Softer, juicier fruit in cakes

Would you like softer, juicier fruit in your cakes every time?

Here’s a simple trick: Before adding the fruit to your cake batter, first toss it in a little sugar.

This light sugar coating will immediately start breaking down the fruit’s cell walls and then, in the oven, it draws out the juices and creates a hot syrup that gently poaches the fruit inside the cake. The fruit will soften more quickly as the cake bakes, giving you tender, juicy, almost jammy pieces – especially with stone fruit and berries.

This method also works particularly well with apples and pears.

However, if your fruit is already very ripe or delicate, too much sugar or letting it sit for too long can turn it from soft to collapsed. In that case, just give it a quick toss right before adding it to the batter.