Does a light fruit cake

rainrain1, Nov 22, 9:35pm
Keep as well as a dark xmas cake? Thanks

marcs, Nov 24, 1:50pm
It should do provided it has some alcohol in it to preserve it.

rainrain1, Nov 24, 6:56pm
Ok thanks, good old alcohol.
I have just checked out the recipe, it has no alcohol in it, how long would it keep without it I wonder. How close to, or far from Xmas should I make it, it's a new recipe I want to try.

biggles45, Nov 24, 7:02pm
Soak the fruit in brandy overnight before making the cake if you want to make it early. But fruit cake will keep well anyway or if you're not sure about keeping it you can freeze it.

whitehead., Nov 25, 7:07am
you can soak your fruit in any thing its the butter that keeps it moist as well eggs and butter are a fat so they dont dry out if you dont over cook it so have the oven at heat as it says in the book and check it about twent minutes before by pokeing a knife ir a kniting needle in it if it comes out clean its cooked it also should be singing around the edges with little bubbles coming up . put your ear close to it and you will hear a sss sound . i use fruit juice becaus esil does not drink but you can use fruit juice ginger ale or for a dark cake beer

rainrain1, Nov 25, 7:53am
I was only wanting to know the keeping time for a light fruit cake. but all the extra info might be helpful to others. I know how to cook zee cake :-))) but thanks anyway

daarhn, Nov 25, 8:04am
Keep it plastic wrapped in the fridge, lasts forever if sealed properly- never does with me as its a fav. Slice what you need and bring to room temp wrapped. I love a light fruit cake kept in the fridge, thickly sliced with slab butter with my cuppa tea YUM!

rainrain1, Nov 25, 7:49pm
I have to hide them at my house, but I will try keeping it in the fridge with a sticky 'DON'T EAT THIS' note on top

samsnan, Nov 26, 1:00am
Speaking of hiding them. Last year I made 3 cakes wrapped them up carefully and stored them in a cool cupboard. We ate 2 of them and about July this year I was looking for something in the cupboard and came across the 3rd one that had been forgotten about. Lovely cake it was by then.

awoftam, Nov 26, 1:17am
Oh what an awesome surprise!

griffo4, Nov 26, 1:54am
l make Alison Holst's golden Christmas cake and soak the fruit in white wine for a few days in a plastic bag on the bench or you can do it her way and put everything in a pot and heat through and go from there

This cake keeps for ages, when it is hidden, it vanishes in no time otherwise

punkinthefirst, Jun 1, 5:42pm
Any cake that has alcohol added to the mix before baking loses it in the oven when the mix is heated. All the alcohol adds is flavour. If you want to use alcohol for preservation, you have to add the booze after the cake is cold and wrap it well to stop evaporation.