Fruitcakes taste better with age ! This is called “ripening.” Liquor based cakes may be stored several months in advance in a cool place prior to serving. Non-liquor soaked cakes may be kept in a cool place or in refrigerator for short term storage or a or freezer for long storage.
What can I do with undercooked fruitcake?
So how do you fix undercooked cake? If the cake is undercooked overall, put it back in the oven for 10-15 minutes . If the middle part is still wet, cover the cake with foil and bake for up to 15 minutes. If the bottom is moist, turn off the upper heat or cover with foil, and cook for a few minutes.
How do you ripen fruitcake?
Wrap the cake in cheesecloth (which can also be soaked in liquor) followed by a double layer of plastic wrap and double of tin foil. The cake is then placed in a sealed bag and stored it in a cool, dry place to mellow or ripen, a process of time that allows the cake’s flavours to mix and mingle.
How long do you soak fruit for Christmas cake?
Note: I recommend soaking the fruit for a minimum of 12 hours or as long as 24 hours . The dried fruit will hydrate and plump up and soak up all of the dark rum during this time. Don’t skip this step! The soaked dried fruit is folded into the fruit cake batter the following day.
Does fruitcake need to be refrigerated?
Fruitcakes taste better when the are ‘ripe’. Proper ripening takes at least one month. Once they are properly wrapped, cakes should be stored in a cool place or in a refrigerator . Fruitcakes should be brushed or spritzed weekly with liquor to maintain moisture and intensify flavors.
Can a fruit cake be too moist?
You may find that the cake is damp but still edible . If you feel it is too underdone to eat then you can cut the properly cooked outside pieces off and just discard the very wet centre.
How long will a fruit cake last without alcohol?
A virgin fruitcake (no alcohol) will last up to 1 month at room temperature , 6 months in the fridge, and 12 months in the freezer. If alcohol is added to the recipe, fruitcake can last much longer. However, the dried or candied fruit and nuts may start turning rancid after a couple of years.
Can you Recook an undercooked fruit cake?
Here’s a solution: If you find you underbaked your cake soon after removing it from the oven and it’s still hot, pop it back in and bake it at least another 10 to 15 minutes more. Remember to do the doneness test before removing from the oven and cooling.
Why is my fruit cake wet in the middle?
It may be wet because of the alcohol depending when you last gave it a feed. Is it very wet or just a little sticky. Sometimes if fruit cake has not cooled sufficiently and is wrapped up it can cause a slimy wettness. If your cake is not slimy it should be fine.
Why is my fruit cake not cooking in the middle?
When your cake isn’t cooking in the middle, it’s often because the oven was too hot or it wasn’t baked for long enough . ... Put the cake back in to bake for longer and cover it with foil if it’s browning too fast. The best thing you can do is just trust your oven to bake it through.
What is the best alcohol to soak fruit in?
- Bourbon Soaked Cherries. If there’s fruit, it counts as health food, right? ...
- Vodka Soaked Strawberries. Straight from the berry patch of your dreams | Recipe.
- Champagne Soaked, Frosting Covered Strawberries. ...
- Frozen, Beer Soaked Watermelon.
What alcohol do you soak fruit in for Christmas cake?
For that fruits need to be soaked in alcohol ( preferable brandy; rum. sherry also works well) properly for 1 month or upto a year. It is also very important to allow the cake to be matured by feeding the same alcohol which has been used to soak the fruits till Christmas.
How far in advance should you make a Christmas cake?
It’s best to get baking around two or three months before Christmas . This gives you plenty of time to let it mature and ‘feed’ your Christmas Cake regularly as the big day approaches.
How does fruitcake last longer?
Fruitcake is a shelf-stable food unlike any other . All those dry ingredients don’t give microorganisms enough moisture to reproduce, as Ben Chapman, a food safety specialist at North Carolina State University, explained in 2014. ... That keeps bacteria from developing on the cake.
How do you store a fruit cake once cut?
Store the cakes in airtight containers in a cool dry place , but not in the refrigerator or freezer. Check carefully at least once a week, as rich, moist cakes mould very easily. If you see any mould, throw out the cake.
What alcohol is best for fruit cake?
Alcohol: medium sherry, dark rum, whisky, brandy or orange-flavoured liqueur are the usual flavours for fruit cakes.
