The longer it’s aged, the better its flavour
With fruitcake, quality is key
Having originally started his business, Ken’s Fruitcakes, to export cakes to Japan, Ken Ilasz was forced to learn the provenance of each ingredient due to stringent regulations, especially regarding colourings in dried fruit.
“All the dried fruit I use is organic and sulphur-free,” he says.
“And all my nuts are of the best quality I can find. There is enough mediocre fruitcake around. It’s not really that much more of an effort to make something good.”
Ilasz makes his fruitcake twice a year, beginning in March and aging his cakes for months before they are shipped off.
When asked for any fruitcake-making tips, he is happy to oblige:
Remember, fruitcake takes time. He likes to macerate the fruit (always dried, never candied) in alcohol months before baking the cake. And the longer you age it once baked, the better the flavour.
Always use the best quality ingredients you can afford. Even one rancid nut in the mix can ruin your fruitcake.
Try to weigh your ingredients, be as precise as possible and follow the methodology of the recipe.
And finally, for the fruitcake to slice without crumbling, cut your ingredients into small pieces. “Making fruitcake isn’t about cooking,” Ilasz says, “it’s about assembling.”