Topic: keeping wedding cake

[ACE]

How do we keep it for the christening? My son gave us the middle of his wedding cake this weekend to share amongst relatives but we would like to surprise them when/if they have a christening. Might be a year or two yet, so is it worth it. It's proper rich fruit cake, but might need a drop of brandy to keep it moist. Do we discard the icing now or leave it on.

[queenbee]

It should keep for ages I had some rich fruit cake which I had for 18 months. It was lovely and kept perfectly. I would leave the icing on although it may discolour a bit but you could always get it re-iced with a christening theme. If I were you I would maybe add a mini bottle of brandy over several weeks if it is possible. Keep it in an air tight tin and in a reasonably cool place and I promise you it should be perfect when ready to use.   

[Kea]

Take the icing off. It will be easier to add the brandy then as well.

[Duke Ellington]

I know someone that froze their wedding cake with good results.

[daveyboi]

You should just store it as it is with the icing on in a sealed container preferably not plastic.

Remove any artificial flowers,ribbons or decorations first though.
I am assuming it is on a foil covered cake board still in which case it should not be removed. You then wrap it loosely in greaseproof paper.
Then store in a cool dry place in a sealed tin.

It will keep for several years like that. When it comes to the time you wish to use it you remove the icing and marzipan and decorate the cake again.

The icing seals the cake and it will stay moist and in good condition.

[Kea]

I think my cake was frozen....hence the icing removal eaten 7 years later. It would have been well preserved by brandy as my mother made it. MIL froze it just in case.

[ACE]

Don't think I like the idea of freezing it. But if I leave it iced and sealed to the cake board how am I going to get the brandy in it. I do not know how much spirit was put in the mix, so adding a bit more will make sure there is plenty of  'preservative'. We do have some vacuum bags it could go in, so would they do the job. Then when it is ready to use again, soak it in brandy before re- icing.

[daveyboi]

You should not need to add any brandy Ace.

The cake will mature naturally.

On a side note note if it was frozen it would defrost and be exactly the same as  the day it was frozen in taste whereas storing it as described above it will normally improve in taste.

All my comments are assuming it was a proper wedding cake mix with a high fruit to batter ratio and has been iced professionally.

When I bought my bakery business during the handover we had a wedding cake brought in for re-icing that the previous owner had made 9 years earlier and we both were impressed with how well it had kept stored as above.

[ACE]

You should not need to add any brandy Ace.

The cake will mature naturally.

Proper really fruity cake, all made and iced in a good bakers that was recommended by others that had used his service before. The people that gave me the idea of keeping it had a cake from him and had done the same, keeping a layer for the christening, but they did already had a date for that event, so they did not have to keep it long, we don't even know if they are thinking about children yet. Are you really certain about the brandy, not even the tiniest teeniest little drop, even just waving the bottletop over it. I can then have an excuse to get her to put one in the shopping trolley then and the price will come out of her housekeeping instead of my pocket.

[antipodes]

Ace, what actually keeps the cake is the high amount of sugar in it, just as dried fruit keeps. Ok, brandy gives flavour but it's not actually teh alcohol in the booze that makes it keep By wetting it you may actually encourage it to rot quicker.
Personally I have always seens these cakes stored with the icing on to protect them.

[Poppy Mole]

Can you not ask the baker's opinion? I think a good one would be only too happy to help & not try to flog you another one.

[rosebud]

 Ace, i worked in a bakers for 3yrs. the rule was never ever wrap a rich fruit cake in foil.  First cling film seal it well & then greasproof paper seal it well. Very cool dark place. Have you got a spare space in the garage?.
Ace when you put it in a TIN, seal with sellotape. Good luck it should be fine to re ice when the time comes. Rosebud.