Pro - Does anyone else's nest boxes get soaked in rain?

[Old Speckled Hen]

I can't cook......hate it but I try so at least DH is fed.

Why does the fruit in my fruit cake always sink to the bottom?

Any tips?

[chickencam]

It is a difficult one, this usually happen in sponge cakes with large amounts of fruit in them, because the mix is light and fruit is heavy. Some recipes suggest mixing the fruit with a little flour first to bind it to the mix. It helps to have smaller pieces of fruit which are lighter and not too much of it. I must admit that is why I make heavier fruit cakes like my boiled fruit cake rather than more spongy ones. Cherries are particularly difficult, I do have a very good recipe for a cherry cake which usually works if you would like it.

[Bramble]

I'm no expert either but isn't it something to do with the fruit being too wet/heavy?

I gather you need to make sure your fruit is completely dry and you can toss it lightly in flour to help stop it sinking. I'm sure someone who actually knows what they are talking about will be along shortly!

[Old Speckled Hen]

I usually use fruit straight out of the packet.

What I need is a cake tin with a lid so that I can turn the whole thing upside down half way through cooking

 

I do have a very good recipe for a cherry cake which usually works if you would like it.

 

Ooooooh yes please. I might even eat that one. I love cherries.

[Lesley]

Try Liz's easy peasy boiled fruit cake recipe - it always works.

[clucker1]

Wash the fruit, especially cherries beforehand. I use hot water from the kettle and then dry them with kitchen roll and leave them to dry afterwards ideally a couple of hours in the open air, to make sure they are dry. I learnt this at school in my home economics lesson 30 years ago and it has always worked, ie the times when I couldn't be bothered, the fruit has sunk otherwise not.

[chickencam]

Sorry it has been a busy couple of days so I have only just seen yor request.

 

Gran's Foolproof Cherry Cake

 

225g (8oz) Plain Flour

half a level teaspoon baking powder

275g (10oz) Glace Cherries quartered

115g (4oz) Ground Almonds

225g (8oz) Caster sugar

4 eggs

Finely grated rind and strained juice of a lemon

12 sugar cubes co"Ooops, word censored!"ly crushed for the topping.

 

Preheat oven to 180 C 350 F line the base and sides of a greased 20cm 8 in round tin with greaseproof paper then grease the paper.

 

Sift the flour and baking powder together in a bowl.

 

In another bowl toss the cherries with the ground almonds until they are well coated.

 

Beat the butter and sugar together until pale and fluffy, then beat in the eggs one at a time adding a tablespoon of the flour with each egg and beating well after each addition.

 

Fold in the reamining sifted flour, then carefully mix in the cherries, almonds, grated lemon rind and juice.

 

Spoon mix into prepared tin and level with the back of the spoon, spinkle with the crushed sugar cubes and bake in the centre of the pre heated oven for 1 hour then rest a sheet of foil on top and continue to bake for a further 30 minutes or until cake has shrunk away from the sides of the tin, and springs back when touched

 

I find that this cake does burn easily so if you have an oven that cooks hot then it may be worth reducing the temperature a bit. Also I find that white sugar cubes are impossible to crush brown ones are nicer and easier to crush, or just sprinkle with demerera sugar.

 

Leave to cool in the tin for 15 minutes, then cool on a rack. It is best left for 24 hours before eating aparently but mine never makes it that far! I think that the flavours mellow and it moistens up evenly if left.

[Old Speckled Hen]

Thanks everybody

AND that cherry cake was yummy

[Mrs Webmuppet]

I find soaking the dried fruit overnight ( I suppose it's the same effect as boiling the fruit)..........a little brandy/whisky /rum works wonders! Mailbu or white rum works for a cherry and coconut cake.