I need to bake a light fruit cake tomorrow but will be pushed for time. It can't be baked today but could I prepare it today, put it in the tin and bake it tomorrow?
It will have milk and eggs in it
I wouldn't risk it. Once flour gets wet, the gluten structures starts to change straightaway. I'd get all the ingredients ready, weighed out and pre-mixed those that can be (ie the fruit etc) and then get started half an hour earlier.
barry, just out of interest have you ever tried boiled fruit cake? Some of the old people in my village make it and it's very nice. I'm not a cake maker but if you're interested, I found a recipe from the BBC. I think it's quite quick to make.
Go to your local Tesco's (other supermarkets are available) and buy a light fruit cake. You can buy one today in much less time than it would take you to make one and it will last very nicely until tomorrow. Mr Kipling does make exceedingly good varieties (because he's tested the recipes to destruction and he's got all the required kit). Life's too short to bake cakes. :-)
I've checked out the cut and come again cake and it is very similar to the cake I bake.
I quite like baking these types of cakes. I leave the sponges and fancy cakes to my wife.
Everyone loves my parkin