How to Line a Fruit Cake Tin

When baking fruit cakes, those with dried fruit such as Christmas cake, it's important to line the cake tin well. The reason for this is that the long cooking time in the oven for these types of cakes can cause the mixture to burn. The layers of paper help prevent this. Here's how to do it...

1. Begin by folding enough paper that when folded into thirds is large enough to trace around the base of your tin.
2. Now place your tin in the centre then trace around the outside with a pencil.
3. Now cut around the pencil mark but just inside it because you’ve traced the outside of the tin but the paper has to sit inside so it needs to be a little smaller.
4. Turn the cut out circles upside down and place them in the base of the tin.
5. Now, measure 2 more sheets of paper long enough to go around the inside of the tin and overlap.
6. Fold them together in half, and then roll them slightly to enable you to more easily place then inside the tin, sitting on top of the paper in base.
7. The long collar protruding above the tin will be cut down to the tin and folded down over the fruit cake batter once it’s placed in the tin, to help prevent the top of the cake burning in the oven. See how this is done by watching the How to Make a Christmas Cake video.