How long should I soak my fruit for a Christmas cake?
How long should I soak my fruit for a Christmas cake?
Soak the fruit overnight so it can absorb the alcohol and plump up. If you’re short on time, warm everything briefly in a microwave so the fruit will absorb the alcohol more quickly. Let the fruit cool completely before making the cake.
How long before Christmas should you ice the Christmas cake?
There’s no hard and fast rule about when to ice your cake, but it’s best to do it between 24 hours and a week ahead of the big day.
Can I use self raising flour instead of plain flour in Christmas cake?
Do not use self-rising flour. Cake flour is available in the US and has a lower gluten level than all-purpose flour. It could be used in the cake but could make it slightly crumbly.
How do you make a Mary Berry fruit cake?
Mary Berry’s classic fruit cake
- 350g/12oz currants.
- 225g/8oz sultanas.
- 225g/8oz raisins.
- 175g/6oz glacé cherries, rinsed, dried and quartered.
- 175g/6oz ready-to-eat dried apricots, snipped into pieces.
- 75g/3oz mixed candied peel, finely chopped.
- 4 tbsp brandy, plus extra brandy for ‘feeding’ the cake.
- 275g/10 oz plain flour.
What is the best alcohol to soak fruit in for Christmas cake?
The one and only trick is to keep the fruits moist and juicy before baking. For that fruits need to be soaked in alcohol (preferable brandy; rum. sherry also works well) properly for 1 month or upto a year.
What do you soak fruit in for Christmas cake?
Put the dried fruit and peel in a bowl along with the whisky, cover and leave to soak overnight. Stir well before use. Grease and line a 20cm cake tin with 2 layers of baking parchment.
How often should you feed your Christmas cake?
It’s possible to overfeed your cake, which will make it stodgy and wet. Our advice is to feed it once after it’s initially baked, then no more than four times during the maturation period. Try a teaspoonful of whichever alcohol you’ve chosen before you begin feeding your cake to test its strength.
How do you keep a Christmas cake moist?
To keep the cake moist, dark and packed full of flavour, you can ‘feed it’ by applying additional alcohol every month. Simply unwrap the cake, remove the plastic wrap and leave the baking paper in tact.
How does Mary Berry feed Christmas cake?
When cool, pierce the cake at intervals with a fine skewer and feed with a little extra brandy. Wrap the completely cold cake in a double layer of greaseproof paper and again in foil and store in a cool place for up to three months, feeding at intervals with more brandy.
How many calories are in a Mary Berry Christmas cake?
Nutrition per portion
| Nutrition per portion | RDA | |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 884 kCal | 44% |
| Fat | 31g | 44% |
| Carbohydrates | 142g | 44% |
| – of which Sugars | 117g | 130% |
What is the difference between Christmas cake and fruit cake?
What is the Difference Between Fruit Cake and Christmas Pudding? Another difference between fruit cake and Christmas cake is their ingredients. While both contain dried fruits and nuts, fruit cake contains butter to hold them together, and Christmas pudding contains eggs and suet.
How do you moisten dry fruit cake?
All you need to do is brush a little milk or cold water over the cake. Then, place in a preheated, medium heat oven (around 350F/175C) leave for around for up to 20 minutes or until it crisps.
What kind of cake does Mary Berry make?
Try Mary Berry’s Victorian Christmas cake is a traditional Christmas cake recipe for a rich but light cake – this cake is bejewelled with cherries and almonds. The queen of cakes, shows you how easy it is to knock up a light Christmas cake, packed with luxury dried fruit and nuts and pineapple fruit too.
How to make Mary Berry’s fast mincemeat Christmas cake?
If you wish to follow Mary Berry’s recipe, cover the cake with almond paste, leave to dry. Then make up the royal icing and spread over the cake. When dry, tie the ribbon around the cake ready to gift.
How long does it take to bake Mary Berrys Christmas cake?
Bake in the centre of the preheated oven for about 4-4½ hours, or until the cake feels firm to the touch and is a rich golden brown. Check after two hours, and if the cake is a perfect colour, cover with foil.
What to do with Mary Berry’s Victorian Christmas cake?
Cover the cake loosely with foil after 1 hour to prevent the top becoming too dark. Leave to cool in the tin for 30 mins then turn out, peel off the parchment and finish cooling on a wire rack. Mix the icing sugar with a little water, and drizzle over the cake to glaze.