A good old-fashioned recipe for boiled fruit cakes is the best. It makes a delicious, moist, and delicious Christmas Fruit Cake that will last a long time. !
This recipe is simple and easy. You only need one saucepan and one spatula. I’m sure you will be grateful later.
What is a BOILED FRUIT CREAM?
There are many ways to make moist fruit cakes. The most popular is to soak the dried fruits in water to make them soft and juicy. The Boiled Fruit Cake, as its name implies, involves boiling dried fruits to make a moist and sticky plum cake.
CHRISTMAS CAKE
Wow. Christmas is almost here!
- A dense cake is the first. A fruit cake must be dense, unlike light tea or birthday cakes. It should not be brick-like.
- Soft and fudgy – The cake must be dense but soft. Although we are not baking Brownies or Muffins, the best fruit cakes must be super moist!!
- Dried fruits are best, and you can’t have tutti frutti. The perfect combination of sweet, tart and juicy, citrusy fruits makes a Christmas cake.
- Non-Alcoholic or Alcoholic – Although fruit cakes used to be made with alcohol, I prefer the unalcoholic version. I wouldn’t say I like the bitter aftertaste of alcoholic fruit cake. It can be served to a wider audience if it is non-alcoholic.
- Nuts – Please, no nuts. The cake can be made with Walnuts or Pecans, but historically only dried fruits were used. !
These are all great ideas, so let me share my best fruit cake recipe.
INGREDIENTS REQUIRED:
DRY FRUITS
Anything will work if you have between 550 and 600 gms of dried fruits.
I use 562 gms dried fruits.
Here’s the list of fruits that I use for fruit cakes
- Diced Dates 125gms
- 125 gms Cranberries
- 60 gms Dried Apricot, diced
- Two hundred fifty-two gms Mixed Fruit to Make Fruit Cake (A readymade pack that is made only for fruit cakes taken from the market).
The original recipe calls for 125gms Currants to replace Cranberries, 190gms Sultanas, and 62gms Mixed Pears.
However, the New Zealand lockdown meant all grocery store shelves were empty. I was forced to use whatever dried fruits were on hand.
It doesn’t matter as we can use any fruit if the total weight is between 550 and 600 gms.
THE ACTUAL CAKE BROTHER:
- Brown Sugar is responsible for the dark color and flavor. You can use either light brown or dark brown sugar, but not white sugar.
- Leavening agents – This dense cake requires only 1g of baking powder and soda.
- Golden Syrup– Enhances the color, richness and flavor of the cake. You can substitute it with molasses.
- Spices Fruit cake is incomplete without cinnamon and spice. You can substitute the all-spice ingredients with 1/4 teaspoon of ground nutmeg and cloves.
- Brandy, I’m making the non-alcoholic fruit cake today. If you want to add brandy, replace 50 percent of the water with brandy.
- Zest Use, only the outer skin, also called the zest portion of lemon and orange. Avoid the orange rind, which is the white part of the orange. It can cause bitterness.
- Vanilla Extract can be added to balance the flavor.