Blue Ribbon Fruitcake Recipe, Whats Cooking America (2024)

FAQs

Why is my fruit cake so dry and crumbly? ›

Cakes crumble because they've dried out too much. From years of baking, I know that dry cakes happen for one of two reasons; using too much of your dry ingredients or over-baking your cake.

If your fruitcake does not have the dark fruits like currants in it, and is not baked with a dark alcohol, there is one very popular ingredient that can give it its dark color, along with a distinctly robust flavor. That special ingredient? Molasses!

American fruitcake is far flashier than its European counterparts as it's most often adorned with colorful candied cherries and pineapples, as well as many varieties of nuts.

If the cakes are under baked then this can be quite difficult to fix. The cake should be tested after the baking time with a cake tester or skewer and when inserted into the centre of the cake then it should come out clean if the cake is done.

Rich fruit cake can be cut and eaten as soon as it's absolutely cold. It is a moist cake. However, it shouldn't be wet or sticky, if it is it is probably undercooked.

Soak your cake in milk

Soaking your cake in milk is one of the best ways to moisten a dry cake.

If the cakes are too moist, remove them from the container and all wrapping. Allow them to stand at room temperature for 24 hours, then rewrap in plastic wrap and freeze. Do not continue seasoning. Dark cakes usually take 4 to 6 weeks to season; light cakes usually take 3 to 4 weeks to season.

Fruitcakes are traditionally aged in a cloth wrapping of alcohol for at least five weeks. The alcohol preserves the cakes, fruits, and nuts within, and keeps everything moist.

The top can overcook before the middle even gets started. * The cake pan could be overfull. A full cake pan takes a lot longer to cook, and you can very easily end up with a cake that is both under, and over cooked.

Unfortunately once a cake has cooled it is not possible to re-bake it. The cake would have to heat all the way through again and the outside parts of the cake would become too dry. Also if the cake has sunk in the centre from being underbaked it will not rise again as the raising agents in the recipe will have expired.

Why does fruit sink in a fruitcake? ›

Have you ever had fresh or dried fruit sink to the bottom of a cake or loaf? Don't worry, it's a common problem and generally happens when the cake batter isn't heavy or thick enough to hold the weight of the fruit as it bakes.

1. The “Diamond Fruitcake” – Price: $1.65m: Created by Japanese pastry chef Nahid Parsa, this fruitcake is encrusted with more than 200 diamonds. The cake itself is made with premium ingredients like organic flour, vanilla beans, and rare liqueurs, ensuring a delectable taste to match its extravagant price.

Fruitcakes were so rich, they were considered sinful and were outlawed in Europe in the early 18th century. Restrictions eased later in the century.

According to supply and demand, as demand goes up, prices usually go up as well. The rest of the year, very few people are buying fruitcake, and as a result they lower the prices to entice people to buy it outside of their regular patterns.

The idea behind this test is you can insert a toothpick or paring knife into the center of the cake to see if the crumb has set. If the tester comes out clean, it's done. If it comes out gummy or with crumbs clinging to it, the cake needs more time in the oven.

The top can overcook before the middle even gets started. The cake pan could be overfull. A full cake pan takes a lot longer to cook, and you can very easily end up with a cake that is both under, and over cooked. You maybe didn't preheat the oven before putting the cake in.

If you have cut a little bit off the top of the cake to check if the cake is done and you see that it is not fully baked, you CAN put the cake back in the oven to continue baking – BUT only if the cake is still warm.

Keep the heat low and monitor moisture

If you're hoping to bring back this holiday tradition, or just want a decadent treat for any other time of year, then it's important that you don't overbake your fruitcake. Otherwise, you'll be left with the same worthless clump of fruit that people dread receiving.