How Long does fruitcake last?

A common question we get at Jane Parker Baked goods, is: “How long will my fruitcake last?”

While there are a lot of variables that go into the answer to this question (type of cake, temperature the cake is stored at, types of fruits used, etc.), we can say that Jane Parker fruitcakes last at ambient room temperature for 12 months from the date of purchase.

There are several reasons that Jane Parker fruitcakes have such a great shelf life. We'll dive into some of them below:

#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. Sugar helps to stabilize the amount of water in the fruits, which helps to prevent bacterial growth. Another added benefit to using sugar to preserve fruits? It prevents oxidation and helps fruit keep its firm texture, instead of getting mushy.

#2: The Density of fruitcake. As you are probably well aware, Jane Parker fruitcakes are very dense, because they are baked with over 2/3 fruit and nuts. This means that the majority of Jane parker Fruitcakes are made up of these delicious ingredients. Having most of the ingredients composed of raisins, cherries, pineapple, and pecans allows for very little moisture in the cake batter. This doesn’t mean that our fruitcake is dry. In fact all of the fruits, which are preserved in sugar in our Jane Parker fruitcakes make our cakes extremely moist and delicious!

#3: Temperature storage of our fruitcakes. When Jane Parker Fruitcakes are baked, they are stored in a temperature controlled setting, keeping them chilled until they are shipped to your door. This means that the 1 year shelf life of your fruitcake actually begins right around when you receive your cake, not when the cake is baked! Here’s another tip; to further increase the shelf life of your Jane Parker fruitcake, store it in the refrigerator for up to 18 months, or in the freezer for up to 2 years. Just make sure to use a plastic wrap to keep air out of the cut portion of your cake and some aluminum foil to protect it from freezer burn and it will stay as fresh as the day you bought it!

 #4: If you want your fruitcake to last even longer, preserve it with alcohol. That’s right, adding alcohol to your fruitcake will not only make it taste like your favorite adult beverage, but it will greatly increase the shelf life. Alcohol acts as a food stabilizer to help delay the growth of bacteria. Many of our customers call us to tell us how they give their Jane Parker fruitcakes a little “extra kick”. After receiving your fruitcake, unwrap it from its cellophane wrapper and wrap it in a cheese cloth. Then, using a spoon or small measuring cup, pour several teaspoons of your favorite alcohol (brandy, rum, and bourbon are favorites) over the top of cheese cloth. Store your fruitcake in a tin or a plastic container and repeat the process once every 2 weeks. The fruitcake will continue to absorb the alcohol, making it moister and more concentrated with the alcohol. A word of warning: make sure whoever is eating your fruitcake knows there is actual raw alcohol in the cake and that they are of legal drinking age. Depending on how much alcohol you have poured over your cake and how much you consume may cause intoxication, or at least may affect one’s ability to drive, so be careful!

 We hope you enjoyed our blog post! Until next time fruitcake lovers!