Q & A of the Week – Fruit Cake 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.

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.

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.

Kimberly Baker’s homemade brandied fruit cake was a very tasty bite!

Kimberly Baker’s homemade brandied fruit cake was a very tasty bite!
Adair Hoover, ©2014 HGIC, Clemson Extension

Kimberly Baker’s homemade brandied fruit cake was a very tasty bite!

Adair Hoover, ©2014 HGIC, Clemson Extension

Sources:

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

 

If this document didn’t answer your questions, please contact HGIC at hgic@clemson.edu or 1-888-656-9988.

Factsheet Number

Newsletter

Categories

Pin It on Pinterest

Share This