Fruit cake help please!

skypie123_2

Thanks for your replies. I made the cakes separately and I made the 8" one three months ago and only did the 12" one last week. I had soaked the fruit for 2 weeks beforehand.

VfM4meplse

skypie123 wrote: »

Thanks for your replies. I made the cakes separately and I made the 8" one three months ago and only did the 12" one last week. I had soaked the fruit for 2 weeks beforehand.

In that case I would definitely re-do the 8", but perhaps reduce the dosing intervals to every 3 weeks. I tend to overfeed my Christmas cakes (I make 2 giant 12" squares every September for no good reason tbh!) and distribute to all and sundry. I generally get nothing but high praise and requests for second helpings, but a couple of years ago one of my best friends said she couldn't eat it as it "burnt her mouth". Since then she's been removed from my distribution list!

Hey - it's nearly September :j!

SUESMITH_2

best fruitcake to make is a bourbon cake - these only get made for special friends, and you need to make it now for best effect.

make you fave rich fruitcake recipe. let it cool and pop it in a tin.

between now and christmas pour over an entire bottle of bourbon over cake.

enjoy, in very small slices and check who's driving before dishing it up lol!

skypie123_2

Thank you so much for your replies, they really help! I have no-one else I can ask about it.
Blimey I will start again with the 8" one then. Just checking do you mean to feed more frequently? I was feeding every 4-6 weeks. I had soaked the fruit for 2 weeks before baking the cake.
I hope the other two don't go soggy! There is a lot of work involved in these cakes!:eek:

VfM4meplse

skypie123 wrote: »

There is a lot of work involved in these cakes!:eek:

It'll be worth it!

scaredy_cat

i'd store the cake wrapped in grease proof then in a cake tin or a plastic tub. i made a delia christmas cake and stored it like this before i gave it to a friend, 3 mths after christmas!!! It was fine. i think perhapos the foil isn't allowing the alcohol on the surface of the cake to evaporate, hence being soggy.

you could try putting the soggy cake in a tin for a few dys to dry out.

janb5

Just a thought..I`d avoid using a plastic tin . Perhaps you can borrow a large cake tin/or former biscuit tin. Plastic sometimes s a bit sweaty imo.

bluebag

Make sure it's in a cool dry room too, sometimes the room humidity can cause the cake to 'sweat'. I keep mine wrapped in greasproof, then foil and then in a tin.

Make sure you stab it all over really well with the skewer too, to allow the spirit to absorb deep into the cake.
I would allow the 8" one to dry out a little and then re-wrap with fresh wrapping and miss one dose of basting.

Keep an eye on it as other posters have said to make sure it hasn't gone mouldy. You will know if it has as it develops a whitish film and smelly yeasty.