Decorating fruit cakes

[PattyCakes]

Okay, it's far too early to start talking about Christmas cake decorating, but I am making a number of them this year which I will probably start in September.

I'm looking for a different take on the plain and simple fruit cake, and I wonder if anyone here has some good recipes for fruit cakes that differ from the norm at all? I fancy experimenting with different fruits like pineapple, or even using something different to brandy - perhaps Malibu or something like that?

If anyone has made a more tropical or other fruit cake for Christmas, what about the icing? Is marzipan a bit rich with this type of cake?

I'm interested in lots of different ideas before I start.

 

[Ellyn]

I think that marzipan on fruitcake is a brilliant idea! Richness is sort of...the point, of fruitcake, isn't it? Then again, I've never tried making a fruitcake out of tropical fruits. Fruitcake is such a winter-y thing, and winter is such a temperate thing, that the vast change of flavor would I think really warrant a change in name of the dish.

That said, I did try this Starbucks cheesecake that was made with diced dried fruit, that tasted to me very very very much like fruitcake...but that it was a dried fruit cheesecake added something new.

 

[PattyCakes]

I like the sound of that cheesecake with the dried fruits!

I think you are right about the marzipan; the reason I felt unsure was that I came across a Christmas cake recipe that used a lot of different types of alcohol in which the dried fruits were steeped for a number of weeks before using them in the cake - it was quite a cocktail. But the author of the recipe said that marzipan and royal icing would be too rich for such a cake, so she decorated in with various nuts arranged in a lovely display, and painted on a mixture of honey and apricot jam to give it a glaze. She then finished it off with a lovely Christmas band, and it did look beautiful.

However, I don't want to use such a cocktail of alcohol - there was about 8 different things in there - as it would mean buying things that I wouldn't use for anything else. I do like the idea of the nut topping though, and I'm now thinking that maybe using a single alcohol choice like rum or Malibu, and topping with marzipan and nuts instead of marzipan and royal icing or fondant, might be experimental enough!

Thanks for your help, Ellyn.

 

[H.C. Heartland]

I am curious how a fruit cake made with marmalade would turn out. I too am looking for fruit cake ideas and was thinking of using different flavored marmalades because where I live the oranges are in season and I could begin making it now. I didn't realize I could start making the cakes as soon as September! That's great. I was thinking of using fruit cake as a wedding cake idea for December because it can be made in advance. I'm worried though that if it has rum in it, some of the attendees might not like it. Does a fruit cake have to have rum in it?

 

[PattyCakes]

I am curious how a fruit cake made with marmalade would turn out. I too am looking for fruit cake ideas and was thinking of using different flavored marmalades because where I live the oranges are in season and I could begin making it now. I didn't realize I could start making the cakes as soon as September! That's great. I was thinking of using fruit cake as a wedding cake idea for December because it can be made in advance. I'm worried though that if it has rum in it, some of the attendees might not like it. Does a fruit cake have to have rum in it?

I make my fruit cakes towards the end of September because I like to soak the fruit in brandy, rum, or sometimes whiskey (and even a combination of different things) for about a week before baking. I find that this keeps the cake lovely and moist, and prevents it from becoming too crumby when you cut into it. Also, it means that I don't have to 'feed' it too often between baking it and decorating it. If I don't soak the fruit I usually feed it about once a fortnight, but when my fruit is soaked, I leave it for 6 weeks between feedings. Also, if you are feeding a cake where the fruit has been soaked, go easy on it, and don't feed the same bits over and over or your cake will end up more like a pudding than a cake! You don't have to use rum either - rum can be quite a strong flavor, so stick to brandy, or even whiskey, as these are much less overpowering, in my opinion. It's purely a matter of taste. I once used Cointreau liquer in my Christmas cake, and it was fabulous. When I did this I substituted 50g of the four for 50 grams of cocoa - it was really good.

About the marmalade, I'm not sure how much marmalade you were thinking of adding - a little shouldn't be a problem, but I'm not sure about mixing the flavors either. Maybe someone else here has some experience of using marmalade in a fruit cake?

 

[JessiFox]

I'm really loving these ideas! So creative! I really haven't done much with fruit cakes, but I have to say you all are quite inspiring , maybe I'll give it a try.

 

[sweetkymom]

I have never made a fruit cake let alone eat one that I've actually liked. I really like the idea of cheesecake and dried nuts. With the aspiring ideas above, I just might have to have a day of experimenting

 

[PattyCakes]

I'm really loving these ideas! So creative! I really haven't done much with fruit cakes, but I have to say you all are quite inspiring , maybe I'll give it a try.

I love getting started with the Christmas cakes - I'm just beginning to buy the dried fruits so I can get them soaking in alcohol for a couple of weeks before baking. Then I start to get excited looking at all of the different ideas for icing and decorating.

I hope you do give it a try

I have never made a fruit cake let alone eat one that I've actually liked. I really like the idea of cheesecake and dried nuts. With the aspiring ideas above, I just might have to have a day of experimenting

It's so nice to have a day of experimenting in the kitchen - I really enjoy it.

There's so much inspiration here on this site, you'll never be stuck for ideas; and there are some very helpful people here too. We're always asking each others opinion on what works/doesn't work, so it's a great source of information.

 

[kammy]

They've been occasions when i did not get the chance to soak my fruits in brandy/whiskey however what i did was to use the brandy to blend my fruits which gives me this rich fruity flavor and i think i prefer it this way as my cake is much milder.

 

[PattyCakes]

They've been occasions when i did not get the chance to soak my fruits in brandy/whiskey however what i did was to use the brandy to blend my fruits which gives me this rich fruity flavor and i think i prefer it this way as my cake is much milder.

Hi kammy, I've heard of soaking the fruit and blending it with alcohol - I think it's a recipe I found for a black rum cake. Sounds yummy, and definitely one I'd like to do for next Christmas.

I've been ill for some time at the back end of last year, but I started to get better in time for Christmas baking. I thought you might like to see some of the Christmas cakes I made and decorated.

 

[kammy]

Hi kammy, I've heard of soaking the fruit and blending it with alcohol - I think it's a recipe I found for a black rum cake. Sounds yummy, and definitely one I'd like to do for next Christmas.

I've been ill for some time at the back end of last year, but I started to get better in time for Christmas baking. I thought you might like to see some of the Christmas cakes I made and decorated.

Pattycakes your cakes are rather beautiful decorated, i like all three of them; i am hoping to improve on my decorating skills this year as i am lacking in that area.

 

[PattyCakes]

Pattycakes your cakes are rather beautiful decorated, i like all three of them; i am hoping to improve on my decorating skills this year as i am lacking in that area.

Thank you for saying so, kammy. I stuck with fairly simple things as I haven't had a lot of experience decorating as yet - I really want to get better though. I'm having a few more attempts in the next couple of months, so I'll keep you posted.

 

[DancingLady]

I have not heard of fruitcakes being decorated, but of course you can always do something unique. If I was going to decorate a fruit cake myself I think I would use the dried fruit or pieces of dried fruit to make some kind of design on top of the cake, like make a border around the edges with raisins or something like that. I think adding a frosting would make it too overwhelming for me as it is already a very high density food.

 

[PattyCakes]

I have not heard of fruitcakes being decorated, but of course you can always do something unique. If I was going to decorate a fruit cake myself I think I would use the dried fruit or pieces of dried fruit to make some kind of design on top of the cake, like make a border around the edges with raisins or something like that. I think adding a frosting would make it too overwhelming for me as it is already a very high density food.

Decorated fruit cakes are the traditional Christmas cake here in the UK, like the ones in the pictures above. You make your fruit cake several weeks ahead (or months in some cases) before wrapping it tightly and storing it in a tin. Every couple of weeks or so, you "feed" it with alcohol of your choice, which keeps it moist and helps to preserve it - some people keep fruit cakes for over a year!

A couple of weeks before Christmas you put on a layer of marzipan, or almond paste, and let it set. Then you can choose to top ice it with either Royal icing, or fondant icing rolled out as I've used. Then you get to decorate it with a lovely Christmassy theme of your choice.

Of course there are several other ways of doing it, but this is probably the most common, and traditional method.