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12:55 pm
Will be making the Christmas cake this weekend - we have a good traditional recipe but end up with variable results from the cooking.
Does anyone have any tips to avoid the burnt outside or the soggy middle!
Also to soak fruit or not to soak?
1:18 pm
Moderators
Tue 22-Sep-09
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In the days when I did such things as make cakes, I would put the dried fruit in a non-metallic container with the chosen liquid and zap for a few minutes in the microwave on a low setting. As for burning, wrap double brown paper around the tin, tied with string not a plastic one though!
I'll try that again!
10:35 pm
Councillor
Tue 22-Sep-09
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The day before you make your fruit cake for Christmas, weigh out all the dried fruit, plus about half as much again, and soak for 24 hours in a glass of sherry/brandy. Stir occasionally. The extra fruit will be eaten by your family before you are ready to make the cake.
To avoid burning put double greaseproof lining paper round the tin- make sure it is higher than the cake and put a circle on top protect it from burning too. If you are going to ice the cake you do not need to worry about burning the top too much as you will trim it off to flatten it for icing. If the outside is a bit burnt trim that too- it's amazing what you can hide under icing and marzipan...
When you put the mix in the tin make it concave- it will then rise as it cooks and the chance of a soggy middle is reduced as you will not have an excess of mix in the middle. Test with a skewer to make sure the centre is done- if it comes out clean the cake is cooked.
Kateuk makes things at http://www.etsy.com/shop/finkstuff and sometimes she does this too http://www54paintings.blogspot.com/ and also this http://finkstuff.weebly.com/
7:47 pm
Supreme Being
Mon 21-Sep-09
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My oven runs really hot so I end up propping the door open a little to keep the temperature down. In England I used to use quite a few layers of newspaper wrapped around my cake but this time I just used parchment paper and didn't cook it anywhere near as long as it was supposed to ie 2 hours instead of 4 which it states. I soak my cake afterwards once a week with a capful of brandy but I do make the mixture one day and leave it to stand overnight before cooking it.
Since moving away from England I have used all sorts of dried fruit in my cakes, basically whatever I can find as I don't think currants exist outside of the UK, and sultanas are a rarity. So my cakes this year had a dried fruit mix of pear, fig, apricots, prunes, small quantity of sultanas, jumbo raisins and ordinary raisins - I think that was it. I chop it up small and I have never had any complaints with the cakes so must be fine - I don't eat them, love making them but not really that fond of a rich fruit cake.
4:20 pm
Moderators
Tue 22-Sep-09
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I don't eat them, love making them but not really that fond of a rich fruit cake.
That's about the only cake I do eat. Love the idea of your mixed fruit, it must make a lovely moist cake.
I'll try that again!
10:42 am
Tue 24-Nov-09
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Hi Im a new member , but re the burnt outside of the Christmas cake , a tip taught to me by my mum who makes family wedding cakes was to use a fine grater to take away any overdone areas .
6:17 pm
Sat 12-Aug-06
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Thanks Moose
Thats a great idea 
11:07 pm
Improver
Tue 18-Aug-09
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I made my daughters wedding cake last year. She hates cherries and peel so I made a 'light' fruit cake with golden sultanas, dried mango, papaya and pineapple. It was wonderful and I have been asked for another one as christening cake for a friend.
I love the grater for removing burnt bits, brilliant idea!
4:59 pm
just made mine today and think it looks the best ever. This despite realising I had no treacle so had to make do with golden syrup; or currants, so had to use other stuff; then finally realising I had no deep cake tin ; so have ended up with a shallow big cake, rather than a deep smaller one!
All in all it may not look 'usual' but I am sure it tastes ace!
6:07 pm
Moderators
Tue 22-Sep-09
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I bet it will taste better than if your had all the 'right' stuff!
I'll try that again!
8:13 pm
lol
it certainly looks and smells better than the one I made a few years ago which was burnt and nasty!
I just wish I 'd kept the recipe my gran gave me for our wedding cake, which we made ourselves; it was delicious and extremely moist!
3:31 pm
Made my marzipan this weekend and covered my cake. It was a first for me to make my own but it is very expensive to buy here. The added bonus was that with the remainder, which was quite a lot, I taught the kids to make marzipan fruits, which they loved doing. It also means the gifts to teacher are now done!
Next job royal icing. Had the fun of explaining to a french chemist today why I wanted glycerine.... !
7:30 pm
Supreme Being
Mon 21-Sep-09
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Hmmm asking for glycerine in Latvian, might end up the boiled American frosting again for me, at least that doesn't use glycerine
9:19 pm
thought of that here, but once I discovered it was the same word, I decided to go for it
My chemist is used to me; In the summer I bought up all of their stock of citric acid to make elderflower cordial!!
7:47 am
Supreme Being
Mon 21-Sep-09
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Lol, I think it is the same here in Latvia, I did look it up. I have been known to leave it un-iced as it is hubby who eats it and he doesn't really like icing - just the cake. We have some almond paste though that he brought back he was given as a gift from his Cyprus trip, so I think icing is the way to go.
Why did you buy citric acid? I just used to use lemons in the good old days when I made elderflower cordial. Can't do it now as elderflower is considered an invasive weed here in Latvia. Did wonder though if I could make it with meadowsweet as that appears to smell similar to the elderflower
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