Making Your Own Fruitcake

Are memories of Grandma’s fruitcake on your mind? Do you long for the decadent sweetness of the candied and dried fruits? Are rich nuts like walnuts, almonds or pecans tucked in a rich batter dancing like sugarplums in your head? Consider making your own fruitcake. Like anything, when broken down into small steps, what seems like a daunting task can actually be quite enjoyable.

If you are making your own fruitcake for Christmas or other special occasion, the first decision you’ll need to make is on the type of fruitcake. Fruitcake varieties are numerous, however, the two main categories are light and dark. The type you choose may depend on your culture and family recipes or you may be feeling adventurous and put a new spin on an old tradition. Light fruitcakes give nod to European recipes that can include granulated sugar, light corn syrup, yeast and fruits such as apricots and golden raisins. Darker fruitcakes take cues from the ‘spice Islands’ and are rich in carmelized or brown sugar, molasses, dark rum and many spices.

Whether you are making a light fruitcake or a dark fruitcake, plan to take several days to assemble the cake. This will reduce your stress level and pressure in your kitchen and actually make a moister cake. If you are making fruitcake to be used as gifts, you may want to consider making a double batch and then baking the the cakes in small loaf pans.

First prepare the nuts and fruits by soaking them in your preferred liquor over a period of two to three days or up to three weeks. This will not only improve the flavor of the cake, but will also contribute to a moister batter. Then, assemble the batter and bake the cake. To help the cake retain moisture, be sure to place a pan of hot water on the floor of the oven while baking. If you are making several small loaves, be sure to adjust your cooking time to account for the smaller volume of each cake.

Fruitcake is not something that should be made and served immediately. Rather, the flavor of the cake is best if it is allowed to ripen. 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. If you plan to freeze your fruitcake, make sure to allow at least four weeks for the cake to ripen before you freeze it as flavors will not further meld in the freezer.

This article provided by Hale Groves, providing fresh fruit baskets, gift baskets and Florida oranges and citrus, including delicious Florida fruit gifts, Honeybells, Ruby Red Grapefruit, Valencia Oranges, Tangerines and more! On the web at HaleGroves.com.

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