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| Photo Credit - Pinterest |
The European colonists brought fruitcakes to America. Sugar was the key to preserving fruit – fruit was cut into small pieces, boiled in sugar syrup, tossed in granulated sugar and allowed to dry.
The ancient Romans used a mash of barley, pomegranate seeds, honey, wine, nuts and dried fruit as a sort of energy bar to sustain their soldiers in battle. However, the modern fruitcake can be traced back to the Middle Ages as dried fruits became more widely available and fruited breads entered the Western European cuisine.
Most of today’s fruitcake recipes include dried nuts, dried fruit with candied fruit or peel.
The U.S. Department of Ag says that fruitcake can last 2-3 months in the refrigerator without spoilage, and can maintain its quality for a year if stored in the freezer. That’s because the dried and candied ingredients have what is called ‘low water activity; meaning they have very little moisture available – important because lots of microorganisms need moisture in order to reproduce.
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| Photo credit: Jonathunder, via Wikimedia Commons |
This means a fruitcake could be extremely shelf stable, so it would be safe to eat for a long time – but it might taste bad since fruitcakes contain a variety of proteins, from eggs and butter to nuts. When proteins are exposed to air, they can become oxidized which can make it become rancid (flavors and odors).
So, while you may be able to save a fruitcake forever, you probably should eat and enjoy it now!