2 using the long rectangular moulds n it took only 2 hours to steam.cake turned out great ,moist n yummy.love it

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  17. Try your recipe .great cake .totally moist and delicious. I divided the portion into two long rectangular moulds n the steaming took only 2hours.love it!

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  18. Came across your recipe and so glad i tried.Though i should hv done it for myself first instead i made it fir a fren Chrismas order but after the 3 hrs of steaming the result looks absolutely nice and mouth watering.I am confident its goin to be part of their seasons delicacies.Tq so much sis!

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  19. Try Yr cake Nice cake Steam 4 hours Good Thank you

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  20. Can you add in more water if during the 4hours steaming? Or you have to add enough water for 4 hours? If can, only add boiling water ? Thank you.

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