Just wondered if anyone has any good tips/ advice for making/ baking fruit cakes.  My Mum can do a good one, comes out nice and dark, she bakes it with the tin wrapped in newspaper to stop it burning as the bake takes 4 hours.

I'm using a Mich Turner recipe, I haven't tried it yet as it needs to mature for 8 weeks before you can eat it.  Just thought someone might have good recipes/ tips to share...

Hi Joanne, the Mich Turner recipe is beautiful, so you can't go wrong there.  The one thing I do differently (and the entire cake baking community will disagree with me here) is I bake and ice fruitcakes fresh.

For years I stuck to the advice of making fruitcakes weeks in advance and drizzling with brandy every few days.  Then, I accidentally "broke" a fruitcake in half and had to re-make one at the last minute, icing the cake fresh the next day.

I happened to be a guest at the wedding that week and I could not believe the difference in the cake iced fresh versus fruitcakes left to "mature" for 8 weeks - it was so much moister.

Now, nothing would convince to leave a fruitcake sitting around in parchment paper for 8 weeks, soaking it with brandy.  In any case, I find the brandy only soaks down barely below the surface and even prodding it with a cake tester doesn't make it soak any further into the cake. 

This is my tip for making fruitcakes, Joanne.  Give it a try yourself sometime if you get the chance and see what you think!

Thanks geek

I will try to make fruit cake. fruitcake is very delicious cake so this cake is my favorite.

Home made chocolate chip cookies recipe are done and can be consumed with great pleasure and fulfillment.