Figs and cranberries in Xmas cake?

[TheGiantBear]

I am thinking about introducing some figs and cranberries to my Xmas cake recipe- maybe adding figs in place of half of the currants and some cranberries in place of some of the cherries.

Am wondering though! Has anyone tried figs in Xmas cake? Do they make it a bit gritty?

Not in a Christmas cake but figs do make fruit cake gritty 🤢

Cranberries make a nice tart addition, dried apricots are okay. Soft prunes (chopped) are the best unconventional addition to Christmas cake! They make the cake lovely and moist.

Thsts interesting! Moist is what I’m looking for so I think I will go for prunes rather than figs then - thank you!
And will cut back on the hard little currants…..never seem to become succulent no matter the soaking ☹️.
Thank you!

I always give the currants a swerve, don't like them. I used a combination of yellow sultanas, raisins, cranberries and chopped apricots, which were marinated in spiced rum with orange and lemon zest.

We love prunes and get the French Agen ones which are very succulent and lovely just on their own. Never used them in Christmas cake - it's too late for this year but maybe next! Good luck with your cake

I use dried figs in my Christmas cake along with fresh dates and prunes - all chopped and not many. Also sultanas, raisins, glacé cherries and dried peel. I am gluten free so have found that currants don’t work well and imagine that cranberries would be the same. Something to do with their size. Everything gets soaked in a mixture of tea and brandy so is well plumped before adding the batter.

But I love figs. Saddest day of my life was leaving home and our divine fig tree.

Cranberries might work well in a stained glass window cake.

I feel ashamed not to have made it weeks ago! But at least being late has let me benefit from this advice.
Will boldly replace all currants. Not just cut back! 😬
Thanks very much for comments.

@TheGiantBear Well, I haven’t made mine yet, either. I still need to do the shop for it. IMO, you’re doing all right.

I've used all sorted of dried fruits in Christmas cakes and the truck is to give them a really good soak before you use them. To speed it up i gently warm the dried fruits in the liquid in a pan, then cool and leave to soak at least over night.

My favourite recipe is one by nigel slater. Its rammed full of fruit and nuts.https://www.theguardian.com/food/2021/nov/22/nigel-slater-christmas-cake-recipe

I do similar, and I can tell you that chopped prunes are gorgeous in Christmas cake. Give it a wonderful moistness.

I’ve tried figs in Christmas cake. I think there a sweet spot between figgy deliciousness and figgy grittiness. 3-4 finely chopped figs is about right. Soaking is essential, but does not IMO soften the gritty seeds.

Here is a short cut for when you need to make a rich fruit cake in a hurry, and have no time to feed and mature it. Find a mincemeat that you like, and replace 3/4 of the vine fruits with it, weight for weight. Follow the rest of your recipe as usual.

I actually prefer a cake that hasn’t been fed. This might be because my mum often made the cake on Christmas Eve and iced it on Boxing Day, but also I find the sticky hit of booze a bit too much in a cake (love it on Christmas pudding)

That Nigel Slater recipe is interesting. I think I will follow his approach & use half dark muscovado & half light. Tbh I struggle to distinguish light muscovado & light brown soft anyway.