There is nothing worse than a dry fruitcake that crumbles when cut. The secret to a perfect cake is two main ingredients: homemade orange peel and sugar syrup with rum. Preparing them is not difficult at all, and the difference in taste and consistency is huge.
Orange peel
Homemade orange peel is a little trick that makes a big difference. Its intense aroma and delicate structure give the cake a unique character. You can buy the peel or peel it yourself from an organic, well-washed (preferably washed with boiled water) orange. To increase the intensity of flavor and moisture of the cake, maybe even add freshly squeezed fruit juice.
If you don’t have time to prepare homemade peel, you can use store-bought peel, but be sure to soak it in orange juice for a few hours. This treatment will restore its freshness and intensify its taste.
Sugar syrup with rum
The second trick to make it is to soak it in sugar syrup with rum. It’s a simple step with an amazing effect. Here’s how to season a recipe correctly so it doesn’t end up messy.
- Preparation of the syrup – dissolve 100 g of sugar in 100 ml of water in a pot. Heat over low heat until the sugar dissolves.
- Adding alcohol – after the syrup has cooled, add 50 ml of rum. You can also use orange liqueur or brandy, depending on your preference.
- Soaking – after baking and slightly cooling the cake, prick its surface with a toothpick and slowly pour the syrup over it. Let it absorb before cutting the cake.
Ingredients:
- 200 g butter (soft)
- 200 g of sugar
- 4 eggs
- 250 g of wheat flour
- 1 teaspoon of baking powder
- 100 g raisins
- 100 g dried apricots (chopped)
- 100 g walnuts
- 100 g candied orange peel
- juice of one orange
- sugar syrup with rum (recipe above)
- optional: powdered sugar for sprinkling
Preparation:
- Preheat the oven – set the temperature to 180°C. Line a cake tin with baking paper.
- The mass – in the bowl of a mixer, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one by one, stirring constantly.
- Dry ingredients – in a separate bowl, mix flour and baking powder. Add them to the butter mixture, mixing gently.
- Dried fruit – mix the dried fruit sprinkled with flour (this prevents it from sinking to the bottom) into the dough. Add orange zest and orange juice.
- – pour the mixture into the form and bake for 50-60 minutes. Check with a stick whether the cake is baked.
- Soaking – prick the cake while still warm and pour sugar syrup and rum over it. Leave to cool completely.
Try this recipe and see that it is the best fruitcake you can prepare for the holidays. Enjoy your meal!
See also:
The cake tastes better than pudding, poppy seed cake and jelly. In the Polish People’s Republic it was a Christmas Eve hit
The best shortcrust pastry without stains, from Sister Anastazja’s recipe. Perfect for cheesecake and poppy seed cake
Recipe for gingerbread icing. This addition makes it even better