5 Indian bakeries making must-try plum cakes

Moneycontrol News December 14, 2023

[{"selector":"#anim-de68b76c-7953-454a-bd08-feccee65c74d","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":500,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-f76e2e77-0608-4c5c-bf62-aefc42b0f0e8","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-121.81208%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":500,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Laden with dried fruits and aromatic spices, plum cake has become synonymous with Christmas celebrations. Originating from the British fruitcake tradition, plum cake has integrated into diverse global cultures, including India, where it is tradition to get one on Christmas.

Nahoum & Sons, Kolkata

[{"selector":"#anim-79b10712-23d7-44d1-9a84-3e9d76fb3300","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-fe86fc93-9632-466b-bfba-e709f794ca50","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":1400,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-9d8db083-d3bf-4a26-a4af-2367d5922ce2","keyframes":{"transform":["rotate(-360deg) translate3d(0px, -498.70243%, 0) rotate(360deg)","rotate(-360deg) translate3d(0px, 0px, 0) rotate(360deg)"]},"delay":0,"duration":1400,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-f40fb9ee-cc3b-4232-b4b1-744e28d20708","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":1400,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-9ff05909-4eb8-4ae7-882d-191786224c46","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -604.74423%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":1400,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Nahoum’s is a famous Jewish bakery that has been around since 1902 in Kolkata’s Esplanade area. Their plum cakes and pastries are a must-have in the city.

Flurys, Kolkata

[{"selector":"#anim-92690d14-91da-428f-a76b-527d01e61c7a","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":100,"duration":1700,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-7707451a-7f85-418f-a067-357d0af81297","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":200,"duration":1400,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-9d1edd63-d957-4cd7-99a6-e36fe7688cb8","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 659.07903%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":200,"duration":1400,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-db079dba-39d7-4e15-8bf3-77e09ea7ffdc","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":200,"duration":1400,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-e1e395e5-fb7a-4c8f-87a3-e6f0919f4fe7","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 139.88224%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":200,"duration":1400,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] This iconic and one of the oldest bakeries in the city dishes out rich plum cakes every year. One of its bigger branches is in Park Street, where Christmas celebrations swell in the city.

Thom’s Bakery, Bengaluru

[{"selector":"#anim-590060d0-53bc-42b2-9005-424e0a09debd","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-c2d98d50-12fa-422e-ac60-ca389b94afc8","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-c9313021-5445-4569-90a6-95b620b06aee","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":405,"duration":1000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-f1d9863a-ae61-4008-bb75-030ff88d6404","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 634.51516%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":405,"duration":1000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-cfbfe451-46d8-4735-919c-4f7c57209a69","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":500,"duration":1000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-29fe9ec8-3fc1-4797-947e-7bb3ef7fefc5","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 172.30159%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":500,"duration":1000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] This family bakery reportedly bakes 6,000 kg of plum cake every year and is savoured by people all around the world.

B Merwan & Co., Mumbai

[{"selector":"#anim-af45fd26-fcb5-411c-ac76-2bf0cfbb3203","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-a6cb75b1-7474-4e68-9b36-9a42d4de4097","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":150,"duration":1001,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-a36fc703-37c3-40b0-9f5e-e5aca9d95128","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 141.71375%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":150,"duration":1001,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] This 100-year-old bakery and Irani café bakes amazing plum cakes; a must-try for Mumbai people on Christmas.

Mambally’s Royal Biscuit Factory, Kerala

[{"selector":"#anim-b6511ea4-fc3d-4055-b103-13c163a63b3b","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-82d19756-de28-437b-b8ec-0d9fb3c70d08","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":1400,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-c43be1bd-c388-4f53-b653-f587b0fa7fe4","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -398.96039%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":1400,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-c5f5b041-c328-42b7-9d69-6924a24017a0","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":1400,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-4473a49a-41f3-459a-b31e-0e0e8521293b","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -387.28961%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":1400,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] The first plum cake in India was made by Mambally Bapu in Thalassery back in the 1800s. He then started the café that now makes pastries, biscuits and more. But their special Christmas cake is still their best-selling item centuries later.