The Imperial hosts traditional cake mixing ceremony

The traditional cake mixing ceremony usually starts a few days ahead of Christmas and the winter festivities, ushering in good tidings and happiness for the festive season. But this year, The Imperial New Delhi organised this fruit soaking ceremony in October, all amidst great cheer and festive fervour.

The holiday season rang in under the watch of Executive Chef Prem Kumar Pogakula and Pastry Chef Vivek Chauhan along with his team and few spirited guests, all excited to be part of the festive fun. Massive varieties of candied fruits, fruit peels, assorted nuts, juices, and the all important spirits like cognac, rum and grand marnier were used to soak the fruit in and blended joyfully for an exotic dough preparation, to mature beautifully in time for Christmas and to be churned out as Christmas plum cakes, puddings and Stollen by The Imperial pastry team.

"We at The Imperial have always organised this tradition with lot of enthusiasm and merry making. It is an ecstatic moment to watch the guests and chefs participate in the mixing, celebrating the onset of the festive season" expressed Vijay Wanchoo, Sr Executive VP and GM The Imperial New Delhi.

Chef Pogakula, Executive Chef, The Imperial New Delhi said, "This recipe is unique to The Imperial for many decades. The more the ingredients get soaked in good quantity of spirits, the better the taste."

"Unlike other cakes, this traditional one is the most sought-after as it is prepared in a distinct way with mounds of brown dates, black raisins, red cherries, cashew nuts, topped with and other exotic spices, mixed with 50 liters of liquor like cognac, rum and grand marnier. This will be kept till the dry fruits get fattened on liquor. Then our chefs will combine flour with this 150 Kgs mixture for the dough to be baked to perfection for 1.5 tons of cakes richer, yummier and divine in taste," he added.