How to soak Dry Fruits for Rich Fruit Cake
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Soaking dry fruits for all your Christmas and Holiday bakes is an easy thing to do. If you like rich, boozy fruit cake then this is your thing. I’m sharing my version here, the way I soak dry fruits to bake the Rich Fruit Cake for Christmas every year. Also, the jar of soaked dry fruits is a wonderful gifting option to your near and dear ones. 🙂

Soaking Dry fruits with Rum
Soaking Dry fruits with Rum
Soaking Dry fruits with Rum
5 from 2 votes
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How to soak Dry Fruits for Rich Fruit Cake

Soaking dry fruits for all your Christmas and Holiday bakes is an easy thing to do. If you like rich, boozy fruit cake then this is your thing.

Cuisine European
Keyword gluten-free
Prep Time 15 minutes
Author Chandrima

Ingredients

Nuts

  • 100g- Almonds
  • 100g- Cashew nuts
  • 25g- Pistachios

Dried fruits

  • 50g- Sultana/Golden raisins
  • 50g- Currants
  • 50g- Tutti frutti
  • 25g- Glazed cherries
  • 25g- Dried Apricots
  • 25g- Dates

Alcohol

  • Rum or Brandy as required

Instructions

  1. Chop the nuts, dates, and apricots. Cut the glazed cherries into slices lengthwise. I don’t chop raisins and currants but depending on your preference you can chop them.

  2. Mix all the fruits and nuts in a bowl. Now transfer them to a clean wide-mouth glass container/jar with a tight lid. Pour rum or brandy on this. The dry fruits and nuts should be covered completely with alcohol. Stir gently with a clean, dry spoon to mix everything well. Close the lid. 

  3. Keep this in a cool, dark place. And don’t forget to stir this mixture after 2-3 days. Keep doing this until you bake the cake.

  4. You’ll notice the alcohol quantity will reduce with time; this is natural because the fruits absorb the alcohol. So, add some more rum/brandy at this stage. The top layer of fruits needs to be covered with alcohol always.

Recipe Notes

  • You can add candied peel into this. Add candied orange peel and candied ginger peel 2 tbsp each if using.
  • This fruit mixture can be stored up to one year.
  • Keep the jar refrigerated if the weather is hot and humid.
  • The minimum time duration of soaking the dry fruits is one week before baking the cake.
  • Always store the fruit mixture in a glass container.
Soaking Dry fruits with Rum
Soaking Dry fruits with Rum
Rum soaked Dry Fruits
Rum soaked Dry Fruits
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23 responses

  1. D Avatar
    D

    Hello , how to make a non-alcoholic version of this?

    1. Chandrima Avatar

      Soak all the fruits and candied peels in orange juice for 24 hrs. Strain and use for cake.

  2. Jaya Avatar
    Jaya

    When will you post the recipe for the cake? I will soak this today 🙂

    1. Chandrima Avatar

      Hi Jaya, Pretty soon! 🙂

  3. Dolphia Nandi Avatar

    This looks so rich and perfect. I have prepared once Alton Brown Christmas Cake – it was yum!! When I will share mine, I will link to yours.

  4. louise Avatar
    louise

    its almost a year ..no recipe…heheheh..i already put my fruits in brandy for over a week now..i have some idea so now just seeking for a good recipe…

  5. Priya Avatar
    Priya

    I washed the raisins before soaking in alcohol… Is it going to be a problem?

    1. Chandrima Avatar

      Hi Priya! No it’s not a problem at all. You can proceed further.

  6. norma Avatar
    norma

    would like to make fruit cake in the next few days could I soak fruit for over night only

    1. Chandrima Avatar

      Hi Norma! Yes, you can soak the fruits for a night only. But, there wouldn’t be much intense rum flavour into the fruits in that case.

  7. Mitoshi saha Avatar
    Mitoshi saha

    Hi I have soaked my dry fruits in red wine.I don’t want my cake to be too much alcoholic. So in between when the wine gets dry what can I add into it?

    1. Chandrima Avatar

      Hi Mitoshi! When dry fruits absorb the liquid, you need to pour the same alcohol once again.

  8. Chetana Avatar
    Chetana

    I had soaked cashews, raisins, cherries last year in Rum and kept it in the refrigerator, can I still use the mixture…..how can we decide if the mixture is still good??

    1. Chandrima Avatar

      Hi Chetana! I hope you can use them. Taste those soaked fruits, if they taste OK, then go ahead.

  9. Roshna Avatar
    Roshna

    Hi I have soaked the fruits in rum( black currant, cashew nuts, dates,prunes &raisins) & its been 10 days now.. every alternative day I used to open the jar n give a mix too.. but ithe fruits fully absorbed the liquid , if I add more rum, it Wil give a different taste to the cake or is it okay? Pls give ur suggestions

    1. Chandrima Avatar

      Hi Roshna! Adding rum is absolutely fine if the fruits have soaked up the alcohol. I’ve mentioned this in the recipe too. It wouldn’t change the taste of the cake. Hope this helps.

  10. Mary Avatar
    Mary

    If I don’t want to use any alcohol what else can I soak dry fruits in for the fruit cake

    1. Chandrima Avatar

      Hi Mary, you can soak the dry fruits in orange juice. Check this recipe https://notoutofthebox5.wpcomstaging.com/2015/11/eggless-orange-fruit-cake/

  11. Jeff Avatar
    Jeff

    Where does one get tutti frutti?

    1. Chandrima Avatar

      Hi, Tutti Frutti is coloured candid fruits, you can get it from the nearby grocery store.

  12. Maya Avatar
    Maya

    5 stars
    There is slightly bitter taste in my soaked dry fruits, is it normal?

    1. Chandrima Avatar

      Hi Maya, Yes, that is absolutely normal. Please go ahead with the further steps, Happy Baking! 🙂

    2. Holly Avatar
      Holly

      5 stars
      Citron to me has a bitter flavor. I don’t put citron in, I leave it out, But of course, it is mixed in the fruitcake mix, but you can’t taste the citron in the fruit cake mix that much. I soaked a year in 2 quart size mason jars and lids. (In Refrigerator) I used equal amounts of Appleton Jamaican rum and Port for soaking. It was the best fruit cake I ever made and the candied fruit in the cake wasn’t all hard etc. I did not soak the nuts. I mixed all the soaked fruit with the nuts in a huge crock bowl, 24 hours ahead of making the cake. This gave the nuts some time to soak. I baked cake in Nov, and feed it every other week etc. Wrapped it in booz soaked cheese cloth and put in tin in refrig.

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