Nuts In Fruit Cake An Issue?

Decorating By rosech Updated 27 Dec 2011 , 8:14pm by Jennifer353

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rosech Posted 23 Dec 2011 , 6:20pm
post #1 of 13

I made fruit cake for a customer using Rachel Allen's recipe on UKTV's website. Most people who have tasted it before have found it delicious. However the customer complained about the presence of almonds in the cake. She said nuts are not supposed to be in the cake as they are oily. Not an allergy issue but just a matter of taste. Should I ask every customer if they want nuts in their fruit cake? Anyone else who thinks nuts are a no-no in fruit cake?

12 replies
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MimiFix Posted 23 Dec 2011 , 6:35pm
post #2 of 13

There are thousands of fruitcake variations produced by bakeries and home bakers. Unfortunately, many customers believe that their idea of a fruitcake is the only/best recipe. All you can do is make sure the ingredient list is available.

I owned a bakery for many years and we made at least three different kinds of fruitcakes, some with nuts. The customer favorite was Brandy Alexander Fruitcake, with chocolate and toasted walnuts.

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ReneeFLL Posted 23 Dec 2011 , 9:02pm
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Quote:
Originally Posted by MimiFix

There are thousands of fruitcake variations produced by bakeries and home bakers. Unfortunately, many customers believe that their idea of a fruitcake is the only/best recipe. All you can do is make sure the ingredient list is available.

I owned a bakery for many years and we made at least three different kinds of fruitcakes, some with nuts. The customer favorite was Brandy Alexander Fruitcake, with chocolate and toasted walnuts.




I have never heard of a fruitcake with chocolate. I have always liked nuts and fruit in mine. Can you please share the recipe with me or where I can find one? I googled and could not find it. Since I love chocolate I am sure this will be my new favorite fruitcake.
Thanks

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Caths_Cakes Posted 23 Dec 2011 , 10:19pm
post #4 of 13

my recipe for fruit cake contains ground almonds, i dont use them as my sister in law has a very severe nut allergy (have to use nut free marzipan!) so its never been an issue for me, but i always offer either general almond marzipan, or nut free if its needed for an allergy issue, i think its best if you have nuts in a recipe, to let the customer know just incase!!!!

this link is for nigellas chocolate christmas cake, ive never tried it my self i prefer to stick to a more tradtional cake, but chocolate and fruit goes together brilliant so i cant see why it wouldnt be fab icon_smile.gif
http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/chocolatefruitcake_84675

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Kiddiekakes Posted 23 Dec 2011 , 10:38pm
post #5 of 13

When I make fruitcake I always add walnuts...every recipe is different though...

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poohsmomma Posted 24 Dec 2011 , 2:25pm
post #6 of 13

My fruit cake has 2# of pecans and about 1# of various fruits. My family actually calls it a pecan cake.

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MimiFix Posted 24 Dec 2011 , 3:27pm
post #7 of 13
Quote:
Originally Posted by ReneeFLL

Quote:
Originally Posted by MimiFix

There are thousands of fruitcake variations produced by bakeries and home bakers. Unfortunately, many customers believe that their idea of a fruitcake is the only/best recipe. All you can do is make sure the ingredient list is available.

I owned a bakery for many years and we made at least three different kinds of fruitcakes, some with nuts. The customer favorite was Brandy Alexander Fruitcake, with chocolate and toasted walnuts.



I have never heard of a fruitcake with chocolate. I have always liked nuts and fruit in mine. Can you please share the recipe with me or where I can find one? I googled and could not find it. Since I love chocolate I am sure this will be my new favorite fruitcake.
Thanks




I looked at my Brandy Alexander Fruitcake recipe. It's written for a 30 qt. mixer, way too much for home bakers. So my new project is to scale down the recipe. Since December 27 is National Fruitcake Day I'll post it on my blog and add the link to this thread. Happy Holidays, everyone!

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ReneeFLL Posted 24 Dec 2011 , 4:23pm
post #8 of 13

MimiFix, thanks so much.
Renee

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scp1127 Posted 26 Dec 2011 , 5:25am
post #9 of 13

Mini, I just made my family a Brandy Alexander cheesecake for Christmas. We really do bake alike. I'll be looking for your recipe. I made about 20 fruitcakes just for family, more for customers.

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mclaren Posted 26 Dec 2011 , 7:03am
post #10 of 13

I've baked many cheese fruitcakes, some chocolate fruitcakes, and also some traditional ones, and all of them have some kind of nuts in them as I just love having nuts in my fruitcakes.
But all of my fruitcakes were either for own consumption or for my mom so I didn't have any issues of anyone complaining about what goes in the cake.
I've sold one fruitcake in all of my baking life, to my aunt, and she asked for tons of almonds in them.

Never heard of any 'restrictions of ingredients' before like how the OP experienced with her customer, but I guess there's always a first for everything ha ha. ;p

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MimiFix Posted 27 Dec 2011 , 1:13pm
post #11 of 13

As promised, my Chocolate Brandy Alexander Fruitcake recipe. http://bakingfix.com/thefix/?p=5889

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zespri Posted 27 Dec 2011 , 6:51pm
post #12 of 13
Quote:
Originally Posted by Caths_Cakes

this link is for nigellas chocolate christmas cake, ive never tried it my self i prefer to stick to a more tradtional cake, but chocolate and fruit goes together brilliant so i cant see why it wouldnt be fab icon_smile.gif
http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/chocolatefruitcake_84675




I have a few friends that LOVE this recipe, they say it's the fruitcake for those who don't like fruitcake. Apparently it's absolutely delicious.

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Jennifer353 Posted 27 Dec 2011 , 8:14pm
post #13 of 13

As the others have said lots of fruit cakes have nuts in them. I think your customer was trying to show what an expert she was but if she knew so much about how cakes should be made perhaps she should be making her own! I would let future customers know you put nuts in your fruit cake and if they ask you to leave them out, fair enough, otherwise stick to your (and Nigella's) recipe otherwise you might get people complaining there are no nuts!

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