Okay, so, I wanted to make a fruit cake, and you know what the star is? Cherries! I mean, they just make the cake, right?
I started by gathering all my ingredients. I had some dried cherries, but they were a little, you know, dry. Someone online said I should soak them to make them juicy again. They suggested water and sugar or even brandy. I thought, “Brandy? Sounds fancy!” So, I grabbed a jar, tossed in the cherries, added some sugar, and filled it up with water. I put the lid on, gave it a good shake, and figured I’d shake it a couple of times a day for a few days. I imagined they’d be plump and delicious after that.
While the cherries were doing their thing, I started on the cake. I toasted some nuts – makes them taste so much better, trust me. I also had some chocolate on hand because, why not? Chocolate makes everything better. I got everything ready to be mixed. Also, someone mentioned that if the cake is over-baked, the fruit inside will get over-caramelized and taste bad. They suggested using an apple corer to take out a little piece from the middle to check if it’s done. Genius, right? I replaced it without any issue.
Once the cake was in the oven, I just had to wait. Baking is all about patience, and let me tell you, it was tough! The smell of that cake baking filled my kitchen, and I was drooling. I had to wait until it cool down because someone mentioned that “Aging” makes the cake softer and the fruits absorb the alcohol better. Anyway, I’ll have to wait for the cherries and the cake to be ready to combine them.
- Soak dried cherries
- Use a jar
- Add cherries, sugar, and water (or brandy!)
- Shake it up
- Let it sit for a few days, shaking occasionally
- Bake the cake
- Toast nuts for extra flavor
- Don’t overbake, or the fruit will be ruined
- Use an apple corer to test doneness
- Wait and combine
- Let the cake “age” to enhance the texture
- Combine the soaked cherries and the cake
Finally, the moment of truth! I took a bite, and oh my goodness, it was amazing! The cherries were plump and flavorful, the cake was moist, and the nuts and chocolate added the perfect touch. It was everything I hoped for and more. This whole fruit cake experiment was a total success, and I can’t wait to make it again – maybe next time, I’ll try that brandy!
