Christmas cake disaster

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LILLILEAF

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Christmas cake disaster
« on: December 13, 2017, 05:47 »
Welli set about making my cake,i lined the cake with double grease proof round the sides,on the bottom and 2 sheets over the top to stop it drying out,it was a Mary Berry recipe.
 After cooking for 4 plus hours the cake was done,the top sheets had stuck to the mixture.
I left it to cool before removing from the tin and taking the grease proof off.
Then it came to having a look a good look at the cake :(i cut it in half eventually the top was like concrete,and the fruit had sunk :(.,i cut the top 1" off.
Then i tried to cut it but it was breaking up,i did manage in the end to do chunks and some slices,it tastes good but,what went wrong?is it the oven or the baker :unsure:.Lillileaf

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snowdrops

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Re: Christmas cake disaster
« Reply #1 on: December 13, 2017, 07:55 »
I only cover the top if & when it starts to get too brown not at the outset. As for fruit sinking, I usually roll the fruit in some of the measured flour before adding it. As for it being crumbly, it’s unusual to cut & slice it straight away, you normally bake in advance
, then some people feed with brandy every week for a few weeks( I personally don’t, I just put a sprinkle on as it cools down from the oven, then when completely cold wrap it in fresh greaseproof then foil.
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chrissie B

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Re: Christmas cake disaster
« Reply #2 on: December 13, 2017, 19:22 »
Sorry to hear about the cake will you make another .
i had a total brain freeze when i made mine forgot to put in any treacle and i used white sugar something ive never done ever i find fruit cakes a little firmer once cooled but with the liberal dosing  with rum or tipple of choice they moisten up alot i use a bero recipe never lets me down .
Woman cannot live by bread alone , she must have cake , biscuits cheese and the occasional glass of wine .🍷

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Pescador

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Re: Christmas cake disaster
« Reply #3 on: December 14, 2017, 17:18 »
I also used Mary Berry's recipe, but didn't cover the top until half-way through baking. It was back in late October and it's been drinking more brandy than me since then!
This is the system I usually use, and the family love it!!
20171214_171517.jpg
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greenjay

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Re: Christmas cake disaster
« Reply #4 on: December 14, 2017, 20:11 »
oh no, after having gone to all the effort and expense.
did you add all the required ingredients?
I have seen me before now rushing trying to do  a few things and forgetting to put sugar in.

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LILLILEAF

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Re: Christmas cake disaster
« Reply #5 on: December 15, 2017, 05:40 »
I followed the recipe but as we don't like cherries,they did not go in otherwise it was the same,i will put it down to experience, i will do another cake at some point but not before Christmas,we will have enough other food so we will not miss it,i shall be making mince pies at the weekend,they should be fine as long as i get the pastry right :unsure:,it will be very short.

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mumofstig

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Re: Christmas cake disaster
« Reply #6 on: December 15, 2017, 08:46 »
Sunken fruit suggests the mix was too wet to support the fruit and a burnt top suggests your oven runs hotter than the setting suggests. Try again on a lower setting and as others have said, don't cover the top until the cake has started browning.
Using a larger tin than suggested can shorten cooking time as well.

I always check my cakes well before they should be ready as I know my oven runs hot.

Just a thought did you soak the fruit for days to absorb all the alcohol?
Mary says
Quote
Stir in the soaked fruit. There is no surplus liquid in the bottom if you’ve soaked it for three days. Less time and there would be a lot of liquid which would make it too slack
http://www.mirror.co.uk/lifestyle/dieting/recipes/make-mary-berry-Christmas-cake-9496424

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LILLILEAF

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Re: Christmas cake disaster
« Reply #7 on: December 19, 2017, 05:46 »
To my surprise i gave half the cake to a work mate and he took it with him for a picnic,his parents said it was the best fruit cake they have ever had :Di thought he was joking but no,they want a price.
So all is not lost it proof  not all our taste buds are the same thank goodness :)



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