Boiled Christmas Cake

Baking By Sammih77 Updated 6 Nov 2017 , 9:30am by bubs1stbirthday

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Sammih77 Posted 5 Nov 2017 , 10:28pm
post #1 of 7

Hello all. Just a quick question, does anyone have experience of boiled fruit cake? I've always made fruit cakes this way rather than feeding and found them to be rich and moist, however I have read something that has panicked me (as I have an event in two weeks where I will be selling these cakes), suggesting that a boiled cake when iced, will not last more than a couple of days, week at the most? I don't really understand why as the recipes say the cake will last for 1-2 months wrapped in greaseproof and in an airtight container. They will be covered in marzipan and fondant which will be effectively airtight. Everything I have read says to ice it a couple of days before but I don't have that luxury, however I can't risk the cakes being unfit by the time they are eaten at Christmas. Any thoughts welcomed.


6 replies
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bubs1stbirthday Posted 5 Nov 2017 , 11:00pm
post #2 of 7

My MIL makes them every year - I would say she is somewhat an expert at them now :-) On occasion even she has had them mould in the cloths, depending on the weather when she hangs them to dry I think.

I imagine if you covered them the moisture in them would be so high that the mould would just take off and go crazy on them, is that what you were worried about happening?

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Cher2309b Posted 6 Nov 2017 , 4:29am
post #3 of 7

A boiled fruitcake (wherein the fruit, butter, etc are boiled, and the cake is boiled) should last for months iced with marzipan and fondant. Depending on the recipe of course, it should stay moist and delicious. This is pretty well the only cake we used in the “olden days” if it would take a long time to decorate.            

Christmas puddings are wrapped and hung; they may have a different outcome; I don’t know. 


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Cher2309b Posted 6 Nov 2017 , 4:29am
post #4 of 7

A boiled fruitcake (wherein the fruit, butter, etc are boiled, and the cake is boiled) should last for months iced with marzipan and fondant. Depending on the recipe of course, it should stay moist and delicious. This is pretty well the only cake we used in the “olden days” if it would take a long time to decorate.            

Christmas puddings are wrapped and hung; they may have a different outcome; I don’t know. 


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Cher2309b Posted 6 Nov 2017 , 4:29am
post #5 of 7

A boiled fruitcake (wherein the fruit, butter, etc are boiled, and the cake is boiled) should last for months iced with marzipan and fondant. Depending on the recipe of course, it should stay moist and delicious. This is pretty well the only cake we used in the “olden days” if it would take a long time to decorate.            

Christmas puddings are wrapped and hung; they may have a different outcome; I don’t know. 


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Cher2309b Posted 6 Nov 2017 , 4:46am
post #6 of 7

Apologies; I have been trying to edit my post above and it appears to have multiplied and refuses to delete. I meant to say, “and the cake is BAKED”. 

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bubs1stbirthday Posted 6 Nov 2017 , 9:30am
post #7 of 7

Yep, just to clarify I thought you were asking about fruit cake that was cooked via boiling in to a Christmas pudding, if it a cake that is baked I can't see it only getting a few days before it spoils but I may be wrong.

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