Reinhart Foods / Allen's Vinegar

Baking Tips and Helpful Hints

Fruit Cake Baking Tips

To prevent fruit sinking to bottom of cake - measure and mix fruit; combine dry ingredients. Toss fruit with about 1/2 cup (125 mL) of dry ingredients until coated. Proceed as directed in recipe.
Fruit cakes require long, low baking temperatures. To keep cakes moist - line baking pans with parchment paper or brown paper and place a pan of water on lower oven rack. Place cake on middle rack and be sure heat can circulate around all pans. To line baking pans, fold paper over bottom and around pan sides; coat interior of pan with vegetable shortening, insert paper liner in pan and coat paper with shortening. Do not use vegetable oil or butter as they can cause cakes to brown too deeply. Mini muffin and loaf pans need not be lined for use in baking fruit cakes.

Determine doneness by inserting a tester in centre of cake. Test should come out clean but may be sticky with fruit.

Fruit cakes require "ripening" or standing time - 2 to 8 weeks - for flavours to mingle. To speed or enhance this flavour development: before baking - marinate fruit mixture in spirits or fruit juice overnight or longer. Drain thoroughly before mixing with other ingredients; after baking - wrap cooled cake in cheesecloth moistened with rum, brandy, sherry or fruit juice. Overwrap in plastic wrap then aluminum foil. Store in a cool, dark place or refrigerator. Moisten cheesecloth periodically, as needed.

After ripening, fruit cakes may be frozen for longer storage