Tis’ the season to be jolly! Yes, Diwali may be over but the revelries still continue. Thanks to the cake mixing parties that have caught cities in a frenzy.
If you have recently been to a restaurant and have been intoxicated by a heady whiff of rum and raisins – then there’s a fair chance that the restaurant has just hosted a cake mixing party.
This age-old tradition is the latest to hit the party block this season and is not only getting families together but also party revellers.
The Tradition
The cake mixing ceremony dates back to the 17th century in Europe, when it marked the arrival of the harvest season. During this time, lots of fruits and nuts were harvested and used in the making of a traditional plum cake.
Cake mixing starts a few months before the winter festivities and is believed to usher in good tidings and happiness.
Get That Cake Drunk!
Traditional Christmas plum cake is moist, delicately spiced and loaded with juicy dry fruits and nuts. Thus, it is important to get your cake 'drunk' so that it gets a rich spicy aroma of the wine and nuts.
Chef Abdul Kalam who is a Jr. Sous Chef at Courtyard by Marriott Pune, Chakan, adds,
The cake mixing needs to be done at least three months prior to Christmas. During cake mixing, large quantities of rum and brandy are generously added along with nuts and spices. This mixture is stored for a couple of months until Christmas, to ensure that the nuts soak till they are swollen. The fruits and nuts are then added to the batter before baking the cake.
While a host of nuts like sultanas, raisins, walnuts, dates are used, the primary choices for alcohol are brandy, rum and red wine.
More exotic and extravagant cakes call for liqueurs like sherry and plum.Chef Parthiv Joshi, Executive Chef at Double Tree by Hilton Pune Chinchwad
Fun Things That Happen While Cake Mixing
While the cake mixing tradition gets families together and they eagerly look forward to that lingering taste of rum in their Christmas cake, a lot of fun is involved in the process of mixing and eating.
Some families follow the tradition of mixing a coin or an edible toy in the Christmas cake mix! Whoever gets the coin or the toy can call themselves lucky.
How Do You Find Out Which Cake is Good?
The cake should be moist and delicately spiced; the flavours should just explode in your mouth the minute you bite into the cake. It should also have a rich aroma – one that lingers in your mouth for days!Chef Paul Kinny, Culinary Director for Bellona Hospitality
Behold the Season of Cake Mixing Parties
Now, what is Christmas without parties, really?
The tradition of cake mixing has today translated into a fun, social event.
From restaurants to hotels to clubs, this fun event is being hosted by most. Says food blogger Vaibhav Karajgaokar who recently attended a cake mixing event:
What sets this apart from the rest, is the joy of getting your hands dirty in loads of nuts and fruits! Moreover, emptying bottles of rum and wine is always an experience!
It was so much fun mixing dry fruits with alcohol knowing that these steeped dry fruits will be part of an insanely delicious Christmas cake, come December! And the smell emanating from the mixing table was intoxicating.Maanas Shah, food blogger, Pune
So if you still haven’t soaked those fruits and nuts, its time to call your friends and get mixing!
(A freelance food and fashion blogger, Pranjali Bhonde Pethe aims at getting people and their favourite food and style closer through her blog moipalate. Email her at pranjali.bhonde@gmail.com and follow her on @moipalate.)
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