Can I Use An Alternative Alcohol For The Traditional Christmas Cake? | Ask Nigella.com (2024)

FAQs

What is a good substitute for alcohol in Christmas cake? ›

And you can use other alternatives such as sweet sherry, Grand Marnier or Amaretto. It is possible to use orange juice instead of alcohol to soak the fruits but we would not use it to feed the cake with after baking as fruit juice spoils more easily than alcohol.

You can use rum, brandy or whisky for spice, or if you like citrus flavours, try an orange liqueur. Cherry brandy and amaretto will also work well if you prefer these.

Yes, it is absolutely possible to make fruit cake without alcohol. You can replace the alcohol with fruit juice, such as orange juice or apple juice, to soak the dried fruits, adding flavor and moisture to the cake.

Since sherry is a fortified wine, it stands to reason that any other fortified wine will work in its place. Your best bet is going to be another dry fortified wine such as dry (white) vermouth. Dry versions of Madeira and marsala are also acceptable.

Baking with booze—such as bourbon, rum, port and vodka—can add additional flavor, texture and even change the consistency of many baked goods.

If you followed it exactly and did not add any alcohol in, I would recommend 3-4 weeks max. The cake has a lot of sugar and dried fruit which will help preserve it but it will not last as long as a traditional cake without the alcohol. How do I store a Christmas Cake? Allow to cake to completely cool.

Most people use brandy. I think this tastes better. This cake does NOT need to mature for weeks to taste gorgeous - 6 days from start to finish is as much time as you need. Although, if you prefer a more leisurely pace, that also works.

+ While brandy is the traditional partner for fruit cake, you could also try using a dessert sherry such as Pedro Ximénez.

Other good choices of booze include brandy, rum, or whiskey. Feel free to use one or a mix of these to best complement your fruitcake. Once you've chosen the liquor, bake the cake, poke holes throughout the whole thing, and pour a few tablespoons of the alcohol over it. Or, you can brush the cake with the alcohol.

I love the flavor of spiced rum in my Christmas cake, so that's what I use to soak my fruit. The dried fruits get rehydrated in the rum and soaks it all up, making it super juicy and flavorful. If you can't find spiced rum, you can also use dark rum, cognac, brandy or sherry to soak your fruits.

What is a non-alcoholic alternative to brandy in Christmas cake? ›

The natural substitute for the alcohol is juice or sparkling cider. I use sparkling apple cider but regular apple juice, cranberry juice or orange juice is great. These are great to soak everything.

To yield about a cup of nonalcoholic sherry substitute, combine 1/2 cup water, 1/3 cup apple juice, 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar, and 1/4 teaspoon soy sauce (to mimic sherry's muskiness). We tested this in our Sherry-Rosemary Pan Sauce, and it tasted very close to the sauce made with sherry.

A sweet marsala or Madeira wine are good alternatives but if you only have a bottle of rum, whisky or brandy on hand then one of these could also be used.

For the pudding and the cake, you could substitute the alcohol with apple, orange, red grape or prune juice. The cake can be made ahead but don't feed it.

When the liquid amount is critical to the recipe, use water or fruit juices corresponding to the flavor of brandy, for instance, white grape juice, apple cider or apple juice, diluted peach, pear or apricot syrups.

In conclusion, there are several options to choose from when looking for a nonalcoholic substitute for rum in your favorite recipe. Apple cider, pineapple juice, coconut milk, vanilla extract, and almond extract are all good options that can add a similar flavor to your dish.