Stone Fruit Cake

Approaching Christmas means baking time :). All the stores around are filled with baking supplies and I didn’t need any more prompting!!

Stone fruit cake which is a favorite of mine is made with “stone fruits”. These are fruits with single large seeds at their center (like stones). Examples would include plum, peach and apricot. The cake looks nice because the procedure of making it ensures that the fruits do not sink to the bottom of the cake, but rather peek out of it from the top.

Ingredients

1. 200gms all purpose flour (maida)
2. 150gms granulated sugar
3. 100gms butter + extra for greasing the pan
4. 2 large eggs
5. 2tsp. baking powder
6. Stone fruits of your choice. (It is better to avoid canned fruits. since they are ultra moist, the cake will become soggy)
   1. 1 peach (taste peach and other fruits. If sour adjust the quantity of sugar)
   2. 2 apricots
   3. I used few dried cranberries along with them.

Procedure

Preheat oven at 180F. Prepare a baking tray lined with a butter paper.

Whisk flour and baking powder in a bowl. Cream the butter and sugar together on medium speed for 3-5 minutes till light and fluffy.

Add eggs one at a time and scrap down the sides of the bowl after each addition.

Add the flour mixture in two increments, mixing just until a soft, smooth dough forms.

Divide the dough into two portions. One slightly larger than the other. Allow the smaller portion to chill in a refrigerator.

Dollop the larger portion onto the lined baking pan. Pat the pan to spread it around.

Cut fruits into small pieces. Scatter them over the batter. Generously sprinkle sugar on top of them if they are sour.

Take out the chilled batter from the refrigerator and dollop small balls of dough over the fruit with a spoon.

Now transfer your baking tray inside the oven and bake for 30 – 40 minutes or till they turn golden brown.

Cool before you serve. Since this contains fresh fruits this needs to be refrigerated for preservation.