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When it comes to making your own fruitcake every family has a different recipe. Some have been handed down through generations, and some are brand new.  There are many ways that you can make your fruitcake unique like choosing a special type of alcohol or using fruits and nuts that you like that might be different from the fruits and nuts in the recipe. Regardless of what recipe you use to make fruitcake expert bakers agree that in order to make a great fruitcake you should:

 

Make sure it's cool- In order to be sure that the cake is completely cool before you cut it let it sit in a cool, dry place for at least 24 hours after baking.  If you have the time let it sit for two or three days before you cut into it.  Because the cake is so dense if it's not completely cool when you cut it the cake will crumble and fall apart.

 

Let it ripen - Part of the mystique of the fruitcake is that it can last practically forever, and it can when it's properly made. But a lot of people don't realize that in order to get the best flavor possible a fruitcake needs to ripen, or sit and let the flavors blend together and grow richer. Experts say that you should plan to bake a fruitcake at least seven days before you intend to serve it to let the flavor ripen. Wrap the fruitcake in an alcohol soaked cloth, put it in a cool, dry place and let it sit. When you taste it you'll be glad you did.

 

Don't fill the pan all the way- The fruitcake will expand while it's cooking so when you're pouring the batter into the pan don't fill the pan more than half full. That way the cake will have room to rise. Just use more pans or use a bigger pan than you think you need. 

 

To prevent the outside of the cake from getting too dark use warm water- Place the pans in a larger pan filled with warm water in the oven. When it's time to put the cake in the oven place the pan with the cake batter in a larger pan half pan filled with warm water. This will slow down the browning process so that your cake won't get too dark while you are cooking it. Baking a fruitcake takes a long time and often the outside of the cake can get very dark before the middle is completely cooked. This cooking method will make the cake more evenly.