Welcome to the Cake Decorators Q&A

Hi,
I have just been asked to make 6 inch fruit cake for the middle of October. I happen to have one wrapped up and in a box that I made mid August for practice, I’ve fed it with brandy a few times would this cake be ok to use for October? It is Delia Smith’s rich fruit cake recipe. Or would I be better to make a fresh one now? I’m confused as to how long in advance is best to make them and when is not long enough? I am away when they want it so if I marzipan and sugarpaste it the week before will it still be ok and how long can I advise them they can keep it for?
Sorry for so many questions! Any advice would be greatly appreciated, thanks 🙂

Hifi28

Fruit cakes can be baked months in advance, the earlier the better! Keep it fed and well wrapped with parchment and foil and stored in an airtight tin. It can be fed every week right up to the week or two before you ice it. When feeding do one side one week, turn it over and do the other side the following week. It’s fine to ice it before you go away and as long as your client keeps it wrapped and in an airtight tin the cake will be good for many weeks afterwards. If it is to kept for a long time ( eg a year or more) the icing will go very hard and discloure. Un iced fruit cakes can be frozen for a year upward without icing, wrapped appropriately.
Post on storing fruit cake can be found here:
http://www.cakeflix.com/?s=storing+fruit+cake&post_type=post

G’d luck 🙂

Hi madeitwithlove,
Thank you so much for your help you are amazing! Out of interest is there any rough guide for how much to feed it with each time? I just tend to put some in the cap and pour lightly all over but not sure if it’s a bit much! Don’t want to be getting everyone drunk by fruit cake! xx

I’ve just finished the Christmas cake I made around October last year (Delia’s recipe as well). It still tasted lovely, and I will be doing the same recipe next week for this Christmas. I put A LOT of brandy in mine, both by soaking the fruit before cooking (using more than Delia’s recipe), and afterwards over several weeks before icing etc. But that’s my personal taste. I just go by feel as to how much more brandy to feed it. If it gets to the point where the cake feels a little too moist when I unwrap it between ‘feeds’ then I stop there and just leave it to rest until I cover it.

Hi fi28

I usually do three tablespoons in a syringe. You may be able to get syringes in your local pharmacy if you let them know you’re feeding cake with alcohol. Otherwise just poke holes all over the cake with a skewer and pour it in. A cap full isn’t really enough so you won’t be getting anyone drunk :)) This is how to get them drunk!
http://www.cakeflix.com/preparing-for-a-moist-christmas-cake/

I warm the alcohol first but you don’t have to if you don’t want. Stop feeding the cake a week or two before required and it will be lovely. If you think it is getting a bit on the wet side don’t give it as much or miss it out. We finished eating our second Christmas cake from last year this summer. It was definitely a don’t eat and drive cake. I haven’t made cakes this year because of illness but the fruit has been soaking since last December so I might just make a cake or two! xx

Thanks Juleswz4 and madeitwithlove, both your answers were extremely helpful and I feel alot better about it all now. Thanks so much xx

Ps , I’ve just read your Preparing for a Moist Christmas Cake madeitwithlove and I have to say it looks like a pretty epic cake! I definitely to step mine up a few gears after seeing that and I also now want a to eat some!!

Good luck now, I’m sure your cake will be just wonderful. As for the mosit christmas cake preparations, the most difficult part is self control to stop myself eating the soaking fruit. xx