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Storage time for rich fruit cake without alcohol
I have been asked to make a wedding cake , the first one that I have done. Usually it’s been birthday and christening cakes for the family that I’ve made. So it’s quite stressful.
They want the bottom 10 inch tier to be an alcohol
free rich fruit cake.
I know it won’t have as long a shelf life as cakes with alcohol so the problem is the time between when I marzipan the cake and Ice it. Its going to take a few days for the marzipan to dry out but then that will take it over the recommended storage time for the cake.
If the cake has marzipan on, would that extend its shelf life if stored correctly?
I have been asked to make a wedding cake , the first one that I have done. Usually it’s been birthday and christening cakes for the family that I’ve made. So it’s quite stressful.
They want the bottom 10 inch tier to be an alcohol
free rich fruit cake.
I know it won’t have as long a shelf life as cakes with alcohol so the problem is the time between when I marzipan the cake and Ice it. Its going to take a few days for the marzipan to dry out but then that will take it over the recommended storage time for the cake.
If the cake has marzipan on, would that extend its shelf life if stored correctly?
Hi, anne.henderson31
There is absolutely nothing to worry about. Rich fruit cakes without alcohol can be stored to mature for months in an airtight container. Your decorating timeline will not interfere with the shelf life of the cake.
After baking, wrap the cake up in parchment paper and a few layers of either foil or cling film and pop it in an airtight container to mature. Instead of feeding it with alcohol, it can be fed with either fruit juice such as orange or, cold tea. This is optional and not necessary as the cake will naturally mature as the fruit begins to break down and moisten the cake over a period of time.
Fruit cakes have a very high concentration of fruit to flour ratio making them shelf-stable for months. Once you marzipan and ice the cake, store it in a cake box to keep it clean and dust-free. Place the box in a cool part of your home away from heat sources and direct sunlight until you need to put in the finishing touches.
In the blog section of the Cakeflix site, found under the resources tab, search ‘storing fruit cake’ to see blogs on storage.
Hope this helps but please do come back if you need more information or reassurance. 🙂
Thank you so much for this advice, it has certainly helped to put my mind at ease as I’ve been worrying about it. There was so much conflicting advice about how long a rich fruit cake would last without alcohol. With your advice I am now confident to make my cake 10 days before the wedding day, which will give the marzipan a week to dry and a couple of days to get it iced and decorated before the big day.
Thanks again
Anne
You are welcome Anne. First wedding cake is always scary but you’ll be fine. ?
