Hi .......has anyone any ideas for me, i baked a my 1st christmas cake it looks and tastes lovely but its turned out to be very dry even though i used plenty of friut. All ideas gratefully accepted.

Don't know for sure, but at a guess I would say add more butter and brandy and don't overbake?[/i]

Hi and Welcome to CC, snugglebutt.

Christmas (fruitcake) cake, like other cakes can be overbaked so that it becomes dry.

Did you feed it before decorating:
(Would think this would have replaced some of the moisture.)

http://www.squidoo.com/fruitcake

http://www.deliaonline.com/recipes/cuisine/european/english/the-classic-christmas-cake.html

http://www.fashion-era.com/Christmas/christmas_food_cake_recipe.htm

I suppose you could try feeding it now. (Gently turn upside down and feed the undecorated "bottom.")

If you'd post a link to the recipe, and describe any changes you made in either preparing or baking - some more experienced fruit cake makers might be able to offer other advice.

HTH

1.Your fruit needs to be soaked in plenty of brandy/dark rum.

2. No over baking
.
3. Bake at a low temperature of 140 C or 150 C.

4. Wrap the outside of your cake tin with 3 or 4 layers of brown baking paper and also place some brown paper under your baking tin in the oven...this is to prevent the sides of your cake from drying out too mch while baking.

5. Add a couple of spoonfuls of marmelade to your recipe if it doesn't already have it...this also helps with moisture.

6. When the cake is baked, remove from oven, poke holes here and there with a skewer and dab on a few spoonfuls of brandy/rum, cover the top of the cake with greaseproof paper and allow it to cool completely in the tin. Then turn out of the tin and cover with marzipan and/ fondant.

7. If you are icing and decorating your fruit cake after a few days/weeks, then once it has completely cooled, wrap your cake in greaseproof paper, then in cling film and finally in aluminium foil and store it in an airtight container until ready to use.


Everyone has their own little tricks and tips.... I've found all of the above very useful from my experience of baking over the years...hope this helps you.

Not enough alcohol, plain and simple! I soak my fruits in alcohol for at least a week before baking - it is all absorbed by the fruit, so they become plump & moist. Once my cake is baked and cool (and I have never done the wrapping in brown paper thing), I poke lots of holes in the cake (whilst in the tin) and pour over at least another 1/2 cup of alcohol depending on the size of the cake (very large ones may get 2 cups or more!). Then I leave them to mature for at least 6 weeks - this also helps with moisture. The result is that my fruit cakes couldn't be moister or more delicious ! Everyone that has had it says its the best they have ever had (but I do use a secret recipe I formulated myself over the years !).

Hi.....and wow thnk you all for your replies now i know where i went wrong, i think i did overbake and didnt soak my friut before hand. Pastry i can play with till the cows come home but cakes.....im in learning mode. thnk you all x

For snugglebutt's thank you, please see:

http://www.cakecentral.com/cake-decorating-ftopict-664403-.html

HTH

I do the same as mike, soak my fruits in alot of brandy for at least a week before baking, i also use my own secret recipe for this lol, i keep my cakes for 3 month , feeding weekly before decorating and serving. i also wrap the tin in brown paper whilst baking, not so much for the drying out, but to stop the edges browning or burning to much as it gets a long slow cook, a 9 inch wide by 4 inch deep square can take anywhere between 5 and 6 hours to cook.

Cath tht sounds yummy..........must do brandy next time, i used cold storng tea this time and soaking does make a diff.....and as for 3 weeks no chance i got a greedy lot living here lol....xx

lmao, i have the same issue snugglebutt, my family are always pestering me for more cake, iced or uniced! my mum used to use strong tea too, if you dont like brandy or other alcohols, you could use some fruit juice, gives it a nice sweet edge to the dark cake i personally use a mix of brandy and fruit juice, the two go together superbly, if you would like the recipe i can pm you it

ohhhhhhh plzzzzz do