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    Home » Recipe Index » Indian Christmas Recipes

    How to soak dry fruits for Christmas cake

    Posted on Nov 27, 2024 · Last Updated on Nov 27, 2024 by Sharmila Kingsly

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    Soaking dry fruits for Christmas cake in Rum or Wine ahead of time aid in the best ever Christmas fruits cake. We soak dry fruits and candied fruits in liquor for a boozy Christmas fruit cake.

    Chopped Dry Fruits and nuts soaked in Rum in a Glass Jar.

    It's December it's the season of Cakes and Bakes. My kitchen smells heavenly since the first day of December. Every alternate day I do some baking and this is like a tradition last six years.

    Of course definitely the star of the Season the Christmas Plum Cake is on cards. After I started baking , I always do my homemade plum cake to distribute to friends and family.

    This boozy Rich Plum Cake is so rich and decadent with lots of dry fruits and Nuts. Some prep work is definitely needed for the cake. In this post, I will be sharing the traditional way of soaking dry fruits in Rum.

    Jump to:
    • Soaking dry fruits for Christmas cake
    • Ingredients
    • When to Soak the dry Fruits for Christmas Cake
    • How to soak dry fruits for Christmas cake
    • Expert Tips
    • FAQ's
    • Christmas Fruit Cake Recipes
    • 📖 Recipe

    Soaking dry fruits for Christmas cake

    There is no hard and fast rule on the ingredients added. We can add all our favorite dry fruits . Try adding as per your availability. Soaking dry fruits for Christmas cake is like a tradition I follow every year and I felt like documenting the same as it might help some new bakers.

    We usually soak only dry fruits in any liquor like Rum or Brandy. The dry fruits soak and plump up in the juice of Rum. This is the traditional Christmas fruit soaking.

    I always use Rum for soaking dry fruits. We can also use brandy or Wine . For a non alcoholic version Orange or Grape Juice can be used for soaking the dry fruits.

    Ingredients

    Chopped Cherries, Raisins , Tutti frutti, Candied Ginger, Walnuts, Almonds , Cashew along with Rum spread as a platter.

    Dry Fruits - Use good quality clean dry fruits for soaking. Usually more Raisins and Tutti frutti are used. I usually use raisins both black and golden , cherries, tutti fruiti. Depending on the availability of other dry fruits like candied orange , ginger i use them as well.

    Nuts - We can add more chopped nuts while making cake. For soaking i use equal portions of chopped Cashew, Almonds and Walnuts.

    Liquor - I use Old Monk Rum for soaking. You may use your favorite ones.

    When to Soak the dry Fruits for Christmas Cake

    The soaking time can be from 6 months to 1 day. Worst case you can also soak for 30 mins and microwave for 1 min. It helps the dry fruits to plump up and drink the juice.

    However, the main tip is to mix in the dry fruits once every two or three days when soaking for a longer period. You can soak in Rum, Brandy, or Wine. If you do not want to use liquor you can also soak the dry fruits in Orange juice or grape juice.

    Traditionally we soak the dry fruits in Rum for the Christmas fruits cake.

    Dry fruits and Nuts soaked in Rum for Christmas Fruits Cake.

    How to soak dry fruits for Christmas cake

    1) Chop the dry fruits into equally sized pieces. This helps in a homogenous ( even ) baking when adding the soaked dry fruits to the cake and prevent from crumbling. This is a very important step before soaking the fruits in liquor.

    Chop all the dry fruits in to equal sized pieces.

    2) Add the chopped dry fruits in to a glass jar that is used for soaking. Use only glass or ceramic jars for soaking. I am using Tutti frutti, golden raisins, black raisins ,cherries, candied ginger.

    Transfer the chopped dry fruits in to a glass jar.

    3) Next add evenly chopped nuts. I am using Cashew, Almonds and Walnuts.

    add chopped nuts in the glass jar.

    4) Shake the jar well such that the dry fruits and nuts are mixed evenly.

    Shake the glass jar , so that the chopped dry fruits and nuts gets mixed homogenously.

    5) Now add the Rum. Add until all the dry fruits are soaked and the Rum stays 1 inch above that.

    Add Rum to the glass jar until all the dry fruits and nuts are fully soaked.

    6) The dry fruits plump up after getting soaked in the liquor. Check after 2 days and if the rum has been soaked completely , top up the glass jar with more rum. Continue this process after every 2 days. Also make sure you give a mix to the soaked dry fruits and nuts once in every two days.

    Expert Tips

    • Always use only dry fruits for soaking in the liquor. Soaking nuts is optional, But we can include them as well
    • Dry fruits will absorb the liquor and get plumped up.
    • Always chop the dry fruits into equal-sized pieces and then soak.
    • While the dry fruits are soaking. Mix with a clean spoon after every two days .
    • You can soak up to 6 months or even more. More the merrier. But handle it clean and mix or shake the jar after every two days.
    • Store in a sterilized container and place it in a warm place.
    • If you see the liquor level has reduced after soaking you can add more.

    FAQ's

    What all dry fruits can be added to Christmas cake ?

    We can soak in all possible dry fruits for the Christmas fruit cake. We usually add Raisins, Black currants, Candied orange peel, Candied ginger, Tutti frutti, Cherries. Along with this, we can add any candied fruits or dry fruits.

    What is the best alcohol for soaking fruit cake ?

    Traditionally we use Rum for soaking fry fruits. However we can also use a mix of Rum and Brandy or even Wine. For a non alcoholic version Orange or Grape juice works well.
    In my opinion Rum is the best alcohol to soak fruit for Christmas cake

    How long to soak fruit in alcohol for fruit cake ?

    We can soak the dry fruits in liquor for 2-3 months. I have also soaked for 6 months it comes good. The more the merrier , you get an intense flavor in the cake. If you have less time you can try soaking for at least 2 weeks before you bake. Always store in a cool and dark place without any disturbance for best results.

    Why do we chop dry fruits for fruit cake ?

    Its always good to chop the dry fruits into equal sized pieces before soaking them in alcohol. This helps in even soaking and uniform baking. This also prevents the cake from crumbing as we slice. Bigger chunks of dry fruits like Cherries or any candied fruits in cake will make the cake crumble while we slice the cake.

    Christmas Fruit Cake Recipes

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      Eggless Christmas Fruit Cake | Christmas Plum Cake
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    ★ Did you enjoy this recipe? If you happen to try it out, I would love to hear from you! I’d appreciate it if you could rate and leave a review below in the comments. Your reviews help others know the recipe better too. Thanks for your time. You can also follow me on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, Youtube and Twitter for more updates

    📖 Recipe

    Chopped Dry Fruits and nuts soaked in Rum in a Glass Jar.
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    5 from 2 votes

    How to soak dry fruits for Christmas cake

    Soaking dryfruits for Christmas cake in Rum or Wine ahead of time aid in the best ever Christmas fruits cake. We soak in dry fruits.
    Prep Time15 minutes mins
    Cook Time0 minutes mins
    Resting Time1 day d
    Total Time1 day d 15 minutes mins
    Course: Dessert
    Cuisine: International
    Servings: 10 Cakes
    Calories: 324kcal
    Author: Sharmila Kingsly
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Standard 1 cup measures 240 ml

    Ingredients

    • 3 cups Rum or as needed
    • 50 gms Candied Ginger
    • 50 gms Orange Peel
    • 200 gms Tutti Frutti
    • 100 gms Cherry
    • 200 gms Raisins Mix of both black and golden

    Nuts

    • ½ cup Cashew nuts
    • ½ cup Walnuts
    • ½ cup Almonds

    Instructions 

    • Chop the dry fruits into equally sized pieces. This helps in a homogenous ( even ) baking when adding the soaked dry fruits to the cake and prevent from crumbling. This is a very important step before soaking the fruits in liquor.
    • Add the chopped dry fruits in to a glass jar that is used for soaking. Use only glass or ceramic jars for soaking. I am using Tutti frutti, golden raisins, black raisins ,cherries, candied ginger.
    • Next add evenly chopped nuts. I am using Cashew, Almonds and Walnuts.
    • Shake the jar well such that the dry fruits and nuts are mixed evenly.
    • Now add the Rum. Add until all the dry fruits are soaked and the Rum stays 1 inch above that.
    • The dry fruits plump up after getting soaked in the liquor. Check after 2 days and if the rum has been soaked completely , top up the glass jar with more rum. Continue this process after every 2 days. Also make sure you give a mix to the soaked dry fruits and nuts once in every two days.

    Notes

    Expert Tips
    • Always use only dry fruits for soaking in the liquor. Soaking nuts is optional, But we can include them as well
    • Dry fruits will absorb the liquor and get plumped up.
    • Always chop the dry fruits into equal-sized pieces and then soak.
    • While the dry fruits are soaking. Mix with a clean spoon after every two days .
    • You can soak up to 6 months or even more. More the merrier. But handle it clean and mix or shake the jar after every two days.
    • Store in a sterilized container and place it in a warm place.
    • If you see the liquor level has reduced after soaking you can add more.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 324kcal | Carbohydrates: 16.9g | Protein: 0.5g | Fat: 0.1g | Sodium: 3mg | Potassium: 148mg | Fiber: 0.8g | Sugar: 12.7g | Calcium: 17mg
    Tried this recipe?Mention @happietrio or tag #happietrio
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    Disclaimer: I am not a nutritionist , the nutrition value provided here is an estimate. It will vary based on the quantity and brands of the products used.

    Note: This post is originally from 2000. I have updated with new Recipe card, Pictures and details.

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    Sharmila Kingsly

    Hi, I'm Joshie!

    Food Blogger, Biryani Lover , Software Engineer .. In no particular order.I love to cook and that is why I am here!! Welcome to my space!!. 

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