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Home » Easy Bakes » How to Soak Fruits for Christmas Fruit Cake

How to Soak Fruits for Christmas Fruit Cake

Published: Oct 6, 2017 Modified: Oct 15, 2020 By Sujata Shukla This blog generates income via ads. This post may contain affiliate links. PepperOnPizza may earn a commission for purchases made after clicking these links. View our disclosure policy for details

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Rich Christmas Fruit cake baked and sliced

This post is a detailed guide on How To Soak Fruits for Christmas Fruit Cake. The choice of fruits and the proportions in the recipe below are similar for soaking in alcohol or in an non alcoholic liquid, and I have given the steps for both types (the timelines for a non-alcoholic liquid are given at the end of this write up). The timelines do differ, as well as how to preserve the fruits for the cake till it is baked. My responses to comments below the post may answer any questions you have, but if not, feel free to ask. I will be happy to help.

 

If you do not want to soak the fruits ahead of time, I have given a short-cut method in the recipe for baking a Christmas Fruit cake.

A colourful array of dry fruits, kiwi, pineapple, berries, citrus, papaya ready to be prepared for a Christmas cake
How to Soak Fruits for a Christmas Cake

Christmas Plum cakes are my favourite eats. A trip to Kerala is not complete if I don't stock up on the rich cakes available at the numerous bakeries, after first checking out from locals as to which one is the 'best'.  I had been wanting to make the traditional cake at home, but what with one thing and another could finally start the project just recently. The first thing I had to learn was the best way to soak fruits for Christmas Fruit Cake.

If this is done right, half the battle is won. I did some online research, looked up old and reliable cookery books, talked to people who had been making a Christmas Cake for years. My 'learnings' are here in this post! And my Christmas Fruit cake was absolutely delicious, soft, moist, bursting with flavours! And, best of all, it did not crumble as I sliced it!

Pouring rum/ alcohol on fruits prepared and sliced, for soaking and adding to a Christmas Fruit Cake
Soaking Fruits for Rich Christmas Fruit cake

When to Soak The Fruits for Christmas Fruit Cake?

There are 4 possible broad timelines you can follow to soak fruits for Christmas fruit cake. Of course there are many variations to this, and you can find your own comfort timeline as you get into the regular practice of making the Christmas cake each year.

a. Some people, start right in February or March, and bake the cake in the last week of November, or 5-6 weeks before Christmas, keeping it moist by drip feeding the cake with alcohol every week till Christmas.

b. The most popular method is to soak the fruits 3 months ahead of December, that is, in early September. The cake is then baked in the last week of November, and kept moist by adding a little alcohol every week till Christmas.

c. In the third of the popular time lines, the fruits are soaked about 5-6 weeks before Christmas, ie in the last fortnight of November, and baked a week before Christmas. This cake needs alcohol to be added just once, mid week before Christmas Day.

d. The short cut method if you need to make the cake without too much time for the soaking? Soak fruits for Christmas fruit cake about a month before Christmas - in the last week of November, but this time the soaking is just overnight. The next day, bake the cake, and touch up with alcohol once a week. Some people prefer this method, as the fruits are soaked but not overwhelmingly so.

e. Orange juice or dark tea or other non-alcoholic liquid? Soak the fruits about 15 days before Christmas, and store in a covered air tight container in the fridge till you bake the cake a week before Christmas.

So why do we need to soak the fruits at all? And why  feed the cake after it is baked?

The traditional Christmas fruit cake is rich, dark, moist. When the dry fruits are soaked, they absorb the liquid and become plump. When baked, some of the liquid oozes out into the cake batter, resulting in a moist cake. When you soak fruits for Christmas fruit cake, you get a better cake, moist and with the flavours infused within.

The plum cake or fruit cake also tastes better as it matures after baking. Adding a little liquid (generally through narrow holes drilled at the top) about once a week after baking, helps the cake remain moist.

What fruits are best for a Christmas cake?

A Christmas fruit cake is of course all about the fruit, the flour and butter only help to bind the fruits and nuts and hold them into a shape. Select the best quality available, with a mix of fruit of different colours, textures and tastes. Aim for preservative free dry fruits.

Here are my suggestions on what fruits to add when you soak fruits for Christmas cake:

  • Black Raisins and sultanas - raisins are the dark dried grapes, while sultanas are the golden ones.
  • Currants -black or red
  • Cranberries
  • Orange and Lemon peel - candied or plain (see kitchen hints, below)
  • Dried Dates - seedless, soft
  • Dried Figs
  • Dried Apricots
  • Other dried fruits - Prunes, Glazed cherries, Mango, Papaya, Apple, Pineapple , Blueberries, Plum etc.
A variety of dry fruits for soaking for a Christmas cake, on an orange plate with a blue and white backgroun
Dry fruits for fruit cake

Can fresh fruits/ berries be used for a Christmas  Fruit Cake?

You need to use dry fruits when you soak fruits for the traditional Christmas cake. Fresh fruits may turn the cake soggy and can change the character/ texture of the cake. Dry fruits absorb alcohol or other soaking liquid better than fresh fruits would.

Preparing the Fruits For  A Christmas Cake:

i. The fruits should be sliced small, about 1cm or so. The dates could be a little larger and chunkier as they soften and break up during baking. All the other fruits should best be sliced to an even size. Slicing the fruits means there is more fruit in the cake and its tastier when you bite into small pieces of fruit rather than a few large chunks.

ii. Larger proportion of light coloured dry fruits such as apricots, mango and papaya would make for a lighter cake. More of figs, dates and prunes would give a richer, heavier one.

iii. The overall quantity of dried fruits and nuts should be according to the recipe you plan to use, and within this quantity you could mix and match to your preference.Don't overload on the citrus peel though, they are just meant to enhance the flavours of the other fruits and should not overpower them and make the cake bitter to taste.

The Soaking liquid - using Alcohol

For Alcoholic soaks, I have opted for dark rum. If you feel rum is maybe too sweet, whisky or sherry could be other options. Wine could be used instead of rum, though I have not tried it with wine.

I have suggested 2 cups of rum in the recipe below. When soaking the fruits however, add only as much liquid as is required to cover the top of the fruits. Generally you would need about half of the volume of fruit. The rest of the alcohol is for topping up, as in the instructions below.

Soaking Fruits for a Christmas Cake without alcohol

I made a little plum cake, for my grand daughter Natasha. Using the principles above on type of fruits and the quantities in the recipe below, I used freshly squeezed orange juice mixed with a tablespoon of honey, for the soaking liquid. I also reduced the zest and citrus peels as I did not want the cake to be too tart.

I soaked the fruits for Natasha's fruit cake in the 2nd week of December, and kept the soaked fruits in the fridge till I baked the cake.

A combination of orange and cranberry juice or apple juice would be good too. Black tea such as a Darjeeling tea, pre-soaked in cup of very hot water, could make an effective non alcoholic substitute.

Links to Recipes for Christmas Cakes, on this Blog:

How to bake the Rich Christmas Fruit Cake

Christmas Fruit cake sliced with a yellow knife and one cake in a pan showing just behind the sliced one

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Recipe to Bake an Eggless Christmas Cake with no added sugar

An eggless Christmas Fruit cake sliced and ready for serving. Studded with fruits that have been soaked before baking

A colourful array of dry fruits read to be cut to soak fruits for Christmas cake

Soak Fruits for Christmas Cake

Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American, british
Keyword: Christmas Cake, Christmas fruit cake, Fruit Cake, soak fruits
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 0 minutes
Total Time: 15 minutes
Servings: 1 8" square loaf
Author: Sujata Shukla
Detailed step by step guide on how to Soak Fruits for Christmas Fruit Cake, when to soak and what fruits to use, how to feed the fruit till baking time
Print Recipe

Ingredients

  • 1 cup Black currants - dried
  • 1 cup Raisins and Sultanas
  • 2 cups Other dried fruit
  • ½ tablespoon lemon zest
  • ½ tablespoon Orange zest
  • 2 cups soaking liquid - alcohol (rum, cognac,brandy or wine) or dark tea or fresh orange juice

Instructions

  • Sort out the dried fruit, removing stalks and checking that the fruits are clean and dry. Slice the fruits to the size of black currants or to about 1 cm, keeping the slices uniform as much as possible. Slice the dates a little larger.
  • Place the sliced fruit in a non reactive food grade jar or pot with a closely fitting lid. Plastic may react with the soaking liquid. Glass or ceramic would be best. Metal containers are also to be avoided.
  • Pour half a cup of liquid onto the dry fruits, stir so the liquid settles in. Continue pouring until the liquid covers the top of the fruit. Cover the pot or jar with an air tight lid and store it in a dark place.
  • Stir the fruit daily or at least once in two days, to help moisten the fruit at the top which starts becoming dry. After a day or two you will find that the soaking liquid is no longer visible at the top level of the fruits, as it has been absorbed by the dry fruits.
  • When the soaking liquid is no longer visible on the top of the fruits, top it up with the same alcohol that you used for soaking (e.g. Rum) or other soaking liquid, one tablespoon at a time, every few days till you bake the cake. The top level should be moist and not dry, so add as much liquid as you need to just cover the top. Gently stir once a week and keep topping with the same liquid.
  • If using non alcoholic soaking liquid, store the container of soaked fruit in the fridge until its time to bake the cake. Alcohol soaked fruit may be kept at room temperature (unless its very hot outside) as the alcohol itself acts as a preservative. However store the container in a dark place.

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Comments

  1. Ramie Streng says

    December 21, 2020 at 2:26 am

    5 stars
    Thank you kindly for your advice and suggestions. A big help!

    Reply
    • Sujata Shukla says

      December 26, 2020 at 11:19 am

      Hi Ramie. Thank you so much for visiting my blog. Im glad the post helped!

      Reply
  2. Mary Shruthi Raj says

    December 18, 2020 at 10:03 pm

    Hi Sujata,

    Can you help me with the recipie of making tea for soaking the dry fruits.. I will be using tea bags for making tea..

    Reply
    • Sujata Shukla says

      December 26, 2020 at 11:18 am

      Hi Mary and thank you for visiting my blog. I have detailed how to use tea for soaking, both in my post and in one of the responses to comments below. Here it is for ready reference: I would recommend a strong black leaf tea like Darjeeling tea. In this case, soak the bags in hot boiling water, and once it cools, add the fruit and don't remove the bags. Just before baking, remove the bags, strain the fruits and add to the batter. All the best and let me know how the cake turned out.

      Reply
  3. Divya darsini says

    December 17, 2020 at 1:20 pm

    Hello mam. Lovely detailingin the receipe. Thank u soo much. I hav a small doubt. Can I use a mix of wine and orange juice? If yes then whats the proportion?
    Can i soak the fruits in tis mixture a week before baking and store it in the fridge?

    Reply
    • Sujata Shukla says

      December 26, 2020 at 11:16 am

      Hi Divya and thanks for visiting my blog. Ive not used this combination, as I use just one liquid whatever it is: alcohol or juice (combination of juices is fine) or black tea. The purpose is to soak the fruits in liquid and make them moist, so that the moisture spreads into the cake when baked, making it soft and fluffy and tasty. I suggest using one type of liquid and following the process for the same as in the instructions in my post.

      Reply
  4. Srimoyee Roy says

    November 23, 2020 at 2:19 pm

    Hello Sujata Ma'am. I am gonna make a christmas cake... I have few questions regarding soaking the fruits(This is my first time of soaking fruits.)

    1)Can I use store-bought juices like Maaza or Tropicana for soaking fruits fr christmas cake? Will the fruits soaked and the liquid stay good for 10days (in refrigerator)? Will the taste be good or bad?

    2)After soaking the fruits for 10days and baking the cake on the 11th day, can I brush the cake with Maaza/Tropicana(or any other suggestions please cz I dont have apple juice or cranberry juice available in my locality) in a gap of every 4-5days until christmas arrives?

    3)Also do I need to keep the cake (after brushing everytime) in the refrigerator?

    Thanks.

    Reply
    • Sujata Shukla says

      November 25, 2020 at 7:38 pm

      Hi Srimoyee and thanks for visiting my blog.
      Store bought juice can be used, though I have not used them so far. Make sure the juice has not expired before you open the carton. I would recommend using one with 3 weeks at least of expiry.
      Soak the fruits only 15 days before Christmas, and bake the cake a week before Christmas, i.e. soak only for one week before you bake, not for 10 days, if using fruit juice.
      Keep the soaked fruit covered and in the fridge.
      Once the cake has cooled completely, wrap in cling wrap and foil and keep in the fridge. Remove it every two days just to top it up with a little juice, and wrap and replace in the fridge
      Orange juice may make the cake slightly bitter, which children may not enjoy.It will help if you are able to find some apple juice.
      All the best and let me know how it turns out.

      Reply
  5. Aishah says

    November 08, 2020 at 1:23 am

    Thank you so much for this. I had learnt alot from your page. I soaked my fruit this week with orange juice and planning to bake by early December, i hope the fruit won't be affected be then.

    Reply
    • Sujata Shukla says

      November 11, 2020 at 11:33 am

      Hi Aishah, Thanks for visiting my blog. Have you already soaked the fruits in juice? I think its too early to soak fruits in orange juice as it does not stay fresh tasting for long. The fruits are not the problem as much as the juice is. The maximum time I have kept fruits in juice is ten days before baking, with baking happening about 5 days before Christmas day. If you have already soaked them, then please ensure you have kept the fruits in their liquid in the fridge. You might like to top the fruits with cranberry juice which may stay a little longer than orange juice and will also help to reduce any tartness / bitterness. Once you have baked the cake, let it cool completely, and then wrap in food grade cling wrap and then two layers of foil, and keep in the fridge. All the best and do keep me informed of how it goes.

      Reply
  6. Zelda Wahl says

    November 06, 2020 at 2:13 pm

    For the recipe: Does one weigh the required fruit before soaking or after soaking? The fruit is heavier after soaking.

    Reply
    • Sujata Shukla says

      November 11, 2020 at 11:20 am

      Hello Zelda and thanks for visiting my blog. My apologies for delay in responding to your query. There are two relevant posts on my blog. In the one on How to Soak Fruits for Christmas Fruit cake, the volume/ proportion of dry fruits is before soaking in liquid. In the post with recipe for How to make a Rich Christmas cake, the ingredients give the weight of soaked and drained fruits. That is, i take the fruits out of the liquid about 15 minutes before I need them, let them drain in a colander, and then weigh them before adding the required amount to the cake. Let me know if this resolves your query.

      Reply
  7. Priya says

    December 31, 2019 at 8:29 pm

    If you use fresh squeezed orange juice and soak it for 2 days or a week , will the orange juice not become bitter . How much quantity of orange juice do use to soak the dry fruits and after a week of soaking do u add remaining orange juice to cake

    Reply
    • Sujata Shukla says

      December 31, 2019 at 10:08 pm

      Hi and thanks for visiting my blog.
      1. As I have mentioned in the post, a mix of Apple or cranberry juice with orange juice, gives the best flavours. Orange juice is inherently bitter but I have not seen the bitterness increase. 50:50 mix of apple/ cranberry with orange juice would be good.
      2. Liquid for soaking should be sufficient to completely cover the sliced fruits.
      Fruits should be kept in the fridge until the cake is being baked, and then brought to room temperature before the cake batter is mixed.
      3. If the fruits become dry on the surface, a little more juice is to be added to keep it moist. I prefer to use apple or cranberry for this topping.
      4. Drain the fruits before adding to the batter.
      5. Baked cake should be wrapped in foil and kept in the fridge after it has cooled completely. Cooking can take several hours, even overnight after which cake is to be kept in the fridge
      Happy to help if you have any more questions.

      Reply
    • Angela says

      November 07, 2020 at 4:33 am

      Hello, I am planning on making a Christmas cake, but I don't want to soak fruit in alcohol, would I be able to use lemon tea, and if so will I store in a dark cupboard, also do I wait till the tea is cool before adding the fruit.
      Kind regards Angela

      Reply
      • Sujata Shukla says

        November 11, 2020 at 11:42 am

        Hi Angela and thanks for visiting my blog.
        Yes, you may soak the sliced fruits in tea. However instead of lemon tea (lemon may not stay fresh in taste for long) I would recommend a strong black leaf tea like Darjeeling tea. Soak the tea leaves first in a cup of boiling hot water (add the water to the tea, you don't need to boil the tea). Use enough tea to make a very strong dark liquid. Let it cool completely, strain out the leaves and use the water for soaking the fruits. Soak the fruits just 24 -48 hours before baking, and store in a cool dark place, like a cupboard. You may use tea bags too. In this case, soak the bags in hot boiling water, and once it cools, add the fruit and don't remove the bags. Just before baking, remove the bags, strain the fruits and add to the batter. All the best and let me know how the cake turned out.

        Reply
  8. Violet says

    December 26, 2019 at 1:21 am

    Hi Sujata,

    Very helpful recipe. I baked my Christmas cake today and since the pan was only 9 inch, I had the batter till a little more than 3/4th of its total capacity. And, I baked it for about 45 mins at 180 degrees. Mine is an IFB convection oven. The upper crust of the cake for burnt before the full cake got done. Not sure how to manage this.

    Reply
    • Violet says

      December 26, 2019 at 1:23 am

      45 mins plus another 20 mins as the stick didnt come out clear after 45 mins

      Reply
      • Sujata Shukla says

        December 26, 2019 at 9:45 am

        The temperature was too high. Slow cooking on low heat, and don’t open the oven door for at least 1.25 hours when baking at 150 C. Pl see my response to your earlier comment.

        Reply
    • Sujata Shukla says

      December 26, 2019 at 9:43 am

      Hi. I’m sorry the cake top has got burnt. There are steps to be taken to get the cake to bake correctly.
      1. Line the pan with 2-3 layers of parchment which juts out over the top for at least one inch.
      2. If the top is getting brown too soon, cover the top with foil to reduce the baking process
      3. Fill only till ¾ of any tin, otherwise the top will burn. Use left over batter for cupcakes
      4. These cakes are meant to be slow cooked at low temperature. At least 1.5 hours
      180 C is too much
      If you see my post on a Rich Christmas Cake (link given below) I have said:
      Place the tin in the oven and bake for about 2 hours. I baked it at 160C for an hour and then reduced the temperature to 150 C. It took 2 hours and 15 minutes for my cake to bake.
      https://www.pepperonpizza.com/christmas-cake-easy-recipe/

      If the cake has not been sliced, you can still try wrapping the top in foil and baking at 150 for another 30 minutes or so. Do let me know how it works.

      Reply
  9. Lynn Rhodes says

    December 16, 2019 at 4:15 pm

    I have a recipe that calls for brandy and port wine? Do I soak with both or just add both as called for in the recipe? Also, do I just add one weekly when adding to the cake or use both?

    Lynn

    Reply
    • Sujata Shukla says

      December 16, 2019 at 4:34 pm

      Hi Thanks for visiting my site. I’m not sure how the other recipe works, so it’s difficult for me to help about that specific recipe, My suggestions: always use only one liquid, not a combination of two. Soak fruits rather than just add liquid to the batter, as soaked fruit gives a moist and richly flavoured cake, as the fruits release moisture when they bake. Hope this helps

      Reply
  10. Sneh says

    December 10, 2019 at 9:14 pm

    Hi. Can I soak mixing rum and orange juice in equal proportion? Also, is it ok to soak for 2 weeks?

    Reply
    • Sujata Shukla says

      December 10, 2019 at 10:49 pm

      Hi! Soaking for 2 weeks is ok. I have not tried soaking them in rum mixed with juice and not sure how this will turn out or what benefit one can get. Further, Soaking in rum will preserve the cake for some time, but orange juice may reduce that effect.

      Reply
      • Sushma says

        December 24, 2019 at 1:12 pm

        Hey, loved your blog. A really quick question though. I read somewhere that we gotta mix the dry fruits with flour and then add it to the cake so it can be found everywhere and not just in the bottom layer. So I was wondering if the dry fruits that are stored in rum can be mixed with flour too before adding it to the cake batter?

        Reply
        • Sujata Shukla says

          December 24, 2019 at 3:05 pm

          Hi Thanks for visiting my blog. You can dust the fruit lightly with flour. Strain the liquid from the fruit, dust a little flour. Ideally reserve and use some of the flour from the ingredients list so that you don’t increase the volume of flour and upset the proportions. Actually I never dust with flour, as my cakes have a large proportion of fruit so that it all stays around the cake rather than sink to the bottom. But dusting with four is safer. For the proportions I use, check these recipes from my blog: https://www.pepperonpizza.com/christmas-cake-easy-recipe

          https://www.pepperonpizza.com/eggless-christmas-fruit-cake-no-sugar-added/

          Reply
  11. Diana says

    December 10, 2019 at 10:19 am

    Thank you for the lovely recipe. Unfortunately I am going to soak my fruits tonight hope the outcome will be alright. What would be the weight of this cake approximately?
    I plan on baking the cakes in foil cake cases instead of tins, still needs lining?

    Reply
    • Sujata Shukla says

      December 10, 2019 at 10:40 am

      Hi Diana. Why 'unfortunately'? It's not too late to soak the fruits and I'm sure the cake will turn out delicious. The whole purpose of soaking is for the fruits to get moist and to release the liquid while baking so that the cake is moist and rich and doesn't crumble. Soaking for a long time does give more flavour, but doing this a week or so before baking is till good!
      In response to your queries: The cake should be approximately 1kg in weight, though I haven't so far weighed the finished cake.
      2. Foil doesn't have 'non-stick' capabilities. So I would still grease the inside of the foil (the side touching the cake) to make sure it doesn't stick, or else even line with parchment. Do keep an eye on the cake though, as foil, being thin, may heat up more and cause the cake to burn before the insides are fully cooked. Parchment could reduce the burn.
      Let me know if I can clarify anything further! Happy Baking and do let me know how the cake turned out!

      Reply
  12. Priya says

    December 09, 2019 at 10:47 am

    Hi.. Can we soak the dry fruits in non alcoholic wine?? If so, do we need to store them in a refrigerator??

    Reply
    • Sujata Shukla says

      December 09, 2019 at 11:06 am

      Hi. Thanks for visiting my blog. The fruits need to be moist before baking and they release the liquid in which they are soaked, during the baking process. Non Alcoholic wine serves this purpose. You may get better flavour if you soak in part non alcoholic wine and apple juice or cranberry juice. However the soaking and storage process will be similar to soaking in juice or tea. Hence you will need to keep the fruits in the refrigerator, and also do the soaking only a day or two before you plan to bake. The baked cake will also need to be refrigerated once completely cool. Only alcohol gives that preservative effect and cake with fruit soaked in alcohol does not require refrigeration. Feel free to ask if you need any further clarification. Happy Baking!

      Reply
  13. Annie iyer says

    November 30, 2019 at 7:27 pm

    Can i soak the dry fruits in Gin??alongwith Run and brandy

    Reply
    • Sujata Shukla says

      December 01, 2019 at 11:11 am

      Hi and thanks for visiting my site.
      1. Use only one type of alcohol and not a combination such as rum and brandy
      2. Rum, brandy and whiskey are the conventional alcohol for soaking fruits for a Christ cake as they will give the cake a rich flavour and taste.
      3. Gin may be substituted for rum or brandy or whiskey, but will make a lighter tasting fruit cake without the richness one expects inna Christmas Fruit cake

      Reply
  14. Megan Bebout says

    November 19, 2019 at 10:16 pm

    5 stars
    I am using dried fruit & brandy. I want to put the candied green & red cherries & citron in cake also? Do I add them last w/ out soaking in brandy or don’t soak in brandy at all? Good idea or bad?

    Reply
    • Sujata Shukla says

      November 19, 2019 at 10:23 pm

      Hi. I soak the candied fruit in the alcohol, along with the dried fruit and it has worked well! Good idea, I think!

      Reply
  15. Neelanjana Datta says

    November 16, 2019 at 10:43 pm

    Hello.. how can you replace and substitute for eggs in a fruit cake recipe?

    Reply
    • Sujata Shukla says

      November 17, 2019 at 9:33 am

      Hi Thanks for visiting my blog. The link to my recipe for an eggless Christmas cake is given in the post for How to Soak Fruits. Also given on my blogs homepage and here below for quick reference. https://www.pepperonpizza.com/eggless-christmas-fruit-cake-no-sugar-added/

      Reply
  16. Hemaa says

    November 13, 2019 at 9:12 am

    Hii,can I use grape juice instead of orange?

    Reply
    • Sujata Shukla says

      November 13, 2019 at 10:29 am

      I find that orange, apple and cranberry, a combination of these,or else tea decoction, is best for soaking fruits. Sorry, I'm not sure about grape juice as I have not tried it. The tartness of the orange and cranberry add to the flavours.

      Reply
  17. Adrienne says

    October 22, 2019 at 2:12 pm

    Hi, thanks for the detailed writing on soaking fruits! I wish to make one without alcohol, am considering either orange juice or Darjeeling tea, is the soaking procedure exactly the same with using alcohol? For Darjeeling tea, will the cake turn out bitter?
    Thanks!

    Reply
    • Sujata Shukla says

      October 22, 2019 at 6:07 pm

      Thanks for visiting my blog. If you want to use juice, I suggest adding Apple or cranberry to orange instead of only orange, for a sweeter and less bitter aftertaste. Soak for a few days and keep the fruits in the fridge till you bake the cake. If using tea, soak just overnight the day before you bake, or drain and soak for max 2 days, or else it will become bitter!

      Reply
      • Adrienne says

        October 22, 2019 at 8:58 pm

        Thanks! Will try this.

        Reply
  18. Lola Patrick says

    March 15, 2019 at 12:14 pm

    Hi, in what kknd of container should the fruit in alcohol be soaked? Metal, glass, glazed ceramic or plastic?

    Reply
    • Sujata Shukla says

      March 17, 2019 at 6:13 pm

      Thanks for visiting my site. As to your query on the kind of container to be used, I recommend ceramic or glass. As I have said in the instructions to the post on soaking fruits for a Christmas cake, "Place the sliced fruit in a non reactive food grade jar or pot with a closely fitting lid. Plastic may react with the soaking liquid. Glass or ceramic would be best. Metal containers are also to be avoided."

      Reply
  19. Jean B says

    October 20, 2018 at 2:29 pm

    Hi do you need to pat dry fruit before putting on cake? Don't want all fruit to sink to bottom.

    Reply
    • Sujata Shukla says

      October 20, 2018 at 2:35 pm

      Hi! I’ve not so far faced that problem of fruits sinking to the bottom while Baking the Christmas Cake, but you could, as a precaution dust the fruits lightly with flour before folding them to the cake mixture.

      Reply
  20. Cassandra says

    August 01, 2018 at 10:11 pm

    Im excited to try my first fruit cake, is it too soon to start soaking my alcohol? Its Aug 1 st lol. (Im a bit eager lol)

    Reply
    • Sujata Shukla says

      August 01, 2018 at 10:14 pm

      Hi! You can go right ahead! Gives the fruits a good 4 months at least of soaking! Don’t forget to check on them and top up with rum if they are getting dry on the top

      Reply
  21. Lipika Swarup says

    December 27, 2017 at 7:53 pm

    Hi Sujata,
    I had soaked my dried fruit in Spiced rum over 2 years ago. the fruit was kept in the refrigerator . it tastes fine and has a lacey structure. is the fruit ok to make the christmas cake . thanks .

    Reply
    • Sujata Shukla says

      December 27, 2017 at 8:00 pm

      I have not kept fruit soaked for such a long time. However many people do soak their fruit for long periods, periodically adding more fruit and more liquor do not even refrigerate it. If it looks ok (no fungal formation) and does not taste rotten, you could stir it well and use. Check that the top of the fruit was covered with liquor as the rum is the preservative here - the fridge temperature alone may not have preserved the fruit for 2 years. If the top was not covered by liquid, you may want to remove the fruit above the rum level and discard it, before stirring. All the best and do let me know how the cake turns out.

      Reply
  22. NL says

    November 16, 2017 at 5:49 pm

    Will do. Thanks.

    Reply
    • Sujata Shukla says

      November 16, 2017 at 6:26 pm

      Great!

      Reply
  23. NL says

    November 16, 2017 at 9:23 am

    Thank you so much! I am going to soak mine tonight itself. Looking forward.

    Reply
    • Sujata Shukla says

      November 16, 2017 at 9:55 am

      That's lovely! Please keep posting your experience, any changes you made, any gaps in my post, and pl post an image of the soaked fruits!

      Reply
  24. NL says

    November 15, 2017 at 5:53 pm

    Sujata - you mentioned "Stir the fruit daily or at least once in two days, to help moisten the fruit at the top which starts becoming dry. After a day or two you will find that the soaking liquid is no longer visible at the top level of the fruits, as it has been absorbed by the dry fruits."
    At this stage what to do? add more alcohol?

    Reply
    • Sujata Shukla says

      November 15, 2017 at 6:04 pm

      Hi you are right and thanks for pointing this out. There was a whole para about the next step and it's missing! Maybe I deleted it sometime while editing and I will rectify it shortly.
      When the soaking liquid is no longer visible on the top of the fruits, top it up with the same alcohol (e.g. Rum) or other soaking liquid, one tablespoon at a time, every few days till you bake the cake. The top level should be moist and not dry, so add as much liquid as you need to just cover the top.

      Reply
      • NL says

        November 16, 2017 at 9:30 am

        One more thing, the links (for if you soak the fruits or if you dont), open to the same recipe. Is the recipe the same? or did you share the same link by error?

        Reply
        • Sujata Shukla says

          November 16, 2017 at 9:57 am

          Today I will go through the post, check the links, fill in the blanks, etc. Will check this aspect and revert

          Reply
        • Sujata Shukla says

          November 16, 2017 at 10:01 am

          The recipe for baking the Christmas cake is the same either way. If you do not soak the fruits, a short cut for the first steps in baking it are given in the Christmas Cake post. If you soak the fruits, you would then follow the same recipe without that step.

          Reply
          • NL says

            November 16, 2017 at 5:49 pm

            thank you for clarifying.

        • Sujata Shukla says

          November 27, 2017 at 1:16 pm

          Both should open to the recipe on how to make a christmas fruit cake

          Reply
    • Sujata Shukla says

      November 15, 2017 at 6:05 pm

      Gently stir the fruit once a week and again top them with soaking liquid if they are becoming dry.

      Reply
  25. Ashnil says

    November 15, 2017 at 4:58 pm

    Which alcohol is best to soak the fruitz? Do u keep adding alcohol when it soaks in.?

    Reply
    • Sujata Shukla says

      November 15, 2017 at 5:11 pm

      Hi. I've explained both these in detail in the post write up which comes before the recipe. Could you check and if you have further doubts please do ask. I would be glad to help.

      Reply
    • Sujata Shukla says

      November 15, 2017 at 6:10 pm

      1. You may use rum or cognac or other brandy, or even wine.
      2. When the soaking liquid is no longer visible on the top of the fruits, top it up with the same alcohol that you used for soaking (e.g. Rum) or other soaking liquid, one tablespoon at a time, every few days till you bake the cake. The top level should be moist and not dry, so add as much liquid as you need to just cover the top. Stir once a week and keep topping with the same liquid.

      Reply
  26. Sunanda says

    December 01, 2016 at 11:10 pm

    Amazing! I have soaked the fruits as per your blog. Waiting for the plum cake recipe now !! 🙂

    Reply
    • Sujata Shukla says

      December 01, 2016 at 11:27 pm

      Will post it shortly, Sunanda. How long are you planing to soak the fruits, and when will you be baking the cake.

      Reply
      • Sujata Shukla says

        December 12, 2016 at 6:54 pm

        Hi Sunanda, the recipe for Baking the cake is now posted on the blog, please check

        Reply
  27. Sundari Giri says

    November 23, 2016 at 12:32 pm

    So meticulously written in a easy to follow style. Thank you for the wonderful tips.

    Reply
    • Sujata Shukla says

      November 23, 2016 at 2:14 pm

      Thank you so much, Sundari!

      Reply

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Hello from Sujata Shukla, the Author, Owner, Head Cook and Bottle washer at PepperOnPizza.com. The recipes I share with you are from fresh produce, vegetarian except for the occasional egg, usually made from scratch. Traditional Indian, specially Tamil recipes are my forte, along with a slew of Salads and Soups for a healthy lifestyle. Check out my Author Page!

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