Christmas cake is one of the season’s best treats, but as they’re often made well in advance, they need to be stored properly.
Plus, it’s unlikely the whole cake will be eaten with so much other food on offer so the leftover cake will also need to be stored as well.
Depending on what recipe households have followed, Christmas cakes can be kept wrapped up in an airtight container for up to three months in advance, according to the experts at Cater 4 You.
Or it is possible to make the cake even earlier and then freeze it, defrosting it when you want to feed or decorate it.
If the Christmas cake is stored correctly, it’ll be the star of the celebrations and you can continue to enjoy the leftovers well into the new year.
The baking pros noted that one tip that “festive bakers swear by” is to soak linen in alcohol such as rum and wrap up the cake in the soaked linen and in an airtight container.
They claimed that this helps to “protect the cake against mould or yeast problems”.
It’s worth highlighting that the container that you store the Christmas cake in must be airtight as otherwise, the proteins in the ingredients (like eggs, butter and nuts) will become oxidised if exposed to air, which causes the cake to “taste rancid quickly”.
Fruit cakes can generally be stored for up to a year in the freezer, but “they could probably last for even longer”.
This is because the alcohol prevents mould and kills bacteria and the sugar helps to preserve the cake for longer.
The experts added: “The dried fruit in the Christmas cake has ‘low water activity’. This means that there is little moisture present. Microorganisms such as bacteria need moisture in order to thrive. So this means that Christmas cake lasts a long time in storage.”
However, the quality of the fruit cake will lower the longer it is left in the freezer. So while it may be possible to keep the fruitcake forever, it’s probably “best to eat it within a few months”.
Another popular festive treat that needs storing properly is mince pies. Home-baked mince pies can be stored in an airtight container or tin that sits on your kitchen counter for around five days, according to Laurence Smith, Chef’s Picks editor.
However, many people prefer storing their mince pies in the fridge. He claimed: “This can extend their life for a few days, meaning your pies will last for up to a week.”
When storing these treats in the fridge, households should still keep them in an airtight container so they “stay fresher for longer”.
For those who don’t think they can get through all the mince pies they have within a week, another option is to freeze them.
Laurence claimed: “Mince pies freeze exceptionally well and can be stored in the freezer for up to three months.”
