Wednesday, September 08, 2010

Steamed Fruit Cake

Christmas is still a long way to go and why am I a baking fruit cake? Oh well, I am trying out one or two recipes now and if I like it I will bake it for the coming Christmas. I will usually use my old fruit cake recipe but I am a bit bore with it so I want something different this year. Today I tried out the famous CMG Kek Kukus Buah Buahan or Steamed Fruit Cake . I aged this cake for a few days before cutting into it. This cake is really moist and full of caramel flavor but a bit too sweet for me. If not it will be perfect. So the next time I make this I will cut down on the amount of sugar. I have another half of the cake left and will try it out in a few weeks time and see if there is a different in taste.


Ingredients:

375 g mixed fruits (I used raisins, currants, cranberries, pineapple, papaya and apricots)
250 g butter
150 g brown sugar (I used light brown sugar)
3 large eggs
¼ cup almond flakes (I used walnuts)


Sieved together:

300 g  flour
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1 tsp cream of tartar
1 tsp of nutmeg (I omit this)

For the Caramel

150 g sugar

1. Line and greased a square or 9” round baking pan. Prepared the steamer. Sift all the dried ingredients and mix in the dried fruits and set it aside.
2. Cream brown sugar and butter until light and fluffy. Add in the eggs, one at a time and beat well. Slow down the mixer and add in the flour and fruits. Mix well and turn off the mixer.
3. In a small saucepan and over medium heat melt the sugar until it turns golden brown. Turn on the mixer again to slow speed and slowly drizzle in the hot caramel into the cake mixture. Mix well.
4. Pour batter into prepared pan and cover the top of the pan with aluminum foil (to prevent water from dripping into the cake while steaming). Steamed over high heat for 4 hours (I steamed only for 3 hours). Remember to check the water level of your steamer every now and then and please add only hot water to the steamer.


Note: Please be careful when you drizzle in the caramel as it is very hot. If you are using dried apricots, pineapple and papaya you have to chopped it up first.

I would like to this opportunity to wish all my Muslim friends and readers “Selamat Hari Raya Aidil Fitri” Hope you all have a joyous celebration with your family and friends back home. Most importantly, drive safely to your destination.

23 comments:

ijayuji said...

hi gert, saya sukalah kek kukus buah ni, mmg manis kek mcm ni,i ada dgr kalau kurang gula kek tak akn moist, yg tu i tak tahu i pun dah list recipe ni mungkin hari raya i buat :D

Anonymous said...

Steaming it is great for it use less engery. Wonder if I could use dry apricots in it?


Donna

WendyinKK said...

Today I went to MG's blog and I saw the issue of his pic of this this steamed fruit cake being stolen, edited and published in a popular local food magazine without his consent. The publishers promised him an apology in the next issue, but it never came about.

Maybe local readers should all boycott Saji magazine for doing this to CMG. I hope this doesn't happen to the rest of the local bloggers.

WendyinKK said...

Sorry eh,
This is the link that CMG says the magazine failed to apologize as promised. I'm sorry to other readers as it is written in Malay and it's not proper textbook Malay, but witten with local spoken slangs.

http://tiffinbiru.blogspot.com/2010/08/saji-tak-menepati-janjijahanammm.html

tigerfish said...

Anytime and every time is a good time for fruit cakes :)

Bakericious said...

Gert, this fruits cake looks delicious, I bet my husband will love it.

Anonymous said...

There is a typing mistake in the flour measurement. I think should read 300 g.

busygran said...

I prefer to steam fruit cake as it 'plumps up' the fruit and makes it soft and the cake is nice and moist.
To make it less sweet, I cut down on the sugar slightly and add walnuts.

My Asian Kitchen said...

oh! steam fruit cake!! that great!! I wanna to try out few of your baking recipe but now my oven goes bonker,only can bake at 480 F and above!!*sigh*

3 hungry tummies said...

My aunt used to make a similar cake for me and I want some now!

Bren said...

Very very nice steam fruit cake. I also long to try this but haven't materialise. I must try this but without the caramel i guess.. and wow have to steam that long hours huh..hehe but worth trying.

hana said...

hi gert.. sekarang nih saya tengah kukus kek nih utk jamuan hari raya nanti. kek nih sedap dan moist bila hari keesokannya.. makin dbiarkan lama makan moist. tuh yang ai buat lagi. hihi..

Elin Chia said...

Gertrude, thanks for sharing this steamed fruit cake. I have been looking for this recipe for a long time :) I am going to try this out for sure. The texture is so much different from the baked ones! Thanks :)

Jessica said...

This cake looks delicious. I never did like the kind with candied fruits (although they are pretty in color). These dried fruits make it so much more yummy!

jessyburke88@gmail.com

Kitchen Corner said...

Oh.. this is my first time see steam fruit cake. I wonder if it's quite the same as the bake one. Your fruit cake contain lots of ingredients. Must be very yummy!

MaryMoh said...

Wow...4 hours of steaming! I have never made a cake that takes so long to cook. Looks very moist and delicious.

Katie said...

I love the idea of this. The steam must make it loevly and moist. Let us know if you perfect the recipe

My Little Space said...

This cake looks as good as those bake ones! But leceh cause have to look over the steaming water. haha... Thanks so much for sharing & hope you're having a wonderful time.
Cheers, Kristy
p/s So, are there any Muslim friends there to celebrate this festive season with you?

ICook4Fun said...

Ijayuji, since this cake is steam I don't think it will effect the moistness of the cake. Tak apa nanti I will try it out and let you know the outcome :)

Donna, I added dry apricots to it too.

Wendy, yea I read about Saji case with MG some time ago. Actually my pix got stollen by some bloggers too that is why not I have to watermark it. I really don't understand people like that :(

Tigerfish, ha ha you said it well.

Jess, make it for him :)

Anon, sorry for the typo. I already made the changes.

Busygran, yes this cake is really moist. I just cut into the one that I aged for a while and it stays moist.

Lesley, maybe is time to get a new oven :)

ICook4Fun said...

3 hungry tummies, make some for yourself :)

Bren, the cake will keep well if you steam it longer. I didn't steam as long as I know this cake won't last for too long :)

Hana, wah dah busy preparing for Hari Raya besok. I memang tak makan this cake right away. I aged it for a few days baru I potong :)

Elin, you have to try this cake for the coming x'mas. I am sure you are going to like it. This cake is not as dry as the bake one.

Jessica, for me I never like those mix fruits from the packet that is why I mix it on my own with my fav dried fruits. You can do the same too with your fav kind.

Grace, I prefer the steam one as they are not so dry like the bake ones.

Mary, this cake keeps really well if you steam it longer.

Katie, this recipe is a keeper but the next time I make this I will reduce the amount of sugar.

Kristy, ha ha I guess you won't make this cake because of the longer steaming time. Oh yea I will be visiting some Muslim friends at Harrisburg on Friday and our Malaysian ladies might preapare some Hari Raya delicacies next week too.

Angie's Recipes said...

This looks perfect! I have never had any fruity steamed cake before.

Christelle said...

I think I've never done a steamed cake (bain Marie I have) I can see how great this cake would be with a great cup of tea :))

pinksplotch said...

this is great! i've been looking for a steamed fruit cake recipe since i don't have an oven yet. thanks so much!