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16 hours ago, phoenikia said:

 

 

https://www.jamieoliver.com/inspiration/perfect-christmas-cake-recipe/

 

 

 

These are my first fruitcakes of 2025.

 

I used this Jamie Oliver recipe. 

 

https://www.jamieoliver.com/inspiration/perfect-christmas-cake-recipe/

 

 

 

 

It is supposed to be one hour at 325 F, then an hour to 90 minutes at 300 F.

 

My loaves cracked in the first hour, so I decided to bake them at 275 F for the next hour or so, instead. Next time, I will start baking at 300 F, not 325 F, to see if I can avoid the cracking.

 

I realize loaf shaped cakes tend to crack more inherently.

 

The 2 on the right were baked in a Bain Marie, the one on the left was cooked on a cookie sheet. The one on the left reached an internal temp of 205 F sooner.

 

I kept baking the others at 275 F for what seemed like a very long time. I am getting used to baking with a smart oven of sorts . it turned off completely at one point when a pan touched the control panel, then when I reset the thing to keep baking when the cake was around 180 F internal temp, I realized it was at Hold at 275 F for close to an hour, rather than Bake at 275 F. The internal temp was around 185-190 F, after what seemed like an hour, at a Hold at 275 F.

 

I turned it up to 300 F for about 15 minutes (it was now around 2 am! LOL), and the crust was browning. It had been in the oven for over an hour and 15 minutes after pulling the first cake out. 

 

I decided to pull it out with an internal temp around 195-200 F, knowing that usually the fruitcake should be baked to 205 to 210 F. I was concerned the bottom of the cakes might be over browned.

 

I cut open one of these 2 cakes baked in a water bath, to see what the crumb was like. The Thermapen wasn't lying.

 

I should have baked them until they reached 205. Just slightly underbaked. LOL 

I am still sending them out as gifts.

 

The bottom crust on the fruitcake cooked in an aluminum tin on a cookie sheet was slightly over baked.

 

 

Perfect bottom crust on the Bain Marie cakes,despite being in the oven for over 3 h.

 

I will use the Bain Marie for my future fruitcakes. 

16 hours ago, phoenikia said:

 

 

https://www.jamieoliver.com/inspiration/perfect-christmas-cake-recipe/

 

 

 

These are my first fruitcakes of 2025.

 

I used this Jamie Oliver recipe. 

 

https://www.jamieoliver.com/inspiration/perfect-christmas-cake-recipe/

 

 

 

 

It is supposed to be one hour at 325 F, then an hour to 90 minutes at 300 F.

 

My loaves cracked in the first hour, so I decided to bake them at 275 F for the next hour or so, instead. Next time, I will start baking at 300 F, not 325 F, to see if I can avoid the cracking.

 

I realize loaf shaped cakes tend to crack more inherently.

 

The 2 on the right were baked in a Bain Marie, the one on the left was cooked on a cookie sheet. The one on the left reached an internal temp of 205 F sooner.

 

I kept baking the others at 275 F for what seemed like a very long time. I am getting used to baking with a smart oven of sorts . it turned off completely at one point when a pan touched the control panel, then when I reset the thing to keep baking when the cake was around 180 F internal temp, I realized it was at Hold at 275 F rather than Bake at 275 F. 

 

I kept baking and turned it up to 300 F for about 15 minutes, and the crust was browning. The Internal temp was around 195 despite having been in the oven for over an hour after pulling the first one out. 

 

I decided to pull it out at around 195-200, knowing that usually the fruitcake should be baked to 205 to 210 F.

 

I cut open of these 2 cakes baked in a water bath, to see what the crumb was like. The Thermapen wasn't lying. I should have baked them until they reached 205. Just slightly underbaked. LOL 

I am still sending them out as gifts.

 

The bottom crust on the fruitcake cooked in an aluminum tin on a cookie sheet was slightly over baked. I will use the Bain Marie for my future fruitcakes. 

16 hours ago, phoenikia said:

 

 

https://www.jamieoliver.com/inspiration/perfect-christmas-cake-recipe/

 

 

 

These are my first fruitcakes of 2025.

 

I used the Jamie Oliver recipe. 

It is supposed to be one hour at 325 F, then an hour to 90 minutes at 300 F.

 

My loaves cracked in the first hour, so I decided to bake them at 275 F for the next hour or so, instead. Next time, I will start baking at 300 F, not 325 F, to see if I can avoid the cracking.

 

I realize loaf shaped cakes tend to crack more inherently.

 

The 2 on the right were baked in a Bain Marie, the one on the left was cooked on a cookie sheet. The one on the left reached an internal temp of 205 F sooner.

 

I kept baking the others at 275 F for what seemed like a very long time. I am getting used to baking with a smart oven of sorts . it turned off completely at one point when a pan touched the control panel, then when I reset the thing to keep baking when the cake was around 180 F internal temp, I realized it was at Hold at 275 F rather than Bake at 275 F. 

 

I kept baking and turned it up to 300 F for about 15 minutes, and the crust was browning. The Internal temp was around 195 despite having been in the oven for over an hour after pulling the first one out. 

 

I decided to pull it out at around 195-200, knowing that usually the fruitcake should be baked to 205 to 210 F.

 

I cut open of these 2 cakes baked in a water bath, to see what the crumb was like. The Thermapen wasn't lying. I should have baked them until they reached 205. Just slightly underbaked. LOL 

I am still sending them out as gifts.

 

The bottom crust on the fruitcake cooked in an aluminum tin on a cookie sheet was slightly over baked. I will use the Bain Marie for my future fruitcakes.