Even if someone has never made a fruitcake before (and until this afternoon, I counted myself in that group), they can understand it takes a great deal of time, effort, and expense re ingredients to make a fruitcake. Why someone would *bother* is another story, but my reasons were that (1) I was determined to make a moist and tasty fruitcake using quality ingredients instead of the garbage offered at the grocery store, and (2) I am too poor this year to afford much in the way of Christmas presents, so cookies and cake were to be my presents instead.
Having said that, I absolutely should have known better than to try to get the frelling thing out of the pan before it was completely cooled down.
Here's a few pictures of the aftermath.
After literally HOURS of work in the kitchen today, here is the result of my attempt at an Apricot Fruitcake; just out of the oven, looking all pure and perfect (sob!)
Then, not so much.
It came out in two big, falling apart pieces, and then a bunch of little bits. I managed to make it look not so *very* bad for this picture, but it is actually pretty messy and this was supposed to be a Christmas present, so of course I wanted it to be perfect.
The pan it came out of details the extent of the damage. It doesnt look like it, but there is nearly a cupful of ruined fruitcake crumbs.
In my (only) defense, I was trying to unmould it before it had completely cooled, so I could marinate it with some coconut rum, to make it taste even yummier.
Ah well, I console myself with the thought that I was going to cut it into four pieces anyway, once I poured a nice glaze onto it. They will just have to be a bit smaller, or oddly shaped now, to avoid the worst of the mess. I really did want a glamour shot of the thing first, though!
Ah well, time to eat the evidence very tasty crumbs now...