Last year, as usual, I baked a number of Nigella's Traditional Christmas Cakes, all nice and boozy! Anyway there was one that wasn't collected so I wrapped it up quite well, placed it in a metal tin and placed it on a dark shelf in an unused bedroom.
Anyway I'm wondering what sort of shape would the cake be in now? Not a good cake or a well matured cake? Would a good feed of booze put some life back into it, make it suitable for a present or keep it for myself?
NIgella's Traditional Christmas Cake (from Nigella Christmas) is a rich fruit cake that is moister than some cakes thanks to the ground almonds (almond meal or flour) that is added to the cake batter. Like most rich fruit cakes, it benefits from a maturing period and being fed with some extra alcohol, though in the book it is suggested that the keeping time is 6 weeks and generally we suggest if keeping the cake for longer than this then the cake should be frozen as it will keep for a year.
The cake sounds as if it has been strored correctly, though if it has been wrapped directly in foil then that can impart a metallic taste to the dried fruits. If the cake has been wrapped in baking parchment (parchment paper) or greaseproof paper and then stored then this should not be a problem. The best thing to do is look at the cake. If there are any signs of mould, or if the cake has a fermented, sour or odd smell, then it is safer to discard the cake. But if there are none of these then the cake sould be fine as rich fruit cakes can be kept for longer. You could always cut a tiny piece out of whatever is (or will be after decorating) the bottom of the cake and taste it to see if the flavour of the cake is still good. It may benefit from being fed with a little extra alcohol, though this will also depend on how much alcohol was added after the cake was baked. We are not sure if the cake was decorated, but if it was then you should remove any marzipan or icing and decorate the cake with fresh marzipan and icing. If you are any doubt about the condition of the cake then it is also safer to discard it.
Nigella Lucy Lawson (born 6 January 1960) is an English food writer and television cook. After graduating from Oxford, Lawson worked as a book reviewer and restaurant critic, later becoming the deputy literary editor of The Sunday Times in 1986.
Like most rich fruit cakes, it benefits from a maturing period and being fed with some extra alcohol, though in the book it is suggested that the keeping time is 6 weeks and generally we suggest if keeping the cake for longer than this then the cake should be frozen as it will keep for a year.
Fruitcake should be tightly wrapped and stored in a cool, dry place while aging. If you wrapped your cake in soaked cheesecloth, resoak the cloth once a week and age for six weeks to three months. Cakes simply wrapped in plastic wrap should be brushed with more alcohol every few days during the first two months.
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, these seemingly indestructible pastries typically stay fresh for six months in the pantry and up to a year when refrigerated. But anecdotally we know that they can last for decades; some of the oldest have been preserved for more than a century.
You could then thaw the cake a week in advance. Or keep the cake in a refrigerator but make sure that it is really well wrapped so that it doesn't absorb the odours of other ingredients in the fridge.
It's always fine kept in an air tight cake tin or wrapped up in parchment and cling film then placed in a freezer bag. In fact we have just recently finished eating our second Christmas cake!
If you followed it exactly and did not add any alcohol in, I would recommend 3-4 weeks max. The cake has a lot of sugar and dried fruit which will help preserve it but it will not last as long as a traditional cake without the alcohol. How do I store a Christmas Cake? Allow to cake to completely cool.
“Low water activity is important because many microorganisms, including foodborne illness-causing bacteria, need moisture in order to reproduce. “In practical terms, this makes most fruitcakes extremely shelf stable, so they would be safe to eat for a long time – a really long time,” Chapman says.
HOW LONG DOES A CHRISTMAS CAKE LAST? Christmas cakes to be kept in a tin can be made up to 3 months in advance depending on the recipe you use, OR you can make it many more months ahead, freeze it and defrost it when you are ready to 'feed' it or ice it.
That honor goes to a 4,176-year-old cake that was found in an Egyptian tomb, according to the Guinness organization. It is on display in a food museum in Switzerland.
STORAGE INSTRUCTIONS AND SHELF LIFE : Store in cool, dry and hygienic place to protect from insects, pest and strong odors. The cake has a shelf life of 15 days from the date of manufacturing. Once Opened Consume Within 2-3 Days. Store in Airtight Container Under Refrigerated Condition.
What alcohol should you use? Strong, flavourful spirits with a high ABV are ideal for feeding fruitcakes. You can use rum, brandy or whisky for spice, or if you like citrus flavours, try an orange liqueur. Cherry brandy and amaretto will also work well if you prefer these.
The shelf life of milk cake is generally up to 3-4 days under ambient conditions and up to 12-14 days under refrigeration conditions. The shelf life of the egg-based moist cake in the study was determined to be 7 days when stored at 7 °C and 3 days when stored at 22 °C.
Wrap the cake in greaseproof paper or baking parchment then wrap it in kitchen foil.Store cake in a second layer of foil or in an airtight tin. You can repeat the feeding process every couple of weeks for three or four feeds. However, if the cake makes the work surface damp, appears wet or stodgy, discontinue feeding.
Whether you're gifting the traditional fruit- and nut-studded cakes or eating them at home, you should ideally start the process 6 to 7 weeks before you plan to enjoy them.
It's best to get baking around two or three months before Christmas. This gives you plenty of time to let it mature and 'feed' your Christmas Cake regularly as the big day approaches.
Yes, a fruit cake could actually become the tough hard doorstop of fabled infamy. Ignore it long enough, say beyond 2 months, and this antique tradition will start to dry out.
Introduction: My name is Arline Emard IV, I am a cheerful, gorgeous, colorful, joyous, excited, super, inquisitive person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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