Modern Fruitcake Recipe! (2024)

FAQs

What is the difference between American fruit cake and English fruit cake? ›

Fruitcakes are different in Europe than they are in America. European fruitcakes are more like the medieval fruited bread than the versions made in Great Britain and the United States. The two most common styles of fruitcake in Europe are the stollen and panettone. British and American versions are much more cakelike.

What alcohol should you use? Strong, flavourful spirits with a high ABV are ideal for feeding fruitcakes. You can use rum, brandy or whisky for spice, or if you like citrus flavours, try an orange liqueur. Cherry brandy and amaretto will also work well if you prefer these.

Sugar helps to stabilize the amount of water in the fruits, which helps to prevent bacterial growth. Another added benefit to using sugar to preserve fruits? It prevents oxidation and helps fruit keep its firm texture, instead of getting mushy. #2: The Density of fruitcake.

Put the flour, grated nutmeg, mixed spice, butter, sugar, eggs, chopped almonds, black treacle and the citrus zest into a large bowl and beat well to mix thoroughly. Fold in the soaked fruits. Spoon the mixture into the prepared cake tin and spread out evenly with the back of a spoon.

Did you know that the of eating fruitcake around the holidays stemmed from Great Britain? The traditional Christmas dessert isn't at all similar to the candied peel and citron cakes you might think of when “fruitcake” is mentioned. Called Christmas cake or plum cake in Great Britain, the dessert dates to Roman times!

In Germany, fruitcakes (known as Stollen) don't quite resemble their American counterparts. Fruitcake vs. Stollen: Flattened with a chewy crust, Stollen is often baked more like a traditional loaf of sourdough bread.

You can soak the fruit for days (or weeks) by adding alcohol and mixing as you go, allowing the dried fruit to soak up all the liquid. We do this by adding alcohol (or fruit juice or even a mix) bit by bit until the fruit is plump, or you can just soak overnight and add the rest of the alcohol after the cake is baked.

Whiskey serves as a great substitute for brandy in a fruitcake. Although whiskey comes from fermented grain mash while brandy is made from fermented grape mash, the process is so similar, that the flavor will be similar as well.

“Foods with low amounts of moisture, like fruitcakes and Twinkies, are resistant to the growth of microorganisms because you need a certain amount of moisture for spoilage and pathogenic microorganisms to grow,” Le explains.

The most common duration to properly age a fruitcake is about three months. Any quicker will limit the development of complex flavors attributed to the maturing process. You can certainly age your cake for much longer than several months if you'd like, but we know how busy everyday life can be.

Should fruitcake be refrigerated? ›

For best quality, a fruit cake that is tightly wrapped with aluminum foil or saran warp can be stored for up to 1 month in a cool, dark pantry, 6 months in the refrigerator, and 12 months in a freezer. Check often for signs of spoilage, and if mold or off-odors develop, discard the cake.

In an oven that's too hot, the outside of the cake cooks at a much faster rate than the inside. A crust forms early on, but as the inside of the cake continues to cook and rise, this crack crusts.

Ways To Store Cakes

Cling Wrap: wrap cake tightly to prevent air from getting in. It's essential to wrap it completely, leaving no gaps or holes. Foil: make sure the foil doesn't touch the icing as it can ruin its appearance. Foil is ideal for fruit cakes, which can be stored for a more extended period.

If you have too much flour in a recipe and not enough fat, like butter or oil, your cake is going to be dry and hard. For best results, I would encourage you to use a scale when baking, but if you don't have a scale, then just make sure you're using measuring cups correctly.

Both desserts are steeped in lore and tradition, and both only appear one time of year. Both are also based on dried fruit and candied citrus peel, but that's where the similarities end. But there's no need to choose one or the other – make both (I do!). Christmas cake.

Fruitcake or fruit cake is a cake made with candied or dried fruit, nuts, and spices, and optionally soaked in spirits.

European cakes are different from American cakes on many levels, starting with the flavors and textures. Most of these cakes aren't as sweet as those found at most American bakeries. They're also all about the flavor – fruit, chocolate and cream.

Strawberry cake, orange cake, Apple cake, Pineapple cake, Plum cake, cherry cake, Raspberry cake, Banana cake etc… the list can go on as almost every fruit can be made a cake with. Then there are fruit and nuts cakes. There are cakes which are plain vanilla but soaked with fruit juices.