At the minimum, a fruit cake should be made one week in advance to allow the flavours to develop and blend—a process called 'maturing' or 'ripening'. A longer storage time produces a more mature cake, with a greater depth of flavour—best of all, it gets one Christmas task out of the way early!
How to Store an Uniced Christmas Fruitcake
Before baking the cake, line the cake tin with two layers of brown paper, followed by an interior layer of greaseproof (baking) paper. After spreading the batter in the tin and smoothing the surface, drop the cake tin flat on the floor from the height of a few inches. Repeat this a few times—it helps the mixture settle into the corners of the tin and eliminates air bubbles. Cover the surface of the batter with two layers of brown paper, smoothed over the top.
When the cake is baked, leave it in the tin until completely cold. Then slide a table knife between the brown paper and the tin to loosen the cake, and shake the cake and linings out onto a clean surface.
Without removing any of the brown or greaseproof paper, carefully wrap the cake up in several thicknesses of newspaper. Kept like this in a dark, cool place, the cake will survive for months. The newspaper package can be sealed in an airtight container to protect it from rodents if necessary.
Feeding the Cake
Christmas cake aficionados like to ensure a moist, flavoursome cake by 'feeding' it every month or two. To do this, unwrap the cake and remove the brown paper from the top of the cake, leaving the side and bottom wrappings intact. With a pastry brush, brush a little alcohol over the surface of the cake. Usually cooks use the same kind of alcohol as was used to soak the fruit for the cake—sherry or brandy are popular choices. Wait for the alcohol to sink in, then replace the brown paper and re-wrap the cake. Repeat every month until Christmas.
How to Store an Iced Christmas Fruitcake
Christmas cakes are traditionally iced with fondant. If applied correctly—two layers, usually almond paste followed by white icing—the fondant creates an airtight seal around the cake, which helps preserve the fruitcake for extended periods of time. In order to get a proper airtight seal the icing must adhere around the bottom of the cake to a cake board or some other surface.
An iced cake should not be kept in an airtight container, as this will cause the icing to weep. Instead, the cake should simply be placed in a cool, dark environment and loosely covered against dust and flies. A large cardboard box makes a good storage container. Check the cake occasionally to make sure the icing is still hard and dry.
If the cake is only iced on top, the bottom and sides should be covered with the original wrappings or new layers of brown paper. The cake can still be 'fed' through the sides, if desired.
Christmas cake can also be frozen, although this is generally unnecessary.
How to Slice and Serve Christmas Cake
If the cake has been fully iced, some cooks prefer to slice the icing away from the sides before serving. This is a matter of preference—children in particular may be delighted with a slice which is more icing than cake! Use a good serrated knife such as a breadknife to slice the cake.
Christmas cake is traditionally served in small rectangles or squares. It is customary to arrange the pieces on a plate with napkins and hand them around to guests—cake tongs may be used. Like wedding cake, Christmas cake can be mailed to friends and family in small boxes made for the purpose, as long as the cake is cut to fit exactly.
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