Christmas Fruit Cake

Since beginning of this month, I've already had the intention to bake Christmas Fruit Cake. I surfed the web, reviewed lots and lots Fruit Cake recipes, and they all looked almost the same to me! How to decide? So I asked around. My baking buddy, Doris, gave me a site for the fruit cake. She has been baking fruit cakes for years and gave me her advice. Then there was a collegue who has been baking fruit cakes for quite a while too. She has been using Yochana's recipe and it's proven for her that her family finishes them up before the cake can keep another day.

I don't used to like fruit cakes. I find them to be too sweet for my likings. Perhaps, as I aged (have I really?), my taste seemed to have changed. Those stuff that I previously don't like, I tend to take them now. For example, mooncakes, yellow ghee noodles, and now fruit cakes. Doris told me to soak the fruits for as long as I can. I heeded her advice, soaked for two weeks. I soaked about three batches.

Since my colleague recommended Yochana's recipe, I tried it. It was really the dense kind. I was hoping for a lighter fruit cake though. It might not be the truly traditional kind.



Finally, for my second attempt, I decided on Wen's light christmas cake. I would truly prefer a lighter cake. The method used in her recipe was very similar to making kueh lapis. I thought that might be good. And as if the quantity for a 9" is not enough, I made one and half times the recipe. Imagine the strength I need to use to fold in the fruits, flour and the meringue! I still find it rather sweet though. However, I really like this cake. I made two 7" square loaves, and sliced them into smaller portion as a gift for my family and colleagues. I hope they like it as much as I do.