Pune: Among the myriad traditions that herald the arrival of Christmas season, the tradition of cake mixing stands out, especially when it comes to preparing the quintessential plum cakes. This ceremony, deeply rooted in community and festivity, marks the beginning of the holiday baking season . Yusuf Mirdehghan, owner, Husseny Bakery in Camp, said, "We make over 100 kg of mixture at a time containing dry fruits, nuts, tutti-frutti, and so on.
The mix is our master baker's secret recipe; he doesn't even share what the portions are with us. He worked with us for over 45 years and sticks to the same recipe so our cakes are consistently delicious. The mixes are different, left to ferment for two weeks before it is added to the batter and baked.
" Mirdehghan added, "Some cakes are customised according to the demands by clients. Some want special alcohol that they give us to add into the mixture for fermentation, others tell us what alcohol they want —rum, whiskey, or brandy. We also make vegetarian plum cakes with a readymade mixture for those who don't want alcohol-based fermentation.
People from far come to the bakery to pick up plum cakes, some come from as far as Ahmednagar." The cake-mixing ceremony is not just about the ingredients but also about the communal joy it brings. Pramod Yadav, sous chef at Novotel Pune Nagar Road, describes the event as a blend of rich ingredients and engaging activities.
"The highlight was the inclusion of an array of premium dried fruits such .