Welcome to the Cake Decorators Q&A

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asked August 26th 2015

Christmas Fruit Cakes – how long can a decorated cake keep?

Hello fellow bakers,

I would really like some advice on Christmas Cakes please! I know the fruit cake on its own can keep for a LONG time but what about once it has been covered in marzipan and sugarpaste? How long will it keep after that?

The reason I ask is that I am taking a stall at a Christmas Market in November to sell my cakes but need to make sure I get the best before dates correct! I will be selling a mixture, some un-iced cakes and some already decorated and then wrapped in a cellophane wrap with a ribbon to finish them off nicely.

Please help! Any advice would be so welcome……. 🙂

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Hello fellow bakers,

I would really like some advice on Christmas Cakes please! I know the fruit cake on its own can keep for a LONG time but what about once it has been covered in marzipan and sugarpaste? How long will it keep after that?

The reason I ask is that I am taking a stall at a Christmas Market in November to sell my cakes but need to make sure I get the best before dates correct! I will be selling a mixture, some un-iced cakes and some already decorated and then wrapped in a cellophane wrap with a ribbon to finish them off nicely.

Please help! Any advice would be so welcome……. 🙂

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Hello cookiesandcream

If the cake is wrapped up appropriately and kept in a cool environment it is possible the icing and marzipan would be good for a couple of months but the cake of course for much longer.
How icing and marzipan keeps fresh is dependent on storage. If it’s constantly exposed to the air it will become hard and dry and not very nice to eat, after all it is sugar. As you’re selling the cakes at Christmas I’d say a couple of months for the sake of giving best before date that’ll take it to February.

Hope this helps.

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Thank you, really appreciate your advice. My main concern is the sugarpaste hardening but if the decorated cake is kept in a cellobag and tied tightly at the top, it should last a couple of months and the sugarpaste is fine when the cake is cut?

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If stored in the way as you have described, yes the sugarpaste icing should still remain of an edible consistency. and the cake will continue maturing under the icing. My own Christmas cake is decorated weeks before hand but we normally don’t cut into it well into the New Year. 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! it was deliciously matured and full of the aroma of the alcohol and fruit.
Tip to remember with marzipan:
Don’t use cornflour when rolling out marzipan as it causes a reaction which forms moulding.
Wash rolling pin throughly after use on marzipan to prevent oily marks on sugarpaste icing and any remnant contamination of cornflour.

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I feel re-assured now, thank you so much for taking the time to answer my question. You’re a mine of information as always! 🙂

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