In India, the festive season for plum cake arrives long before December's final days. This beloved treat graces bakery displays, corporate gift baskets, cherished family containers, and homes that celebrate Christmas annually, as well as those where its irresistible flavor is reason enough to indulge. Interestingly, despite its name, the cake contains no plums. The term 'plum' is a historical nod from Old English, where it was a catch-all for raisins, currants, and other dried fruits. The name endured, and the cake journeyed across oceans with British colonizers and missionaries, ultimately embedding itself as a quintessential December tradition and India's most widely recognized Christmas food.
The Art of Patience: A Month-Long Ritual
What truly sets the plum cake apart is its deliberate, slow preparation. This is not a dessert made in haste. The process commences nearly a month in advance, with the crucial step of soaking dried fruits in spirits like rum or brandy, or a spiced syrup, allowing for fermentation and deep flavor development. Bakeries producing hundreds of kilograms scale up to use large tubs and barrels. For countless families and bakers, this act of mixing the fruits marks the authentic start of the Christmas spirit.
In Pune, this tradition has deep historical roots. Bakeries in and around the Camp area began crafting plum cakes to serve British soldiers stationed there before Independence. Several establishments guard secret recipes followed so meticulously that their cake's taste and texture have remained consistent for close to a century.
Guardians of Tradition: Pune's Legendary Bakeries
Husseny Bakery, a 93-year-old institution on Taboot Street, undertakes preparations on a grand scale. Owner Yusuf Mirdehghan reveals, "We produce several batches of a 100kg mixture comprising dry fruits, nuts, and tutti-frutti. Our standard version remains alcohol-free." The heart of their operation is a baker with over 45 years of service, who holds the recipe close. "He has a secret recipe. He doesn't share it with anyone, not even us, though we've asked him many times," Mirdehghan shared. For patrons desiring the classic alcoholic version, the bakery has a unique system: customers provide their preferred liquor. "Some customers want rum, others bring whiskey, some even give brandy to soak the mixture," he explained.
Modern Interpretations: Chefs on Evolution & Emotion
Hotels and restaurants adhere to equally strict timelines, blending respect for tradition with contemporary tastes. At DoubleTree by Hilton Pune-Chinchwad, Chef de Partie Hanumant Pawar learned that time is the essential ingredient. "The ritual of soaking fruits months in advance taught me respect for the process," he said. Pawar balances spices, house-soaked fruits, and hints of citrus and caramel, aiming to evoke nostalgia. "Recreating that emotion is as important as getting the crumb right. I tweak the recipe every year without losing its character."
Chef Madhu Bora of Malaka Spice was introduced to plum cake during her early culinary training. "I was impressed by its aroma and deep flavours," she recalled. Her approach involves refining the spice balance and using high-quality ingredients, including produce from their own farm. "We soak the fruits in alcohol for almost a month to achieve that depth," Bora noted.
At Radisson Blu Pune Hinjawadi, Executive Chef Pawan Kumar is fascinated by the cake's complexity. "What I enjoy most is its depth and balance. When the dried fruits, spices, and a touch of alcohol come together, the cake feels both celebratory and comforting," he stated. However, he cautions against cakes that become too dense or sweet, as this can overpower the natural flavors.
Kumar highlights a shift in consumer demand. Guests now lean towards lighter, less sweet cakes with more refined flavours, and requests for heavily alcohol-soaked versions have declined. "Many ask for subtle rum notes or none at all. Vegan and plant-based options, along with smaller, gift-friendly formats, are also rising," he observed. To cater to this spectrum, they offer vegan variants using plant-based fats and controlled sweetness, ensuring they meet both traditional and modern preferences while preserving the classic cake's soul.
