Fruits For Fruit Cake

Fruits For Fruit Cake is an outstanding fruit gift basket consisting of all kinds of premium fruits and an adorable-sized chocolate covered banana. Fruits For Fruit Cake comes in red basket with yellow ribbon and is packed with a variety of seasonal fruits; juicy apples, bananas, pineapple, pears and berries. Along with all these natural delights, there’s also a yummy chocolate covered banana for good measure. This delicious fruit gift basket is guaranteed to make you smile.

What Is a Holiday Fruitcake?

How Holiday Fruitcake Is Made and How to Substitute for Citron

Shame on the vilified fruitcake. Who hasn’t heard tales of the same fruitcake being shared year after year before being placed on a shelf until the following holiday season? They’re frequently referred to as bricks, paperweights, or doorstops, poor things. Most individuals either adore it or detest it. The recipe is to blame, not the fruitcake. Give fruitcake another go—there are many different designs and recipes to select from.

What Is Fruitcake?

Fruitcakes have been around for hundreds of years. Generally speaking, candied fruit, dried fruit, fruit rind, nuts, spices, and brandy or liquor of some kind can all be found in fruitcakes.

Just enough cake batter is used to bind everything together, with a pretty high fruit and nut content. This naturally produces a very thick, dense, moist cake, hence the doorstop allusion. There are two fundamental kinds:

• Light Fruitcake: This type is made with light-colored ingredients such as granulated sugar, light corn syrup, almonds, golden raisins, pineapple, apricots and the like.
• Dark Fruitcake: Darker ingredients are used such as molasses, brown sugar, and darker-colored fruits like raisins, prunes, dates, cherries, pecans, and walnuts.

The Dreaded Citron: What Is It?

People who dislike fruitcake frequently blame the candied citrus or other added fruits. The thick peel of the citrus fruit with the same name is used to make candied citron. The fruit has a thick skin, without much pulp or liquid, and resembles a huge, lumpy lemon. It has been grown for more than 3000 years and is one of the four historic citrus fruits. For perfume, citron oil was utilized.

Citrus fruit is now used to manufacture candied citrus peel and is a source of pectin, a type of soluble fiber, for commercial purposes. Fruitcake’s candied peel is brined, fermented for a while, desalted, boiled, and finally candied in a sugar solution. It is then dried and marketed for use in fruitcake, plum pudding, and other baked foods and candies.

Substitutes for Citron in Fruitcake

Your fruitcake doesn’t have to contain citron. You can use any candied fruit you like; you can find a wide variety in the grocery store’s baking aisle. You are welcome to make your own candied fruit if you desire. Consider a pineapple, cherry, an orange, or a lemon. Fruit pieces are prepared by dipping or boiling them in thick syrup, followed by drying. After drying, they are frequently rolled in granulated sugar.

Try replacing normal dried fruit pieces in your fruitcake if you don’t like candied fruits or peels. You can find many types of dried fruit in the grocery store, including raisins, currants, apricots, peaches, bananas, mangos, papaya, and much more.

How to Soak Fruit for Christmas Cake

This simple recipe demonstrates how to make the rum-soaked fruit for Jamaican black rum cake or fruit cake. It is a guide on how to soak fruit for Christmas cake. It contains J. Wray & Nephew White Overproof Rum, Red Label Wine, and dried fruit such as prunes, raisins, cranberries, cherries, and mixed peel.

This simple recipe demonstrates how to make the rum-soaked fruit for Jamaican black rum cake or fruit cake. It is a guide on how to soak fruit for Christmas cake. It contains J. Wray & Nephew White Overproof Rum, Red Label Wine, and dried fruit such as prunes, raisins, cranberries, cherries, and mixed peel.

Check out my Soft and Chewy Ginger Molasses Cookies and How to Make Soft Cinnamon Rolls (Easy Recipe) for more sweet delights if you’re looking for dishes with a Christmas or holiday theme.

Soaking Fruit for Jamaican Christmas Black Cake

The arrival of the holiday season coincided with the onset of cooler weather, which could only mean one thing. The season for Jamaican Christmas Cake, sometimes known as Rum Cake, Black Cake, or Fruit Cake, was in full swing.

However, we must first appreciate the months of preparation that go into the Christmas cake. My mother would begin preparing the fruits for the Christmas cake months or even a year in advance by placing the dried fruit in a glass jar and adding wine and rum to the container.

She would then put the jar of fruit that had been soaked in water at the back of the refrigerator, where it would stay until Christmas. There are other ways to soak fruit for a cake, but this is the Jamaican method used just for Jamaican Christmas Cake.

What is Macerating Fruit

Fruit is soaked in liquid, such as alcohol, juices, syrup, or even vinegar, in a very straightforward process. It works similarly to marinating to soften fresh fruit and extract its natural juices.

Macerating fruit is the process of soaking dried fruit in alcohol for use in Christmas cakes.

Here’s Why You Need to Soak Your Fruit for Cake:

• Rehydrates the Fruit – this keeps the fruits moist and juicy before baking, leading to a moist and tasty cake.
• Enhances Flavour – it’s one of the simplest ways to bring out the natural flavours of the fruit.
• Adds Richness and Texture – it boosts the richness and texture of Jamaican Christmas cake, and is an essential step.

What Do You Use Rum Soaked Fruits For?

• Use in Jamaican Christmas Cake (Black Cake, Fruit Cake or Rum Cake)
• Serve with Ice-Cream
• Use in Jamaican Spice Bun, especially around Easter

When Should I Soak my Fruit?

Real Jamaican rum can be used to soak fruit for months or even years before it is time to use it. However, you should at least let your fruit soak for 7 days before using it in jamaican black cake.

The better the soaking period, the more time it will have to “ripen” or mature for the holiday season.

What is Yuletide Season?

Yuletide can be used as another word for Christmas time or the Christmas season.

What is Jamaican Christmas Cake?

The dried fruit is steeped in rum for several months to a year to create this incredibly rich and delicious fruit dessert. It is a traditional Caribbean delicacy that is consumed all year long, but is especially popular around Christmas, weddings, and other festive occasions.

What are the Other Names for Jamaican Christmas Cake?

• Black Cake
• Rum Cake
• Christmas Cake
• Wedding Cake

What You Need to Soak Fruit in Alcohol

a glass jar with a lid. You only need one piece of equipment for this recipe: a jar that seals and can hold all of the fruit and alcohol.

Best Jars for Preserving Freshness of Fruit

For optimal freshness, here are some features you should look for in a jar for soaking fruit: 

• Glass – durable, food-safe and reusable.
• Air-Tight Seal – to all for maximum freshness.
• Flip Lid Design – makes opening and closing the jars easier.
• Wide Mouth Opening – allows for easy filling, removing, and cleaning of jar.

Ingredients and Ingredient Notes

• Prunes – use dried and pitted prunes, then halve them to a smaller size.
• Raisins – use dried and seedless raisins.
• Cranberries – once again, you want to used dried cranberries for this recipe.
• Red Glacé Cherries – these can be a combination of whole and broken cherries.
• Green Glacé Cherries – this can be a combination of whole and broken cherries.
• Mixed Fruit – this can be found at the bulk foods store (i.e. bulk barn), and is a mixture of papaya, orange peel, lemon peel and cherries that has been finely diced.
• Mixed Peel – this is a combination of orange peel, lemon peel and citron peel.
• J. Wray and Nephew Red Label Wine – alternatively you can use a sweet red dessert wine. This has notes of candied berries, marzipan, raisins and nutmeg and even hints of dark chocolate.
• Wray and Nephew White Overproof Rum – this is an extremely strong rum, but a Jamaican staple and classic.

How to Soak Fruit for Christmas Cake

1. Add All Fruit – in a large glass jar with lid, gradually add all the fruit until jar is filled (ensure an even mixture).
2. Add Wine and Rum – pour the red label wine and the white rum over the fruit until fully submerged.
3. Close and Refrigerate – tightly close the jar and place in refrigerator for at least 7 days up to one year.
4. Periodically Check – from time to time, check on the fruit in soak and add more rum and wine to the jar as needed to keep the fruit completely submerged in liquid.

HOW TO SOAK DRIED FRUITS FOR FRUIT CAKE

Here is a full guide on how to soak dried fruits for Christmas fruit cake (plum cake), either in alcohol or in juice, as well as how long to soak them for and how to keep the finished fruit mixture. Here, the article goes into great length regarding fruit soaking techniques, shelf life, and more for both alcohol-rich and non-alcoholic (juice-based) fruit. I waited a week to take better shots, but I was unsuccessful. I will update the post with better pictures later.

ahead of Christmas:). As soon as I finish the fruit cake recipes (both the alcoholic and non-alcoholic varieties), I’ll include a link to them.

What are all I am using this year to soak for fruit cake are shown in the above picture

• Almonds
• Cashew Nuts
• Walnuts
• Black and Gold Raisins
• Organic Figs
• Organic Cherries
• Dates
• Tutti Frutti
• Organic Cranberries
• Organic Prunes and
• Pistachios

Yields Fruits for 2 – 8 inch cakes or 1 – 10 inch bundt cake pan and 6 inch cake pan.

INGREDIENTS FOR ALCOHOL SOAKED FRUIT

Dried Cranberry – 200gms
Dates – 300 grams
Tutti Frutti – 200 grams (I used Green alone since cherries and cranberries are red)
Dried Cherries – 100gms
Gold Sultans – 100 grams
Raisins – 150 grams
Finely chopped Nuts (Optional you can add this two nuts in the cake batter preparation) –> Almond – 75 Grams
Walnuts -75 Grams
1 Orange Zest (If you are soaking for months or year then skip this)
Dark Unflavored Rum or Any Alcohol – 700ml (A mark more over then all the ingredients)
After several days the fruits absorbs the liquid and you need to add more…
Also every alternate day mix them gently using wooden spatula.

FOR ALCOHOL FREE FRUIT SOAKING

Dried Cranberry – 200gms
Dates – 300 grams
Tutti Frutti – 200 grams (I used Green alone since cherries and cranberries are red)
Dried Cherries – 100gms
Gold Sultans – 100 grams
Raisins – 150 grams
Finely chopped Nuts (Optional you can add this two nuts in the cake batter preparation for crunchy bites in your cake) –>
Almond – 75 Grams + Walnuts -75 Grams
1 Orange Zest (If you are soaking for months or year then skip this)
Orange Juice From 4-5 Big Oranges – 2 Cups to 2.5 Cups or Apple Juice Approx (A mark more over then all the ingredients)
Caramel Syrup – made from 1/2 cup of sugar –> yields 3 to 3.5 Tbsp syrup (for that add sugar in heavy hot pan, on and off stir them with a tbsp of water. At one stage they turn super dark in color, before removing from flame add 3 tbsp of boiling water.

HOW TO MAKE ALCOHOL SOAKED FRUIT

• If using Rum or any alcohol then minimum 2 weeks to maximum year.
• In case of longer soaking ie for a year then skip orange zest and nuts in soaking.
• If you prefer a short period of time like 2 to 3 weeks in alcohol then orange zest and nuts are absolutely fine with other ingredients.
• You can soak overnight(just 8 hours) or 2 days before preparing the cake as well, just reduce the quantity of alcohol in this case.
• I prefer finely chopped dried fruits and nuts always, since my kids doesn’t like big chunks in their mouth…

OVERNIGHT SOAKING/ NON ALCOHOLIC VERSION

• For a quick soak and bake, gather all ingredients and either in alcohol or orange juice do soak them at least 8 hours before the bake and not more than 10 hours in room temperature.
•  I used fresh foamy homemade juice and result of the cake is awesome as shown below 
• Also if you soaked the fruits in fresh Orange juice and cant bake within that time then do store soaked fruits mixture in refrigerator and make sure you use it within 24 hours (here sugar syrup/caramelized sugar is a must).
• Here you can very well add orange zests and chopped nuts to soak.
• The very first picture is fruit juice based soaking and no alcohol in that.
• I too have no soak and fruit boiling method (Instant Version), do check that version of Christmas fruit cake
• Also for the people who live in warm places, don’t forget the caramelized sugar along with the  juices, it acts well as a good preservative in the soaking process.

Fruit Cake – Cake aux fruits

I’m starting to feel like making Christmas recipes now that the holiday season has arrived. Yes, I am aware that there is still some time. However, it appears that the cold is starting to awaken my most conventional and joyful pastry attitude. On the plus side, we won’t be taken off guard and unsure of what to do if we think positively. The Fruit Cake, or Cake aux fruits, as Christophe Adam refers to it in his book “Gâteaux,” from which I have modified the recipe, has also been on my to-bake list for a while.

This traditional sponge cake is made with nuts, candied fruit, honey, and spices. There are other more or less elaborate versions available in terms of decoration. In my instance, I’ve opted to nappage it and adorn it with additional fruits. Traditionally, this cake is made on celebratory occasions like Christmas or weddings. But I have no doubt that we’ll plan a celebration to mark the occasion.

Where does Fruit Cake or Cake aux fruits come from?

Pomegranate seeds, pine nuts, and raisins were reportedly combined with a barley purée in the first recorded recipe, which is said to have originated in ancient Rome. Honey, along with spices and preserved fruits, were first introduced in the Middle Ages.

At that time, this cake started to spread throughout Europe, and from there, various fruit cake preparations were developed over the world. The recipes that developed were extremely diverse and were influenced by a wide range of variables, including the nation where they were manufactured, the ingredients available, the hands that made them, and even church restrictions with their ban on butter during fasts. Through a document known as the “Letter of Butter” or “Butterbrief,” this event had an impact on the Stollen and could be incorporated into these loaves of bread starting in 1490.

Since the 17th century, enormous amounts of candied fruit have been produced thanks to the American colonies’ supply of sugar and the discovery of its use as a preservation. This increased their popularity as well as the affordability of these cakes for the general public.

Tell me where you’re from and I’ll tell you your name.

According to where it was made, as I indicated above, different recipes were used to make this fruit cake. Not just in the materials or the method, but even in the way it turns out:

Europe

• Germany: Its fruit pie is called “Stollen” and is eaten at Christmas time. It is a bread made with candied fruits, nuts and marzipan that is usually decorated with icing sugar.
• Bulgaria/Poland/Romania: This fruit cake is commonly referred to as “keks”. You can also find another cake traditionally made with raisins, although today you can find many more varieties, called “Kozunak“.
• France: Its cake “gâteau aux fruits” is very common to find it under the name of “Cake”.
• Ireland: Its fruit cake is the famous “Barmbrack”, a loaf of bread that is eaten on Halloween. It is a tradition to hide in its interior different objects that augur a meaning or destiny for those who find it.
• Italy: You can find two types, Panforte made with fruit and nuts and Panettone, a traditional Italian sweet very much consumed at Christmas that, I think, does not need presentation.
• Portugal/Spain: We can find the famous “Roscón de Reyes” or “Bolo de Rei“, a slightly sweet bread decorated with fruit that is traditionally eaten at Christmas.
• Switzerland:Birnenbrot, a bread made with pears, nuts and figs, among its many ingredients. Very delicious.
• UK: Called Fruit Cake, we can find it in different formats and versions: denser or lighter. Usually, among its ingredients, there are usually gooseberries and iced cherries. In Yorkshire it is usually served with cheese.

America

• Bahamas: It is made with fruits soaked in rum that can range from 2 weeks to 3 months. In addition, the cake is also soaked in rum once it leaves the oven.
• Canada: Traditionally called “Christmas Cake” and consumed at Christmas, it is difficult to see at another time of the year. His cake is very similar to that of the United Kingdom, even though it is not decorated with frosting or soaked in alcohol.
• United States: Fruit Cakes in the USA are very rich in fruits and nuts. In 1913, mail-order orders began and these cakes were sold through catalogues by charities to collect funds. Most of these cakes were prepared without alcohol, but the traditional ones were well soaked in liquor. They have come to give it a bad reputation because of the production of extremely cheap products.