The Best Way to Store Fruitcake

Fruitcake is often served with tea.

A form of fruitcake was made with pomegranate seeds in ancient Roman times and with honey, fruit and spices during the Middle Ages. Crusaders and hunters on long journeys reportedly took the heavy cake with them to sustain themselves. In the early eighteenth century, fruitcakes, called "plum cakes," were outlawed in Europe because they were said to be sinfully rich. By the Victorian era in the nineteenth century, fruitcake was a regular appearance at teatime. Today, fruitcake is a traditional Christmas food. How to store the cake depends on how long you wish to keep it before eating.

Things You'll Need

• Plastic wrap
• Plastic ziplock bag
• Foil
• Heavy-duty freezer bag or wrap (if stored in freezer)

Instructions

1. Cover the fruitcake with plastic wrap or put it in a ziplock plastic bag and keep at room temperature, if you want to store it for less than one month. If you need to store for a longer period, proceed to Step 2.

2. Cover with tin foil, plastic wrap or a plastic bag and keep it in the refrigerator if you want to store it for less than six months. If you want to store it for longer, proceed to Step 3.

3. Wrap the fruitcake tightly in aluminum foil, plastic freezer wrap or put it in a heavy-duty freezer bag and freeze. For best results, you can store the cake for up to one year. However, you can keep it safe indefinitely if it is kept at a constant temperature of 0 degrees Fahrenheit.

References

• What's Cooking America: History of Fruitcake
• Still Tasty: Fruit Cake--Freshly Baked

Resources

• Village Voice: A Short History of Fruitcake