Kerala plum cake

Step 1: Put 14 oz mixed dried fruit (raisins, sultanas, chopped dates, mixed peel, tutti frutti) and 1 ¾ oz cashews in a jar, pour over ¾ cup red grape juice or orange juice, stir, cover and leave in the fridge for 1-3 days, stirring once a day, until the fruit is plump and has absorbed most of the juice.

Step 2: For the caramel, melt 3 ½ oz sugar in a heavy pan over medium heat without stirring, swirling the pan, until it turns dark amber like strong tea, 5-7 minutes. Take off the heat and very carefully pour in ½ cup boiling water; it will spit. Stir until smooth and cool completely.

Step 3: Heat the oven to 300°F (275°F fan). Grease and double-line a 20 cm round deep cake tin with baking paper. Put a tray of hot water on the bottom shelf.

Step 4: Sift 9 oz plain flour, 1 tsp baking powder, 1 tsp ground cinnamon, ¼ tsp ground cloves, ¼ tsp ground nutmeg, ½ tsp dry ginger powder (sukku) and ¼ tsp salt together. Drain the fruit, keeping any juice, and toss it with 2 tbsp of the flour mixture so it doesn't sink.

Step 5: Beat 7 oz unsalted butter and 5 ½ oz soft brown sugar for 4-5 minutes until pale and fluffy. Beat in 4 eggs one at a time, adding a spoonful of flour if it starts to curdle, then 1 tsp vanilla extract and 1 tbsp orange zest.

Step 6: Fold in the flour mixture in three additions, alternating with the cooled caramel and any leftover soaking juice. The batter should drop softly off the spoon. Fold in the floured fruit.

Step 7: Spoon into the tin, level the top and bake for 80-90 minutes, until the top is firm and springs back, and a skewer pushed into the centre comes out clean. Cover loosely with foil if it darkens too fast after an hour.

Step 8: Cool in the tin for 20 minutes, then on a rack. Wrap well and keep for a day before slicing; it keeps for 2 weeks in an airtight tin.