Cake Central › Cake Forums › Cake Talk › Recipes › Recipe for 14" square 3" deep fruit cake
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:

Recipe for 14" square 3" deep fruit cake

post #1 of 14
6/20/12 at 5:31am
Thread Starter 
Have been asked to do a 4 tier wedding cake. The bottom tier is to be fruit with 3 assorted sponge tiers on top. All my recipes for sponge cakes result in a 3.75" deep cake which is perfect for a wedding, however I can't find a fruit cake recipe that matches this in depth. All the fruit cake recipes I find are only 2" deep and I'm concerned about simply doubling the ingredients. It was suggested to me that I simply make two separate fruit cakes and stack however I'm sure this is not what the professionals do! Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Reply
Reply
post #2 of 14
6/20/12 at 7:16am
Just double the ingredients, it will be fine .
I have a recipe that I use that I can double , halve or quarter depending on how big or how many fruitcakes I need.
Reply
Reply
post #3 of 14
6/20/12 at 3:54pm
You will need to use low heat to bake a 14" square fruitcake. Baking it 2" deep means that it is cooked in a reasonable length of time without turning too dark brown. Bake two cakes mixing each batter separately.

Fruitcake is usually coated with boiled strained jam, then marzipan, then fondant or icing of choice. You can fill your two layers with the boiled jam-marzipan-boiled jam to hold them together securely. You will then need to dowel the same as for any other tiered cake.
Reply
Reply
post #4 of 14
6/21/12 at 1:08am
I use Alton Brown's with tons of alterations, but I made a quadruple batch and it was perfect. I will warn that a quad batch cost me about $90.00 in ingredients, so don't use this one unless the price can handle the cost.

I agree with bakingirene about the double layer.
Reply
Reply
post #5 of 14
6/21/12 at 3:58am
I don't agree with the double layer at all, I bake all my fruitcakes single layer and my cakes are all at least three inches high .Many of them five inches You need to triple layer your tin with baking paper or my grandmother actually used to use brown paper, make sure you have a high enough collar as well .

I also wrap newspaper around four or five layers around the outside of the tin and sit the tin on four or five layers of newspaper as well. I will also pop a few layers to sit on top of the collar that can be taken off towards the end of the cooking.

I cook at around 150-160 dgrees celcius for the first hour and then reduce to 140-130 for the rest of the baking , this may take four or five hours .
Reply
Reply
post #6 of 14
6/21/12 at 3:59am
I don't agree with the double layer at all, I bake all my fruitcakes single layer and my cakes are all at least three inches high .Many of them five inches You need to triple layer your tin with baking paper or my grandmother actually used to use brown paper, make sure you have a high enough collar as well .

I also wrap newspaper around four or five layers around the outside of the tin and sit the tin on four or five layers of newspaper as well. I will also pop a few layers to sit on top of the collar that can be taken off towards the end of the cooking.

I cook at around 150-160 dgrees celcius for the first hour and then reduce to 140-130 for the rest of the baking , this may take four or five hours .
Reply
Reply
post #7 of 14
6/21/12 at 6:42am
Thanks Chellescakes.We Americans aren't the most experienced at fruitcakes. I have never attempted taller. After spending close to $100.00 on ingredients, experimenting was too scary.

I have just copies your suggestions for use with my batch this Christmas. I still find very few people who like real fruitcake. I even used Myer's Rum and Hennessy Cognac (the spray), to americanize or tone down the cake. All fruits are dried, no candied. I used figs, dates, blueberries, pineapple, cranberries, cherries, and more... a combo that was good on its own.

By the way, some of last year's fruitcake is still in a container in the bakery. The health department is amazed and still passes it as safe. I just wanted to see how long it will last.
Reply
Reply
post #8 of 14
6/21/12 at 10:20pm
Fruitcake , is becoming a dying art here in Oz as well.
Although I do make a lot at Christmas time and I will actually start baking them soon while the weather is cool and it is nice to have the oven going to warm up the house.

Fruitcakes last for ages , the ones that I baked for my Aunts wedding lasted for over a year just stored in a cake box in the cupboard. I have one I baked over six months ago in the pantry at the moment and I am about to ice it this week for a family birthday. I usually try to bake a full batch and then store the cakes until I need them.

SCP , it sounds like a nice mix of fruit , I use a combination of two recipes for my cake both recipes are over 100 years old and have been passed down , then I add a few twists of my own , like Chrystalised ginger and prunes ( the prunes make a rather moist cake and add a lovely richness to it )

I soak my fruit in Brandy , Rum, Sweet Vermouth, Bourbon, Southern comfort , curacao Basically whatever happens to be in the liquor cabinet. . I also pour about a lidful of brandy on the cake , just as I take it out of the oven while it is still hot.

I would be concerned that a two inch fruitcake would be dry , a three to four inch one is usually much moister.
I hope this helps a bit.
Reply
Reply
post #9 of 14
6/21/12 at 10:47pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Chellescakes

Fruitcake , is becoming a dying art here in Oz as well.
Someone forgot to tell us that in the West - lollllll
My next three cake orders are all fruit cake...
Plus every Wedding cake i have for Spring/Summer will have a top tier of Fruit Cake.
Odd how different flavour fashions change from state to state....
But then WA does stand for Wait Awhile - we will catch up lolllllllllllllllllllllllllllll

Like you i use lashing of Brandy - hmmmmmmm love it.

Bluehue


Although I do make a lot at Christmas time and I will actually start baking them soon while the weather is cool and it is nice to have the oven going to warm up the house.

Fruitcakes last for ages , the ones that I baked for my Aunts wedding lasted for over a year just stored in a cake box in the cupboard. I have one I baked over six months ago in the pantry at the moment and I am about to ice it this week for a family birthday. I usually try to bake a full batch and then store the cakes until I need them.

SCP , it sounds like a nice mix of fruit , I use a combination of two recipes for my cake both recipes are over 100 years old and have been passed down , then I add a few twists of my own , like Chrystalised ginger and prunes ( the prunes make a rather moist cake and add a lovely richness to it )

I soak my fruit in Brandy , Rum, Sweet Vermouth, Bourbon, Southern comfort , curacao Basically whatever happens to be in the liquor cabinet. . I also pour about a lidful of brandy on the cake , just as I take it out of the oven while it is still hot.

I would be concerned that a two inch fruitcake would be dry , a three to four inch one is usually much moister.
I hope this helps a bit.
Reply
Reply
post #10 of 14
6/21/12 at 11:25pm
BlueHue, how wonderful , I love doing fruitcakes for weddings , but it seems to be Mudcake all the way here, I used to quite often get the top tier in fruit for the bride and groom to keep but that even seems to have gone by the wayside now.
The last all fruitcake wedding I did was for my Aunt , three years ago.
I love baking fruitcake , and finally last Christmas my mum paid me the highest compliment that my cake was actually better than hers.
Reply
Reply
post #11 of 14
6/21/12 at 11:56pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Chellescakes

BlueHue, how wonderful , I love doing fruitcakes for weddings , So do i - it used to be such a tradition... but like you, so many request Mud of many differnt flavours and fillings. but it seems to be Mudcake all the way here, I used to quite often get the top tier in fruit for the bride and groom to keep but that even seems to have gone by the wayside now.
The last all fruitcake wedding I did was for my Aunt , three years ago.
I love baking fruitcake , and finally last Christmas my mum paid me the highest compliment that my cake was actually better than hers.
That is indeed the highest compliment you can be paid....


We are fruitcake lovers in this household.... it is such a great thing to have tucked away in a tin for when visitors just happen to drop by... or your just curled up on the lounge with a cuppa - actually, there is no excuse required when it comes to cutting a piece of fruitcake....lollll

Getting back on topic - i double triple + + + my recipe...as long as i add the appropriate amount of Brandy to the amount of fruit... all is good.

Bluehue
Reply
Reply
post #12 of 14
6/22/12 at 12:53am
My saved fruitcakes are about two inches thick, but I spray them with the cognac periodically. I can see how making them thicker would be less maintenance. Thanks for the tips.
Reply
Reply
post #13 of 14
6/26/12 at 10:58am
Thread Starter 
Thanks for all your really useful advice. I know this is not going to be a cheap cake to make so am scared to mess up which is also why I don't want to do a dry run as I have done with the other three tiers. Have decided to double the recipe and multi wrap it...I usually do a couple of newspaper wraps on my normal fruit cake so will go with the advice and increase this. I'll let you know how I get on icon_biggrin.gif
Reply
Reply
post #14 of 14
6/26/12 at 5:49pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by wrapped-in-sweetness

Thanks for all your really useful advice. I know this is not going to be a cheap cake to make so am scared to mess up which is also why I don't want to do a dry run as I have done with the other three tiers. Have decided to double the recipe and multi wrap it...I usually do a couple of newspaper wraps on my normal fruit cake so will go with the advice and increase this. I'll let you know how I get on icon_biggrin.gif



Not sure where you are located - but if you lived in Australia no way would i be putting newspaper any where near my fruitcake - let alone any other food.
Even if it was wrapped in glad wrap first.
Newspaper absorbs moisture - and thats the last thing i would want around a fruit cake.
Plus the quality of the paper they use now a days is such a low grade of paper. This is evident as to how easily the news print comes off.
I would suggest you use the good old brown paper bag (opened up along the seams) instead of newspaper.

Bluehue
Reply
Reply
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:
  Return Home
  Back to Forum: Recipes
Cake Central › Cake Forums › Cake Talk › Recipes › Recipe for 14" square 3" deep fruit cake