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I need cake help again!

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gilbertandmartha
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I need cake help again!

Postby gilbertandmartha » Tue Dec 11, 2012 1:58 am

@Louise or anyone else who's an expert baker. i've just made this cake

http://www.deliaonline.com/recipes/type-of-dish/entertaining/traditional-dundee-cake.html

and its turned out like a flippin biscuit. I took it out of the oven at 1hr 50, and my cake pan is 8". Its hardly risen, and has about 0.5cm of overdone edges. But it does taste good (dry)

I know we don't have proper caster sugar, its not as granulated as granulated UK sugar, but not as fine as castor. Would that make much of a difference?

I need to make a fruit cake for christmas, and i'm running out of time to practice

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clothmama
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Re: I need cake help again!

Postby clothmama » Tue Dec 11, 2012 3:25 am

I'm no good with cakes but if you are worried about the sugar a trick I have used in the past is to use the food processor to put your sugar in and blitz it and you can get it as fine as you need for caster sugar - I think I had trouble finding it / knowing the name at one point in France and did that and it worked well!

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gilbertandmartha
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Re: I need cake help again!

Postby gilbertandmartha » Tue Dec 11, 2012 4:07 am

i think the sugar is one part of the problem. if i whizzed a load i assume it wouldn't spoil? there's no way i'm doing a little at a time.

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Louise
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Re: I need cake help again!

Postby Louise » Tue Dec 11, 2012 7:53 am

It could be the sugar but I've used granulated when I have been out of caster sugar and its turned out ok. I have a couple of light fruit cake recipes, will have a look at them as I think some might use other sugars (possibly brown).

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Louise
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Re: I need cake help again!

Postby Louise » Tue Dec 11, 2012 9:24 am

Light fruit cake


185g unsalted butter
115g superfine sugar
3 eggs
160g golden raisins
3 tbsps chopped candied apricots
3 tbsps chopped candied figs (I have used mixed peel in the past when I couldn't find apricots and figs)
240g chopped candied cherries plus extra to decorate
80g macadamia nuts, coarsely chopped
185g all-purpose flour
60g self raising flour
125ml milk
1 tbsp sweet sherry

Preheat the oven to 160. Grease and line a 7 inch square cake tin.

Cream the butter and sugar together in a bowl until just combined. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in the fruit and nuts.
Sift in half the flours and add half the milk, stir to combine, then add the remaining flours and milk and the sherry.
Spoon into the prepared tin and tap to remove any air bubbles. Smooth the surface and decorate the top with cherries.
Wrap the outside of the tin with newspaper. Sit the tin on several layers of newspaper in the oven and bake for 1 3/4 - 2 hours until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. If the top starts to darken too much during cooking, cover with greaseproof paper.

Remove from the oven and wrap the tin in a dish towel until cool.

Boiled fruit cake
250g unsalted butter
185g soft brown sugar
1kg mixed dried fruit
1/2 cup sweet sherry
1/2 tsp baking soda
185g self raising flour
125g all purpose flour
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
4 eggs, lightly beaten

Preheat the oven to 180. Lightly grease an 8 inch round cake tin.

Put the butter, brown sugar, mixed fruit, sherry and 185ml of water in a saucepan and stir over a low heat until the butter has melted and the sugar has dissolved. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from the heat, stir in the baking soda and set aside to cool.
Sift the flours and spice into a large bowl and make a well in the centre. Add the egg to the fruit mixture, mix well, then pour into the well and mix thoroughly. Pour into the tin and smooth the surface. Wrap the outside of the tin in newspaper and sit on several layers of newspaper in the oven.
Bake for 1 - 1 1/4 hours until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Leave in the tin for at least an hour before turning out to cool. (The flavour improves after standing for 3 days)

(The colour of the cake will depend on what fruit is used. For a dark colour use raisins, currants and golden raisins, for a lighter colour use chopped candied fruit).

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Caroline
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Re: I need cake help again!

Postby Caroline » Tue Dec 11, 2012 1:15 pm

I'd replace the pot of baking powder with a new one. I've had duff batches in the past where cakes I've baked 100's of times have been as flat as a pancake.

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gilbertandmartha
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Re: I need cake help again!

Postby gilbertandmartha » Wed Dec 12, 2012 2:11 am

Thanks Louise I'll give one of those a go, at least the kids like it even if it does turn out like a biscuit. I have done delia's irish tea fruit cake a few times and it comes out delicious... so I know I can make a fruit cake!

Caroline I might try changing the baking powder thanks

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Sunset
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Re: I need cake help again!

Postby Sunset » Wed Dec 12, 2012 1:14 pm

How far up the sides of the tin was it when you put it in? Maybe it would be better in a 7in tin, the recipe says 7-8in and it does make quite a difference. I wouldn't expect this to rise very much as it only calls for 1tsp of baking powder for 8oz flour, whereas a sponge cake would take 4tsp for 8oz flour.


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