Read more about Food
Before we begin our discussion for today, let me hail those who baked their fruitcakes a month or two in advance. Well done oh! Una too like better thing! Now, to those who haven’t baked a cake yet, what are you waiting for? You can still bake one, you know? You can even bake a fruitcake if you so desire. However, you must bear in mind that any fruitcake you bake now wouldn’t have aged satisfactorily by Christmas morning. Having said that, the following tips will help you make a moist, incredibly delicious fruitcake. Do not Bake Your Fruitcake in One Day: If you’ve not baked your cake yet, I know you must be anxious to get it over and done with. Even though I can understand your hurry, I’ll still tell you to calm down. You need to prepare the fruits first. To do this, you need to put them in a clean, sizeable container and then pour your choice of liquor over them. This mixture should be covered and given at least three days to a week to stand before you can make the cake. Set the Oven at the Right Temperature: Fruitcake is baked at low temperature. In fact, the best temperature for baking it is between 250°F to 325°F. Baking fruitcake at low temperature allows it to cook through evenly without drying out. But if you want the “Bake without Drying Out” assurance, then, put a pan of hot water on the floor of the oven. This will prevent the fruitcake from drying out during baking.
Sign up to the Connect Nigeria daily newsletter
Do not Overfill the Pan: If you’re familiar with this rule, then, consider this a reminder. Fill your baking pan only two-third of the way. If you pour the batter past this mark, it may cause the cake to overflow the rims of the baking pan. When this happens, you’ll have to invest some extra time in cleaning up. Give Your Cake Time to Age: I learnt about this technique from my aunt, Winifred. She bakes the yummiest fruitcakes. She often said that fruitcake is like fine wine and it must be aged for one to three months before it can attain its full potential. The process of ageing begins the minute the cake is baked and cooled. It involves properly wrapping and storing the cake in an airtight container. For best results, the cake should be first wrapped in cling film. Afterwards, it should be wrapped in foil paper and tied in a plastic bag. before it is stored in an airtight container. The three-layer wrapping keeps the cake from assuming any funky smell or flavour. So, don’t think you’re overdoing it. When you’re done wrapping the cake put it in an airtight container. To be continued next week. Featured Image Source: Simply Recipes
Got a suggestion? Contact us: editor@connectnigeria.com