Is my Christmas Cake ok?!


Question: Hi. I made my first ever Christmas cake about a month ago. It's turned out beautifully but I did cut the top off to make it flat. I've got it wrapped in greaseproof paper and it's in a tin and I've been putting a few teaspoons of brandy on it once or twice a week.

I've never done this before, and I just feel a bit funny that it's been hanging around so long. It looks and smells fine but someone told me I shouldn't have cut the top off as it may go mouldy.

Also, when is the best time to ice it?


Answers: Hi. I made my first ever Christmas cake about a month ago. It's turned out beautifully but I did cut the top off to make it flat. I've got it wrapped in greaseproof paper and it's in a tin and I've been putting a few teaspoons of brandy on it once or twice a week.

I've never done this before, and I just feel a bit funny that it's been hanging around so long. It looks and smells fine but someone told me I shouldn't have cut the top off as it may go mouldy.

Also, when is the best time to ice it?

Christmas cake can last for a year or more, its the alcohol! as for icing you should marzipan it first and leave it ideally for a week to dry then ice. the next couple of weeks is a good time to give it time to dry by christmas.

is it being refridgerated?...
I'm not sure exactly what a christmas cake is...i'm assuming its a special kind of cake...but i too would feel unsure about it being out this long...
cutting off the top shouldn't make is mold any faster though....
I would ice it the day before you need the cake

wow i just did some research on this. never heard of this before. here is a link I found that may answer your question.

http://www.fashion-era.com/Christmas/chr...

sounds like a 100 proof cake. neat though. Love hearing about recipes such as this,

Trust your nose and eyes, keep feeding it brandy.
Cover with marzipan 3 or 4 days before icing about a week before Christmas.

Sounds like you've got it well wrapped up, so it shouldn't go mouldy. Fruit cakes last ages anyway!

I suggest you ice it a few days before it's eaten, there may be some ingredients that spoil quicker than the cake!

If this is a UK-type rich fruit cake it should be OK, and not go mouldy. You don't need to cut the top off, just turn it up-side-down, and there is a beautiful flat surface to ice.
What sort of icing are you going to do? If an American type frosting, I don't think that keeps very well. Traditionally you will put almond paste on first. Leave to harden for a day or two then you can ice. Royal icing will need more time to dry, fondant icing doesn't take as long. I would marzipan about a week before Christmas, and ice about 5 days before, but you don't have to be that rigid.





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