Hi..Just finished a couple of Christmas cakes...going to wrap them in Cling-film and store until end of December. Have put a few tablespoons of brandy on them. Question is...if I wrap them now whilst the cakes are still dampish due to the brandy will that be ok..or will they go mouldy? Thanks.
The high sugar content and the alcohol will prevent them from molding. You might consider soaking some cheesecloth in brandy and wraping the cakes in that. The brandy is used both for flavor and to add moisture. You can store them in an airtight container in a cool, dark location.
My mother made her fruitcakes around Halloween and stored them in cake tins until Christmas. She wasn't a drinker, so instead of the brandy, she would put wedges of apple in the tins with the cakes. The apple wedges would be changed periodically. The cakes never molded.
Ok...thanks for the speedy reply...let wrapping commence :-)
Check them now and then. You might need to add more brandy.
She can send one to me,, and I'll check it periodically and report back! (Send bottle of brandy too in case I need to add some!) Chuck (in SC)
I made a large fruitcake last year at Halloween. I poured about
1/2-1 cup of brandy over it when it was cool, wrapped well in saran wrap and a clear plastic bag and placed in a tin. I store it in a cool and dry place. I am still enjoying it and have a small wedge left. I have used this method for years and the cakes NEVER turn moldy.On Tue 29 Nov 2005 10:20:12a, Thus Spake Zarathustra, or was it Susan E Desjardins?
Yep, it just gets better!
I don't understand all the jokes about fruitcake. Sure, it's heavy, but that just means it is full of good stuff. It isn't something that you cut a big slab of. A small piece of fruitcake and some brandy or coffee is a luxury snack, in my opinion.
On Tue 29 Nov 2005 02:11:06p, Thus Spake Zarathustra, or was it Vox Humana?
I couldn't agree more. A good fruitcake is one of my favorite cakes. I think the bad rep comes from folks who've never really tasted a *good* fruitcake. There are a lot of horrible commercial fruitcakes out there.
Jodie - I have been making xmas cakes to sell for several years. I wrap mine in cheesecloth(after they have cooled completely. Before the cheesecloth, I poke holes in the cake and pour in brandy) that has been soaked in brandy, then wrap them in foil. Store in a very cool place that is not a fridge or freezer. Check now and again to be sure they are still moist. You don't want them wet - this will produce mould. You don't want htem dry cause they will taste icky. It is not a speedy response - I've not been at the comptuer for two days but I think you might do well to rewrap your cakes. I don't think clingfilm is a good idea. Wendy
----- Original Message ----- From: "Jodie" Newsgroups: rec.food.baking To: Sent: Sunday, November 27, 2005 10:14 AM Subject: Storing fruit cakes
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