fermented plums for a cake?

September 4, 2023 12:58 PM

It's that special food safety time again. These fresh plums have decidedly started to ferment and the skin has split. There's no visible mold at all. I want to use them for a cake. Still food safe, or give up the idea?
posted by peppercorn to Food & Drink (3 answers total)

Best answer: have you tasted them? if there are off flavors, which sometimes happens with fermenting fruit, you won't want them in the cake. may be too squishy-slimy as well. I don't think there's a safety issue, but if they wouldn't be nice to eat fresh then they won't be appealing in a cake either.
posted by fingersandtoes at 1:00 PM on September 4, 2023 [3 favorites]

Best answer: At the same time: a lightly tangy or fizzy ferment can add a much-needed brightness and levity to a fruit cake!

I have enjoyed baking with fermented fruit but not your fermented fruit, ymmv.
posted by SaltySalticid at 6:24 PM on September 4, 2023 [1 favorite]

Response by poster: thanks both of you-- i erred on the side of 'this would taste too much like slivovitz in their current state' and skipped the cake this time. next time, who knows!
posted by peppercorn at 6:37 PM on September 4, 2023