{"id":742743,"date":"2018-08-08T13:13:08","date_gmt":"2018-08-08T18:13:08","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.tasteofhome.com\/?p=742743"},"modified":"2023-11-02T14:19:31","modified_gmt":"2023-11-02T19:19:31","slug":"how-to-plump-raisins-for-baking","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.tasteofhome.com\/article\/how-to-plump-raisins-for-baking\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Plump Raisins for Baking"},"content":{"rendered":"
Raisins are fantastic in baked goods like oatmeal cookies and (of course) your Grandma's famous carrot cake<\/a>. Because they're so dry, however, raisins tend to absorb the liquid from your baked goods, making the final dessert less moist. That's almost never a good thing! The best bakers take a key extra step\u2014soaking raisins before folding them into the batter.<\/p>\r\n\r\n Water is the most common soaking liquid, but fruit juices (like pineapple for Aunt Murna's Jam Cake<\/a>), extracts and spirits (like rum and brandy) can also be used. Another liquid that many have never considered but is a natural choice is eggs. Most baked goods call for eggs anyway, so by soaking your fruit in the eggs before mixing them into your batter, you don't have to worry about adding any extra liquid.<\/p>\r\n\r\n Different cooks all have different methods for soaking their dried fruit, each believing their technique yields a more plump product. There are at least four ways to achieve soaked fruit. Here are the best I've heard:<\/p>\r\n\r\n Pro Tip:<\/strong> <\/em>Soaking longer isn't necessarily better. Raisins will only plump so much, and they'll do it pretty quickly.<\/p>\r\n Generally speaking, any method will work. You can simply make your choice based on how much time you have and how many dishes you want to wash! It's worth noting that soaking raisins isn't limited to baked goods\u2014plump them for snacks and salad toppings.<\/p>\r\n\t\t\t The best bakers take a key extra step\u2014soaking raisins before folding them into the batter.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7006,"featured_media":21269,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ep_exclude_from_search":false,"footnotes":""},"tags":[304158,304150,303883,303897],"categories-v2":[310461,309438,309434,308476,308490],"coauthors":[50017],"acf":{"long_pin_file":false,"ncv_override_generic_settings_option":false,"ncv_autoplay_option":"","ncv_stickyplay_option":"","ncv_ads_option":"","ncv_mute_option":"","ncv_comscore_option":"","ncv_autoplay_mobile_option":"","ncv_viewable_threshold_option":"","ncv_sticky_offset_option":"","ncv_autopause_option":"","ncv_sticky_offset_mobile_option":"","ncv_autopause_mobile_option":"","ncv_sticky_mobile_option":"","ncv_remove_player_option":false,"ncv_moat_option":""},"yoast_head":"\n Go to Recipe<\/a><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\nHow to Plump Raisins<\/strong><\/h3>\r\n
Choose the Right Soaking Liquid<\/strong><\/h4>\r\n
Pick a Tried-and-True Method<\/strong><\/h4>\r\n
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<\/a><\/div>Carrot Cupcakes<\/a>To try to get my family to eat more vegetables, I often \"hide\" nutritional foods inside sweet treats. The shredded carrots<\/a> add wonderful moistness to these cupcakes, which have a rich cream cheese<\/a> frosting. Now we can have our cake and eat our vegetables, too! \u2014Doreen Kelly, Rosyln, Pennsylvania
<\/a><\/div>Vertical Carrot Cake<\/a>This vertical spin on a cherished classic is packed with spices<\/a> and sure to impress. The brown butter<\/a> cream cheese frosting truly takes the vertical cake<\/a> over the top! \u2014 Mark Neufang<\/a>, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
<\/a><\/div>Carrot Cake Pancakes<\/a>Here's a way for fans of carrot cake to have their favorite dessert for breakfast. These delicate, decadent pancakes are drizzled with sweet and spicy maple syrup<\/a> that complements the sour cream and nut topping. \u2014Leane Goering, Salem, Indiana
<\/a><\/div>Wonderful Carrot Cake<\/a>This healthy carrot cake recipe is moist, tender and delicious. Kids will love it because it's sweet, and you'll love it because it's packed with good-for-you carrots. \u2014Brenda Rankhorn, New Market, Alabama
<\/a><\/div>Carrot Blueberry Cupcakes<\/a>Carrots, blueberries, pineapple and zucchini make an interesting and delicious combination in these unique little treats.\u2014Patricia Kile, Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania.
<\/a><\/div>Pressure-Cooker Carrot Cake Oatmeal<\/a>This warm breakfast cereal made in the pressure cooker is a great way to add some veggies in the morning and keep a healthy diet! For extra crunch, I garnish individual servings with ground walnuts or pecans.\u2014Debbie Kain, Colorado Springs, Colorado
<\/a><\/div>Carrot Cake Sheet Cake<\/a>Our carrot cake sheet cake recipe puts everyone\u2019s favorite cake on the table without the need to fuss over building and frosting a layer cake.
<\/a><\/div>Carrot Spice Thumbprint Cookies<\/a>Carrot cake is a family favorite, and these delicious cookies taste just like it with shredded carrots, dried cranberries, toasted walnuts<\/a>, cinnamon and cloves. And they're topped with a rich cream cheese frosting. Who could resist? Each cookie is like eating a piece of carrot cake, but with no fork needed! —Susan Bickta, Kutztown, Pennsylvania
<\/a><\/div>Carrot Honey Loaf<\/a>As a busy health-care professional and mom, one of the most meaningful gifts I give to the people I love is my time and skills in the kitchen. I have been baking since I was 7 years old and while I still am an avid baker, raising three children, caring for three dogs and working full-time leaves me with little energy! My family appreciates all my efforts and this is a favorite extra \"gift\" I give people for special events like a housewarming or welcoming a new baby. It is especially good toasted with butter. \u2014Krystal Horudko, Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, Canada
<\/a><\/div>Pineapple Carrot Cake<\/a>This pineapple carrot cake is sweet, tangy, fluffy and soft. It's perfect for snacking or when you want a dessert that isn't as sweet as other cakes or cookies.
<\/a><\/div>Carrot Dump Cake<\/a>Because our family adores carrot cake, I experimented to find an easy way to make it so we could enjoy it all the time. This super moist dump cake<\/a> version makes my family smile when it suddenly appears on the table. \u2014Bonnie Hawkins, Elkhorn, Wisconsin
<\/a><\/div>Spiced Carrot Cake<\/a>My mom made this cake for my birthday one year because carrot cake is her favorite. Turns out, it's my favorite, too! Now when I make it, I love it with lots of spice. The pumpkin pie spice<\/a> is a perfect shortcut, but you could use a custom blend of cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and cloves. \u2014Jaris Dykas, Knoxville, Tennessee
<\/a><\/div>Carrot Cake Sandwich Cookies<\/a>This cookie's always been a favorite with my kids, and a best-seller at bake sales. If you want to gild the lily, you can add toasted chopped walnuts or pecans to the frosting. \u2014Linda Ross, Williamsport, Pennsylvania
<\/a><\/div>Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting<\/a>Cinnamon, nutmeg, carrots and a creamy, tangy frosting make this classic carrot cake a winner.
<\/a><\/div>Coconut Carrot Muffins<\/a>If you like carrot cake, you'll probably like these muffins, too. They make a neat treat for an Easter get-together! I use canned carrots to save some extra time in the kitchen. \u2014Brittany Carrington, Tehachapi, California
<\/a><\/div>Carrot Bundt Cake<\/a>Baked in a pretty cake pan and swirled with tangy cream cheese frosting, this carrot Bundt cake recipe is one you'll make again and again.
<\/a><\/div>Carrot Cheesecake<\/a>My family loves this creamy make-ahead dessert. Unlike traditional cheesecake, I sprinkle a streusel topping over the filling. It needs to be refrigerated overnight and is well worth the wait. \u2014Misty Wellman, Scottsdale, Arizona
<\/a><\/div>Carrot-Cranberry Spice Cake<\/a>I love carrot cake and those made with cranberries. Using leftover cranberry sauce, I add carrots to make one marvelous cake that\u2019s tangy and sweet. \u2014Elizabeth King, Duluth, Minnesota
<\/a><\/div>Carrot Cake Jam<\/a>For a change of pace from berry jams, try this unique option. Spread on a bagel with cream cheese, it tastes almost as good as real carrot cake! \u2014Rachelle Stratton, Rock Springs, Wyoming
<\/a><\/div>Classic Carrot Cake<\/a>I entered this yummy, moist cake in a Colorado Outfitters Association dessert contest. My carrot cake with pineapple earned first place! \u2014Cheri Eby, Gunnison, Colorado
<\/a><\/div>Chocolate Carrot Cake<\/a>Finely shredding the carrots gives this cake an extra-nice texture. The walnuts sprinkled on top add crunch, but you can leave them off if you prefer. \u2014Pamela Brown, Williamsburg, Michigan
<\/a><\/div>Carrot Cookies<\/a>Carrot cookies are sweet and colorful, a harmony between the garden and the dessert table. This recipe will add a bit of old-fashioned simplicity to your cookie lineup.
<\/a><\/div>Maple Carrot Cupcakes<\/a>I come from a line of family cooks and have liked to cook and bake since I was young. Mother and Grandmom were always in the kitchen cooking up something delicious. These carrot cupcakes were Grandmom's specialty, and we always have them at family gatherings. \u2014Lisa Ann Panzino DiNunzio, Vineland, New Jersey
<\/a><\/div>Carrot Cake with Pecan Frosting<\/a>My husband constantly requests this homey, old-fashioned version of carrot cake. The frosting is still tasty even without the pecans. \u2014Adrian Badon, Denham Springs, Louisiana
<\/a><\/div>Fruit Cake<\/a>This chewy, sweet and, most importantly, simple fruit cake recipe will bring joy to any holiday gathering. It's filled with tasty additions like three types of candied fruit and a heaping mound of crunchy walnuts for a fun-filled celebratory must.
<\/a><\/div>Frosted Carrot Cake Cookies<\/a>I took my favorite carrot cake recipe and slightly tweaked it to make cookies. Just like the cake, the yummy bites are filled with shredded carrot, pineapple and raisins\u2014and topped with a homemade cream cheese frosting. \u2014Lawrence Earl, Sumner, Michigan
<\/a><\/div>Cranberry-Carrot Layer Cake<\/a>This moist cake smothered with rich cream cheese frosting makes any dinner festive. Every autumn, I go to a cranberry festival in Wisconsin and load up on fresh cranberries to freeze for year-round cooking. \u2014Nellie Runne, Rockford, Illinois
<\/a><\/div>Surprise Carrot Cake<\/a>A cousin gave me this carrot cake recipe. It's a wonderful potluck pleaser with its \"surprise\" cream cheese center. My husband and our two young children love it, too! \u2014Lisa Bowen, Little Britian, Ontario
<\/a><\/div>Tropical Carrot Cake<\/a>I look forward to August because our family reunion means fun and great food, like this classic cake with the special flair it gets from pineapple. My great-aunt gave me this recipe, and I always make it for the reunion.\r\n\u2014Victoria Casey, Enterprise, Oregon
<\/a><\/div>Carrot Cake Shortbread<\/a>I really love carrot cake and wanted to make a cookie that had the same flavors. These comforting cookies are just the ticket! Cinnamon, maple and vanilla make them perfect for the holidays. \u2014Elisabeth Larsen, Pleasant Grove, Utah
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Carrot Cake<\/a><\/h2>\r\nMy family's best carrot cake recipe dates back to my great-grandmother! We bake up a few of these carrot cakes for special occasions to make sure there's enough to go around. You'll love the texture this pretty, moist treat gets from pineapple, coconut and, of course, carrots! \u2014Debbie Terenzini-Wilkerson, Lusby, Maryland. Try this carrot pudding<\/a> too.\r\n
<\/a><\/div>
Carrot Cupcakes<\/a><\/h2>To try to get my family to eat more vegetables, I often \"hide\" nutritional foods inside sweet treats. The shredded carrots<\/a> add wonderful moistness to these cupcakes, which have a rich cream cheese<\/a> frosting. Now we can have our cake and eat our vegetables, too! \u2014Doreen Kelly, Rosyln, Pennsylvania
<\/a><\/div>
Vertical Carrot Cake<\/a><\/h2>This vertical spin on a cherished classic is packed with spices<\/a> and sure to impress. The brown butter<\/a> cream cheese frosting truly takes the vertical cake<\/a> over the top! \u2014 Mark Neufang<\/a>, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
<\/a><\/div>
Carrot Cake Pancakes<\/a><\/h2>Here's a way for fans of carrot cake to have their favorite dessert for breakfast. These delicate, decadent pancakes are drizzled with sweet and spicy maple syrup<\/a> that complements the sour cream and nut topping. \u2014Leane Goering, Salem, Indiana