where am I?
Fruit Cake Too Wet in the Middle
Answer
Dear Liesbeth
FRUIT CAKE TOO WET IN THE MIDDLE
I am sorry to hear that you are having problems. For large, rich fruit cakes I prefer long, slow cooking in the Aga Simmering Oven. It does give perfect results, including a good brown finish and a textbook flat top. Here are the timings from The Aga Book by Mary Berry:
2, 3 and 4 oven Aga Cookers
Simmering Oven: place the cake tin on the grid shelf (or a rack) on the floor of the oven. The cooking time required will be between the minimum and maximum times shown below. The times do vary as sometimes older Aga cookers have slower Simmering Ovens, look at the cake after the minimum time shown to gauge further cooking time.
ROUND TIN SQUARE TIN COOKING TIME
7 inch (18cm) 6 inch (15cm) 4 - 8 hours
8 inch (20cm) 7 inch (18cm) 4 - 10 hours
9 inch (23cm) 8 inch (20cm) 4 1/2 - 11 hours
10 inch (25cm) 9 inch (23cm) 4 1/2 - 12 hours
11 inch (28cm) 10 inch (25cm) 5 - 13 hours
12 inch (30cm) 11 inch (28cm) 5 1/2 - 14 hours
13 inch (33cm) 12 inch (30cm) 5 1/2 - 15 hours
To check when the cake is done: pierce through the centre of the cake with a warm skewer. If it comes out clean, then cake is cooked. If not, cook for a further 30 minutes or so. Leave to cool in the tin.
THE AGA COOKERY DOCTOR`S SOGGY CAKE TROUBLE-SHOOTING TIPS
A close damp texture can be caused by the following reasons, depending on recipe type:
Cakes made by the Creaming Method:
Having the mixture too slack before cooking, caused by too much liquid, too little flour or too much sugar: check the proportions
If using golden syrup or black treacle, measure accurately: dip a spoon into boiling water before measuring makes this easy
Having the fat and sugar insufficiently creamed together before the eggs are gradually added can cause this problem
If soaking dried fruits with alcohol, consider holding 20 percent back to use to "feed" the cake after it is perfectly cooked
Cakes made by the Whisking Method:
Ingredients not measured accurately: take care when measuring carefully
Insufficient whisking before introducing the flour: the whisked eggs and sugar should have at least doubled in volume, and you should be able to make a trail in the mixture from what falls off the whisk when it is removed
Sifted flour not folded in correctly: a metal tablespoon should be used with a gentle and light "cutting" action
Oven too hot: choose a lower position in the oven and/or use a cold plain shelf on the second set of runners above to cut off "top heat". With 3 and 4 oven Aga cookers, use the Baking Oven for all cakes requiring more than 10 minutes cooking time
Insufficient cooking - increase cooking time
Cakes made by the All-In-One Method:
Having the mixture too slack before cooking, caused by too much liquid, too little flour or too much sugar: check the proportions
Insufficient cooking - increase cooking time
I hope that helps!
Best Wishes
Richard Maggs
THE AGA COOKERY DOCTOR
Related articles
-
Question Richard Can you tell me what Lamb Henry is please? <br>Thank you<br>Michael Smith Answer Dear Michael LAMB HENRY Lamb Henry is a delicious casserole. It is important to include the pieces of bone
-
Question Richard I am looking for a recipe to make ice milk - a substitute for ice cream. Thank you Sharl Answer Dear Sharl ICE MILK Some of the very earliest attempts at making ice cream in Italy (Harvest of the Cold Months,
-
Hashed Brown Potatoes and Eggs
Question Dear Richard, I would like to know the best way to fry hashbrowns on a griddle and also the best way to cook eggs. Kim Answer Dear Kim HASHED BROWN POTATOES AND EGGS This is my way of making hashed brown potatoes,
-
Question Dear Richard, How do I cook raspberry/strawberry jam on my 2 oven aga? Previously I made jam on a gas hob using a big old-fashioned jam pan. Kind regards Helen Statham Answer Dear Helen JAM MAKING ON THE AGA The
-
Oven Thermometer for Aga Oven Use
Question Dear Richard, Please could you recommend an accurate and durable oven thermometer that can be used in an Aga`s hot oven. And where it can be purchased from. Many thanks, Charlotte Answer Dear Charlotte OVEN THERMOMETER
Question
Dear Richard I have just baked a cake with nuts and raisons. First I put it in for 70 minutes on the floor of the baking oven; then I left it for another 120 minutes in the simmering oven. The inside should be less wet. How can I improve the result? I`ve been thinking of baking it only in the simmering oven for a much longer time, but I think that it won`t get a nice brown colour this way. Please help me, because I have to bake another one for the yearly Aga Owners Club meeting in the Netherlands. Thanks very much Liesbeth Noordermeer