The perfect fruit cake would be edible for more than 100 years! (2024)

FAQs

Is fruit cake edible after 100 years? ›

But anecdotally we know that they can last for decades; some of the oldest have been preserved for more than a century. In 2017 a then 106-year-old fruitcake left behind by members of a 1910 Antarctic expedition was unearthed from one of the continent's first buildings.

How to Store Fruitcake Without Alcohol? Fruitcake without alcohol won't last as long, however, its shelf life can still be maximized through proper storage techniques. Our fruitcake can last up to one month on your countertop, four months in the fridge, and six months in the freezer.

"In practical terms, this makes most fruitcakes extremely shelf stable, so they would be safe to eat for a long time – a really long time," Chapman says. "But it might taste pretty bad."

Fruitcake aficionados will tell you that the best fruit cakes are matured – or “seasoned” in fruitcake lingo – for at least three months before they are cut. Seasoning not only improves the flavor of the fruitcake, but it makes it easier to slice.

Is fruit cake really still edible after several years or even decades? - Quora. Yes, in fact it improves with age. You just have to make sure it's not exposed to humidity or moisture.

The New Zealand-based Antarctic Heritage Trust found the cake in Antarctica's oldest building – a hut on Cape Adare. The cake was wrapped in paper and in the remains of a cake tin, and the trust says that “There was a very, very slight rancid butter smell to it, but other that the cake looked and smelled edible”.

Over the years fruitcake has garnered an infamous reputation for being extremely shelf stable but no one else quite understands that like the Ford family here in Michigan. At 145 years old I'd say the Ford family fruitcake is well past its "best by" date!

#1: Fruitcakes are made with ingredients that are already preserved. – Typically the fruits and nuts that are used when baking fruitcakes have been cured or preserved in some type of sugar. Believe it or not, sugar actually acts as one of the best preservatives for fruits.

The fruit in my recipe soaks for two days, just long enough to plump it but not long enough for you to forget about it. Then, once the cake is baked and it cools, you can eat it right away. It will then stay fresh for at least two weeks after that.

If you notice that the date on the frozen food package has already passed, you may be wondering if that food is still safe to eat. The good news is that you can eat frozen food that has passed its expiration date — although in some cases, the flavor, color, or texture may have decreased in quality (1).

Can 2 year olds eat cake? ›

The recommendations now suggest that infants are breastfed for at least six months and that children younger than two are not given foods with added sugar, including cake and candy. After age two, both sugar and saturated fats should each be limited to less than 10% of the child's daily calories, the guidelines say.

Fruitcakes were so rich, they were considered sinful and were outlawed in Europe in the early 18th century. Restrictions eased later in the century.

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.

You can either soak cheesecloth in brandy, bourbon, whiskey, rum or other liquor and then wrap it around the cooked, cooled fruitcake before wrapping in plastic wrap and storing, or simply brush the cake with an alcohol of your choice and wrap tightly.

Evenly pour 1.5 - 2 ounces of your favorite bourbon, rum, brandy, or cognac, over the fruitcake.

Like most rich fruit cakes, it benefits from a maturing period and being fed with some extra alcohol, though in the book it is suggested that the keeping time is 6 weeks and generally we suggest if keeping the cake for longer than this then the cake should be frozen as it will keep for a year.

Cakes can be stored in the fridge for up to a week. If you need to store the cake for longer than that, put it in the freezer. Wrap the cake tightly in plastic wrap or aluminium foil, and then place it in a freezer-safe bag. Cakes will stay fresh in the freezer for up to two months.