Johnny Carson once made a joke about fruitcakes: “There is only one fruitcake in the entire world and people keep sending it to each other.” And although its just a joke, considering how long a properly made and stored fruitcake can last, its almost possible. The alcohol added to the cake to age and maintain it acts as a preservative, allowing people to keep or regift a fruitcake for years.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture says that fruitcake will last two to three months in the refrigerator without spoiling, and will maintain its quality if stored up to a year in the freezer.
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Andress, Eliabeth L., Harrison, Judy A., Food Storage for Safety for Quality. The University of Georgia Cooperative Extension. 2011 https://nchfp.uga.edu/how/store/UGA_foodstorage_2011.pdf
For best quality, a fruit cake that is tightly wrapped with aluminum foil or saran warp can be stored for up to 1 month in a cool, dark pantry, 6 months in the refrigerator, and 12 months in a freezer. Check often for signs of spoilage, and if mold or off-odors develop, discard the cake.
A: Fruit cake storage times can vary depending on the ingredients of the cake (longer for cakes soaked with alcohol), whether it’s homemade or commercially prepared, and the method of storage.
Q: The holidays have come and gone, but some of us still have leftover food lingering around, and others are stocking up on post-season grocery sales. We got an HGIC call this week from a gentleman who was wondering how long a fruit cake can be stored. His local supermarket had a great sale on fruit cakes, and he wanted to stock up.
Storing a Fruitcake
Once a fruitcake has been aged it can be eaten or gifted. Otherwise, store it tightly wrapped in the refrigerator. Fruitcakes soaked in liquor can last for months or even years if you periodically add more liquor. Since alcohol kills bacteria, it slows down the spoiling process.
Some fruitcake fans wont even touch a fruitcake until it has aged at least three years, although its generally recommended that soaked fruitcake should be consumed within a year. If youre squirmish about eating food that old or didnt plan that far ahead, a cake aged for six or seven weeks will be more than safe to eat and still delicious.
Fruitcakes are among cakes that freeze well but need to be aged at least four weeks before freezing since the alcohol doesnt mellow while frozen. Interestingly enough, the fruitcakes life is shorter if frozen than if refrigerated. Consume a frozen fruitcake within one year. If you are frosting the cake, do so just before serving.
How to preserve Fruit Cakes nice and moist in FERGIE’S JAMAICAN Kitchen.CHRISTMAS 12/2020
FAQ
Does homemade fruitcake need to be refrigerated?
What is the best way to store a fruit cake?
Do cakes with fruit need to be refrigerated?
How long should you let fruit cake sit?
Should a fruit cake be refrigerated?
Storing at room temperature is suitable for shorter-term storage, while refrigeration can prolong the cake’s shelf life. Freezing is an excellent option for long-term storage. When it comes to thawing and reheating your fruit cake, it’s best to let it thaw slowly in the refrigerator or at room temperature for the best results.
Should kiwi fruit be refrigerated?
You don’t need to refrigerate kiwi if it is the whole fruit, if you cut it then you store the pieces in the refrigerator. One thing to keep in mind is that a kiwi will ripen and then eventually go bad, so if you might not eat your kiwis for a while, refrigerating them can help them keep for longer.
Should fruit cakes be stored at room temperature?
In the case of most baked foods, the general rule is to not store them at room temperature. However, fruit cakes are one of the few exceptions. In fact, room temperature is the ideal storage condition for a fruit cake to maintain its texture and flavor. The reason is that fruit cakes are less likely to dry out when stored in a kitchen cabinet.
How do you store a fruit cake?
Fruit cakes can be stored in the fridge, in the freezer, or at room temperature. The optimum storage method depends on how long the cake will be stored. For short-term storage, refrigeration or storage in a kitchen cabinet is best. To store for a longer time, refrigerating at lower temperatures or freezing the cake is the way to go.